Organization · Community
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a national program based in Rochester, New York, that provides entrepreneurship education to middle and high school students. It empowers students to launch their own businesses through a hands-on curriculum and mentorship.
Overview
What Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) does
What Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a national program based in Rochester, New York, that provides entrepreneurship education to middle and high school students. It empowers students to launch their own businesses through a hands-on curriculum and mentorship.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports community and event host capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Community
- Founded
- Founded in 2004
- Approximate age
- About 22 years
- Structured capabilities
- Community · Event host
- Last reviewed
- April 1, 2026
Official channels
Find Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) as a community
Community overview
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) was founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester, with support from the Kauffman Foundation. It is based in Rochester, New York, and aims to develop and deliver experience-based entrepreneurship programs to young people. The organization focuses on enabling students to transition successfully to adulthood, pursue their dreams, and create economic and social value through entrepreneurship.
Community focus
YEA! provides entrepreneurship education to middle and high school students, specifically targeting grades 6-12. The program includes generating business ideas, conducting market research, writing business plans, pitching to investors, and launching real businesses. YEA! emphasizes experiential learning and aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among students.
Member value
Members gain access to a structured entrepreneurship education program that includes mentorship, resources for launching businesses, and opportunities to participate in competitions that celebrate their achievements.
Membership
- Recorded members
- 7,700
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
- Next recorded event
- May 1, 2024
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Students
- Benefits
- mentorship and network-access
- Program types
- community and course
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed
- Regions
- United States
Community activity
Events and activity
YEA! hosts the Saunders Scholars National Competition, which celebrates the achievements of young entrepreneurs. The next competition will take place from May 1-4, 2024, in Rochester, NY.
Notable members
Notable alumni include Rachel Zietz, founder of a sports equipment company; Tanner & Spencer Harrison, entrepreneurs with multiple businesses; Courtney Martin, known for her innovative ventures; and Charlize, who developed an algorithm for an online casino.
Capability profile
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) as an event host
Event focus
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) provides entrepreneurship education to middle and high school students, specifically targeting grades 6-12. The program includes generating business ideas, conducting market research, writing business plans, pitching to investors, and launching real businesses. YEA! emphasizes experiential learning and aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among students.
Format narrative
YEA! operates through various models, including an after-school enrichment program hosted on a college campus, a credit-bearing elective course offered during school hours, and an after-school program that may partner with local Chambers of Commerce for mentorship and resources.
Participant value
YEA! aims to develop and deliver experience-based entrepreneurship programs to young people, enabling them to transition successfully to adulthood, pursue their dreams, and create economic and social value through entrepreneurship.
Format and cadence
- Event types
- awards-ceremony
- Modality
- in-person
- Startups can present
- No
Availability
- Registration state
- Not currently accepting
- Next recorded event
- May 1, 2024
- Next event location
- Rochester, NY
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Students
- Regions
- United States
Speakers and past editions
Past editions
YEA! has a diverse portfolio of student success stories, with over 7,700 students having launched more than 5,100 real businesses and non-profits. Notable alumni include Rachel Zietz, Tanner & Spencer Harrison, Courtney Martin, and Charlize.
Common questions
What to know about Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)
Upseed classifies Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) under the Community organization type. Its current public profile includes community and event host capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
April 1, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.