Environment

Applications open for the 2026-27 UN Youth Ecopreneur Programme

3 hours ago EDITOR

(Geneva) – Young entrepreneurs developing green business solutions and contributing to land restoration can now apply to join the 2026-27 Youth Ecopreneur Programme, a United Nations initiative offering business training, mentorship, international exposure, access to networks and funding opportunities. Members of previous cohorts have gone on to win international awards and attract millions in investment.

The Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO), a flagship initiative of the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the G20 Global Land Initiative under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), supports youth-led enterprises working toward environmental sustainability and land restoration.

Apply for the Youth Ecopreneur Programme here.

With a focus on entrepreneurs under the age of 35, particularly those from developing countries, the programme provides a structured journey through a Global Bootcamp and Global Accelerator, followed by the Youth Ecopreneur Awards, where selected finalists pitch their businesses to an international audience and winners receive $10,000 in prize money.

Eligible businesses in the Land Restoration category can also access a $100,000 equity-free funding pool for the track – in which the entrepreneurs receive a portion of the total funding, while retaining full ownership of their companies.

Following the Awards, entrepreneurs continue into a Scale & Impact phase, with further opportunities to strengthen their businesses, expand their networks and increase their impact.

Participants also become part of a growing YECO alumni community of more than 350 entrepreneurs who have completed the programme, as well as the wider ITC Ye! Community, which connects more than 50,000 young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship ecosystem actors worldwide.

Participants also benefit from intellectual property expertise from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), pro bono legal services from international law firm Sidley Austin, business coaching from EY, and preferential access to the Google Startups for Sustainable Development programme.

Applicants can apply in one of two categories:

Green Business Solutions: Businesses developing environmentally sustainable products, services or business models, including circular economy solutions, sustainable materials, low-carbon technologies, eco-design and green innovation.
Land Restoration: Businesses contributing to the protection, sustainable management or restoration of land and ecosystems, including reforestation and afforestation, soil conservation, wetland restoration, erosion control, agroforestry, carbon farming, invasive species management, wildfire prevention and management, river restoration and technologies supporting these activities.

Learn more and apply for the 2026/27 Youth Ecopreneur Programme here.

Applications close on 22 November 2026.

Building on success – The previous programme cycle attracted more than 1,500 applications from over 120 countries.

Participants reported strong benefits from the programme, with 96% saying YECO strengthened their credibility, 94% expanding their professional networks and 90% improving their knowledge or developing new skills useful to their work.

YECO alumni have also gone on to reach milestones while scaling their ventures.

For example, winner of the 2025-26 Land Restoration category, Satellites on Fire, was nominated for the Earthshot Prize and closed a $2.7 million seed round.

Winner of the 2025-26 Green Business Solutions category, Hellen Munyasa of Helton Traders Limited in Uganda, received a $20,000 grant through the PayPal Small Business Impact Awards and has showcased her business at various international events. In reflecting on the programme’s impact, she said: ‘YECO didn’t just grow my business, it prepared me to grow beyond borders. It changed how I think, how I lead and how I build a green business that creates value, uplifts communities and reaches international impact.’