Scottish Government pledges nearly £2 million to boost Youth Entrepreneurship – Scottish Business News

The Scottish Government has announced a significant investment of over £1.9 million to foster entrepreneurship among young people and increase diversity in business across Scotland.

This initiative aims to embed entrepreneurial education in classrooms from primary one through to the end of secondary school, marking a substantial step towards creating a more entrepreneurial culture in the country.

The funding is divided into two main streams:

School-based programmes: More than £829,000 has been awarded to seven education organisations to develop and deliver entrepreneurship programmes in schools.

This includes £250,000 to Powering Futures for designing education programmes, £157,025 to Founders4Schools for networking young people with business role models, and £79,834 to Gen+ for designing business lessons for secondary school students.

Pathways Fund: £1.08 million has been allocated to 13 organisations through the Pathways Fund, focusing on supporting under-represented groups in business, including women and ethnic minorities. Notable grants include £200,000 to Investing Women for educational programmes and networking opportunities, and £106,505 to GrowBiz to encourage support for women starting firms in rural areas.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes emphasised the importance of this investment, stating, “By mainstreaming the subject we aim to give every school leaver the skills, confidence and opportunity to set up their own business”.

This initiative aligns with the Scottish Government’s broader strategy to establish Scotland as one of Europe’s leading start-up economies.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “These projects mean that for the first time, entrepreneurship will be embedded in Scotland’s classrooms, from P1 to S6.

“By mainstreaming the subject we aim to give every school-leaver the skills, confidence and opportunity to set up their own business.

“This is a continuation of the Scottish Government’s drive to create one of Europe’s leading start-up economies.

“Existing entrepreneurs are already being supported, including by our successful Techscaler programme.

This comprehensive approach to entrepreneurial education aims to inspire the next generation of Scottish business leaders, fostering innovation and economic growth across the country.