With "Startup in School," the YFN and the Gründungsmagnet association are bringing entrepreneurship into German classrooms. The nationwide educational project launches during the official Startup Week 2025, from November 17th to 23rd. It aims to introduce students to practical economic thinking and the fundamentals of starting a business.
In over a hundred schools across Germany, volunteer founders and entrepreneurs lead a double lesson focusing on idea development, business models, and elevator pitches. The goal is to inspire young people to pursue entrepreneurship and show them that starting a business is a real option alongside university studies or vocational training.
Saskia Teufel, founder of the initiative and herself from the Munich startup scene, says:
"We want to bring entrepreneurship to where curiosity begins: into schools. Starting a business is not an elitist path, but an entrepreneurial attitude from which our country benefits: recognizing problems, taking responsibility and creating solutions. That is exactly what we want to show young people."
A nationwide network with Munich roots
The project originates from the YFN network, which has been connecting young entrepreneurs from the region for years. Together with Gründungsmagnet, the network has built a nationwide team of around 100 volunteer entrepreneurs. Among them is Daniel Schmitt-Haverkamp from the Munich-based startup. Everdrop, Darius Göttert (Göttert Ventures), Pheline Huber (Lyfe Ads), Lorenz Kopp (Next Step HR) and Leon Pelikan (Political X Change).
“Startup in School” is organized by a ten-person team that coordinates implementation, partner contacts, and quality assurance. In addition to classroom lessons, the program aims to foster long-term exchange between founders, teachers, and students – an approach also implemented in Munich.
Paul FunkeThe project organizer is seeking support from companies, foundations, and educational institutions:
“We welcome partners who understand entrepreneurship as an educational mission and want to work with us to promote a new entrepreneurial culture in Germany.”
Because every investment in entrepreneurship education is an investment in future viability, according to Funke.
The project aims to contribute in the long term to anchoring economic thinking and social responsibility at an early age, in order to inspire the next generation of founders.
Those who would like to support the project can find here More information.
