Mart Habakuk
Chancellor, Estonian Business School
A builder of ecosystems where ambitious people collide.
hello
ready· set · grow ·
perform
focus
grow
Build the boldest
version of yourself.
The young entrepreneurs programme 2026, a seven-day entrepreneurship summer school in Tallinn, Estonia
for ambitious young entrepreneurs from across Europe and beyond.
This year's edition explores the intersection of entrepreneurship and sport.
August 10-16, 2026Tallinn, Estonia
27Days
:22Hours
:35Min
Need-based scholarships available. Indicate your interest in the application.
6th
Edition
7
Days
10+
Countries
Watch
See it for yourself.
The Programme
Seven days that rewire how you think.
A condensed, high-intensity startup program for students built around a hackathon, expert-led workshops, on-site visits to leading Estonian companies, and one-on-one mentorship from founders and investors, the entrepreneurship summer school Europe's most ambitious young builders come to Tallinn for. Social events and evening panels this year are built around sport, and the hackathon challenge invites participants to tackle real problems in mass sports participation. Evening activities this year are built around movement and sport.
You'll leave with a sharper sense of how real businesses get built, and a network of peers and mentors who'll outlast the week itself.
- 1Monday
- 09:00Opening ceremony & icebreakers
- 10:00Workshop: "Is It Worth It?"
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:00Workshop: "Talk to Strangers"
- 16:00Company visit
- 19:00Orienteering in Tallinn Old Town
- 09:00
- 2Tuesday
- 09:00Yoga with Martine
- 10:00Workshop: "Who Owns Your Data?"
- 11:00Quiz about Day 1
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:00Workshop: "Not for Everyone"
- 16:00Company visit
- 19:00Panel discussion
- 09:00
- 3Wednesday
- 10:00Workshop: "Agents"
- 11:00Quiz about Day 2
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:00Workshop: "The Ugly Version"
- 16:00Company visit
- 19:00Näsh group run
- 10:00
- 4Thursday
- 10:00Workshop: "The Art of the Deal"
- 11:00Quiz about Day 3
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:00Workshop: "Own the Room"
- 18:00Hackathon intro & team formation
- 10:00
- 5Friday
- 09:00Hackathon starts
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:00-19:00Building + mentor check-ins (rotating every 2 hours)
- 19:00+Evening working session
- 09:00
- 6Saturday
- 09:00Final building & pitch prep
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:00Pitch competition
- 15:00Feedback & awards ceremony
- 18:00Closing party (bar venue, drinks & finger food)
- 09:00
- 7Sunday
- 10:00Reflection & "What's Next" session
- 12:00Farewell & departure
- 10:00
YESS 2026 Theme
Entrepreneurship meets sport.
YESS 2026 explores one of the most interesting challenges in modern society: how do you get more people to participate in sport and actually enjoy it? Lower barriers, increase access, make it stick. Evening panels and social events are built around the theme. Bring your own problem or take a go at challenges proposed by the Estonian Olympic Committee. Mentors this year include voices from the sports world alongside the usual mix of founders and investors.
Featured Speakers
The people you'll learn from.
Andreas Veispak
Head of Research, Innovation & Development, Estonian Business School
Helping the next generation separate good problems from great ones.
Priit Uustulnd
COO, Startup Wise Guys
Helping early-stage founders go from messy first idea to a real company that works.
Roy de Weerd
Head of Platform, Rockstart
Building the systems and networks that help ambitious founders scale faster and with fewer wrong turns.
Peep Vain
Private Investor, Vain & Partners
Investor and personal-effectiveness trainer who studies the psychology of balanced success. Helps founders lead themselves before they lead others.
Carmen Kivisild
PhD Neuroscientist & Founder, Elnora AI
PhD scientist turned founder, building AI agents that turn lab research into real-world products. Helps deep-tech teams move faster by learning from the data most people ignore.
Uku Joost Annus
Founder & CEO, Bilt.me
Built Bilt.me. Loves talking shop about product, design and shipping fast.
Hira Wajahat Malik
PhD Researcher & Sustainability Facilitator, Estonian Business School
Facilitating clean-tech and impact projects across energy, pharma and development. Helps founders find their real customer through systems thinking and partnerships.
Ucha Vekua
Creative Director & Founder, Startup Adventures
Creative Director & Founder of Startup Adventures publication. Loves talking to startups about their growth strategies and helping them get their first customers.
Madis Lehtmets
Managing Director, EstVCA
Fundraising advisor and Forbes 30 Under 30 co-founder of Remato. Helps founders design the pitch decks, financial models and strategies that decide rounds.
More exciting speakers and founders to be announced, stay tuned.
Who it's for
Built for participants.
YESS brings together ambitious young people from across the world for one week in Tallinn. We curate the cohort deliberately: different backgrounds, different countries, different skills. The kind of mix where co-founders find each other and friendships outlast the summer.
- Build a real international network
- Develop entrepreneurial skills through doing, not listening
- Find your people and your co-founder
Practical info
Everything you need
to know.
01
Dates & Location
10-16 August 2026, Tallinn, Estonia.
02
Participation Fee
€990, covering the full programme, all sessions, workshops, company visits, and activities.Early bird tickets sold out.
03
Accommodation
We arrange accommodation in Tallinn for participants who need it.
04
Language
Everything runs in English.
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. If this applies to you, simply indicate it in your application and we'll follow up with you personally.
Organised by
Sponsors
Better together.
Bring a friend to YESS and you both get 25% off the participation fee. The best weeks happen with someone you already trust in the room. If you're applying with a friend, just mention their name in the last field of the application form.
Application
Ready to apply?
Three short steps. We read every application personally.
Step 1 of 3 · About you
Questions?
We're happy to talk.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is Young Entrepreneurs Summer School?
A 7-day intensive entrepreneurship programme in Tallinn, Estonia, running 10-16 August 2026, for ambitious young entrepreneurs from across Europe and beyond. Organised by Estonian Business School and Startup Wise Guys, Europe's leading B2B accelerator.
Who can apply?
Anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset, regardless of age, nationality or academic background. Previous cohorts have included participants from 10+ countries including across Europe, North America, and Asia.
What does the programme include?
Daily hands-on workshops, company visits to leading Estonian startups, mentorship from active founders and investors, a hackathon, and demo day. Lunch and snacks provided daily.
Is accommodation provided?
Yes, accommodation in Tallinn can be arranged for participants who need it.
What will I learn?
How to identify real problems, talk to customers, build solutions, pitch ideas, and negotiate, skills taught by people who have actually built companies.
Why Tallinn, Estonia?
Estonia is one of the world's most advanced digital societies and has the highest number of unicorn startups per capita in Europe. It is a living case study in how technology and entrepreneurship can transform a country.