Press Release: Small Business Bureau launches Youth Entrepreneurship Programme 2026

The Small Business Bureau (SBB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has officially launched the 2026 edition of the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme (YEP), continuing its mission to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking among secondary school students across Guyana.

The programme commenced with a teacher orientation and business plan development workshop hosted at SBB’s head office, equipping 26 educators with the skills necessary to guide students in preparing structured and viable business proposals. This approach ensures students receive practical, hands-on mentorship throughout the process.

Under the programme, students conceptualise viable business ideas and develop structured business plans for evaluation. The most practical and scalable proposals are selected to receive monetary awards, with 60 students from 12 schools set to benefit in 2026.

In addition to monetary awards, participants receive guided training in entrepreneurship, marketing, and financial management, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and discipline required to build sustainable ventures.

Since 2020, the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme has recognised and awarded 150 students from 39 secondary schools across Guyana, with over $8 million distributed in monetary awards for innovative and practical business plans.

Female participation has been particularly strong, with 108 young women benefitting from the initiative, highlighting the growing creativity and interest of young women in entrepreneurship nationwide.

Chief Executive Officer of the Small Business Bureau, Mohamed Shazim Ibrahim, emphasised the broader national importance of the programme:

“Entrepreneurship is a critical pillar of Guyana’s economic future. Through YEP, we are not only providing monetary awards to students, but we are also nurturing innovation, discipline, and self-reliance at an early stage. This programme reflects the government’s sustained commitment to developing a culture of entrepreneurship and equipping young people with the tools to create their own opportunities.”

The Youth Entrepreneurship Programme forms part of the government’s broader agenda to promote enterprise development, economic empowerment, and innovation across all regions of Guyana. By investing in youth entrepreneurship, the Government continues to lay the foundation for a diversified, resilient, and inclusive economy.