A Seat at the Table: YEA at No.10 Downing Street

A huge milestone for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy as our CEO, Lauren, had the honour of representing YEA at No.10 Downing Street, joining a roundtable discussion on Youth Entrepreneurship & Skills. Set in the iconic State Dining Room, the conversation brought together an inspiring mix of business leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from across government departments.

Safe to say this wasn’t just another meeting. It felt like a turning point. A powerful signal that something we’ve long believed is finally getting the attention it deserves - entrepreneurial education matters, and it matters now more than ever.

We’re living through rapid, relentless change. AI is reshaping industries. Career paths are becoming less predictable. And too many young people remain disconnected from education and employment opportunities.

The question is no longer “what job do you want?” It’s “how do you prepare for a future that doesn’t yet exist?”

Around the table, one thing became clear: Entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting businesses. It’s about building a mindset. Don’t get us wrong, creating future founders is a fantastic outcome (and one that drives economic growth) but that is only part of the story.

Entrepreneurial education equips young people with the skills they need to navigate uncertainty:

• Resilience when things don’t go to plan

• Adaptability in a changing world

• Creative problem-solving

• Confidence to share ideas and back themselves

These aren’t “nice-to-have” skills anymore. They’re essential. At YEA, this is exactly what drives us. We exist to give young people early, practical exposure to entrepreneurship. Connecting them with real founders, delivering accessible learning experiences, and helping them think differently about their futures.

To be part of this conversation at such a high level was both energising and validating. It reinforced that the work being done in classrooms, clubs, and communities across the UK is part of something much bigger. And most importantly it showed that entrepreneurial education is rising up on the national agenda.

This isn’t where the conversation ends, it’s where it accelerates. The real opportunity now lies in collaboration. When the public sector, private sector, and third sector come together, we have the chance to create meaningful, scalable change for young people across the country.

Our ambition remains clear: To ensure every young person regardless of background or learning style has access to the tools, confidence, and mindset to shape their own future.

We’re incredibly grateful to have had a seat at the table for such an important discussion and even more excited about what comes next. Stay tuned.