There are few people who dare to think out of the box and even fewer who set out to make it a reality. Namita Thapar, CEO and founder at Incredible Ventures Private Limited has set one such example. Under it aegis, Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a path-breaking institute where children are taught to not comply.
Entrepreneurship is all about taking the difficult route. The one which was dissed and questioned.
This academy runs with a different rule. To teach its students to take the unbeaten path and not follow a set syllabus. The academy grooms and coaches students aged between 11-18 to become entrepreneurs.
Their aim is to provide a conducive environment for children to stimulate their thinking capabilities and give shape to their ideas. The programme gives practical knowledge and helps create entrepreneurial mindset in youngsters.
Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors, finally launch and run their own real companies and social movements.
They just concluded the first session where 65 unique and exciting business ideas were presented in Mumbai and Delhi.
Check out some of the amazing stories of children who dared to dream and turned it into a reality.
My Valet - Kevin Thakker is a 16 year old from The Cathedral and John Connon Senior School. His company offers a valet service to reduce the traffic congestion problem in our country. His company will connect user to uniformed trained valets at key drop-off points across Mumbai
Kanoon – Ritiika Avarrsekar is a 16 year old from Arya Vidya Mandir School. Her website provides a database of lawyers. It gives customers the ability to interact with and hire legal services online. It also provides information on legal matters to help citizens enhance their knowledge of rights offered by the Indian Constitution.
Mone-tree – Sanya Arora is a 14 year old from R.N. Podar School. Her company has developed an education program to impart basic financial education and money management to students of the age group 12 to 16 years. Her goal is to have every school going student have a solid financial education.
Weave nation – Riya Sankhe is a 15 year old from Dhirubhai Ambani School. She has started a fashion company with a conscience. Her goal is to design trendy khadi apparels and promote livelihood for the weaver community in India. Through her company, she wants to support our government's ‘Make in India’ drive.
Dryve – Siddharth Doshi is a 14 year old from Dhirubhai Ambani School. His company will design an application that helps prevent drunk driving to help reduce road accidents. This application addresses an important issue since majority of road accidents in India are caused by drunk driving.
Aiyana Menezes is a 12 year old who is being home schooled currently. Her company, Smelly Cat Comics has published their first book 'Poochi and Snat, a comic created by children for children. It aims to change peoples attitudes and make them more sensitive towards stray animals.
Avi Dayani and Nakshh Kohli are both 12 year olds from The Shri Ram School, Moulsari. Their company, Shanny is an online platform that provides on demand, real time nanny services. In addition to YEA!, they have received funding from Radhika Aggarwal, Founder Shopclues as well as fellow classmates.
Avantika Khanna and Tishya Doraiswamy are 14 year olds from The Shri Ram School, Aravali. Their company, The India Story, will create an app which does the job of a virtual tour guide for the heritage sites of historical significance thus making the visit to that site an unforgettable experience.
Doesn't it fill you with pride and amazement? How right opportunites and direction can enhance a child's potential.
Bill Gates didn’t start Microsoft with the aim to become the richest man in the world. He was passionate about computers and believed in its ability to transform our lives. And it undeniably has altered our realities when compared to the previous generation. What worked for him? The fact that he followed his passion. He followed his passion with ardent zeal and fervour. In the process he became the richest man in the world.
These kids have embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship. YEA is acting as a catalyst in shaping their dreams and fuelling their passion by grooming and supporting them.
These children have realised the fact early on in their lives that enterprise is an instrument of change. And, as the Mahatma put it, “Be the change you wish to see.”