Young Entrepreneur Institute believes every child should understand and experience entrepreneurship. Young Entrepreneur Institute brings together everyone interested in working to develop and deliver programs that engage young people in entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurship experiences for young people. We partner closely with the Burton D. Morgan Foundation to expand and strengthen the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem.  Below we’ve described various contributors to the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem.

“Northeast Ohio has one of the strongest entrepreneurship education ecosystems in the world and Young Entrepreneur Institute is a really critical part of all of that, impacting thousands of students and teachers every year.”
– Deborah Hoover, President and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

“That impact is achieved through collaborating with teachers, educators and entrepreneurs to teach best practices to as many children as possible.”
– Greg Malkin, Executive Director, Young Entrepreneur Institute

Children

Young Entrepreneur Institute has impacted thousands of students through programming, curriculum and our network of teachers and content providers. At Young Entrepreneur Institute, we believe that every child should understand and experience entrepreneurship. Not every child will become an entrepreneur, but entrepreneurship activities teach critical hard and soft life skills that are essential to preparing young people for their 21st century lives.  And by experiencing these universal lessons — such as perseverance, hard work, self-confidence, financial literacy, and problem solving – students are more prepared to succeed in whatever they choose to do. The entrepreneurial mindset empowers kids to confidently meet the challenges they’ll face throughout their lives, not just those encountered at work. Our vision is to see that these lessons are instilled in as many students as possible.

After School and Out of School

Experiential entrepreneurship education is fun. Whether it’s learning about profit and loss, pitching that first business idea, or speaking to potential customers at a farmer’s market – Young Entrepreneur Institute can help you choose curriculum that best suits your group of children. We provide engaging experiences that inspire children to explore entrepreneurship. The life skills taught in after school and out of school programs can instill the confidence to succeed in life—whether or not one decides to become an entrepreneur.

Young Entrepreneur Institute has worked with programs such as Boys and Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, community development corporations, church-based youth groups, public libraries, city recreation departments, and many others. Many of these organizations have a adopted a “whole” child view, supporting children with primary needs while also providing enrichment programming. Our goal is to work together to support children in becoming productive and caring citizens.

Schools

We love our teachers—they are the key to our success! Young Entrepreneur Institute has partnered with hundreds of schools and has impacted thousands of children across Northeast Ohio and beyond since 2005. Young Entrepreneur Institute is highly collaborative, promoting networking events to learn and share best practices. Free educator retreats are hosted on a bi-monthly basis, providing turn-key lessons that can be taught the next day! Free classroom visits are also available year-round with YEI staff on hand to ignite the entrepreneurial mindset. Our year signature professional development is the Enspire Conference—YEI’s opportunity to introduce teachers and program providers to the most current entrepreneurship curriculum and educational tools available. The Enspire Conference is a partnership with the Burton D. Morgan Foundation.

Content Providers

Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI) is impacts thousands of students every year in collaborative partnership with a vast network of content providers who share our passion to provide experiential entrepreneurship education. YEI is focused on connecting educators with their “best fit” curriculum, based on student age, program contact hours, budget, and other factors. At our November Enspire Conference for educators, Young Entrepreneur Institute organized over 30 content providers to provide mini grants for a wide range of entrepreneurship programming. We see our role in the ecosystem as entrepreneurship education evangelists. Facilitating connections between our educators and partners is the key to our success.

Friends of Youth Entrepreneurship

Young Entrepreneur Institute is fortunate to have a passionate and growing community of supporters who champion our work. Our “Friends of Youth Entrepreneurship” represent a diverse group of business owners, young professionals and chambers of commerce members who lend their expertise and donate their time to support youth entrepreneurship both in and out of the classroom. Our “Friends” mentor and speak to students, coach business presentations, judge elevator pitch contests, and offer their skills in marketing, law and fundraising. If you are passionate about youth entrepreneurship and want to join our “Friends,” click here.

Community Partners

Youth Entrepreneurship is strongly supported by a host of foundations, higher education institutions, entrepreneurship organizations and civic-minded companies. They believe, as we do, that the entrepreneurial mindset is critical to navigate the challenges that young people will face in the 21^stcentury. Connecting the adult entrepreneurship ecosystem helps youth identify pathways to further career opportunities and deepens young people’s understanding of the business world. Many of our community partners provide critical funding that supports youth entrepreneurship, but also dedicate their personal time to consulting and volunteering in the field.

Young Entrepreneur Institute

Young Entrepreneur Institute was founded by Greg Malkin in 2005 and launched its initial activities at University School in 2006. A successful serial entrepreneur himself for more than 30 years, Greg believes that future generations’ success rests with experiencing entrepreneurship early in life. He believes that entrepreneurship education and experience can make subjects such as math and writing more relevant to students.

Northeast Ohio is fortunate to have one of the strongest youth entrepreneurial ecosystems in the country. Young Entrepreneur Institute helps schools, community organizations and the northeast Ohio business community work together to develop and deliver programs that continuously strengthen entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurship experiences for young people.