The Mini-Enterprise program stimulates the entrepreneurial spirit of high school students at the general and classical secondary education levels.

During the school year, students are responsible for a mini-enterprise in which they are required to make decisions and take responsibility for them. Since the teacher involved acts more as a “coach,” the mini-enterprise project breaks away from the traditional classroom image: typically a passive receiver, the student becomes an active participant in their project. The creation of a mini-enterprise is not mandatory. Therefore, the way a mini-enterprise functions depends on the educational track and the level of study of the mini-entrepreneurs.

To ensure a professional execution of each mini-enterprise project, external assistance from the school is essential. Therefore, a pool of entrepreneurs/advisors/coaches is created. These professionals are tasked with engaging students in their profession and intervening occasionally as specialists in their respective fields. These external advisors visit several times to provide guidance at key moments (e.g., product selection, founding general meeting, etc.). You can get involved by becoming a coach for a mini-enterprise! More information in the Coaching section! Sign up to become a volunteer and support a mini-enterprise !

Mini-entrepreneurs receive training in entrepreneurship, during which they learn the essential elements of a business (marketing, sales techniques, etc.). Throughout the school year, the students present their mini-enterprise concept to an audience and/or jury. This exercise helps them learn how to speak in public, share their enthusiasm for their project, and build more confidence and self-assurance.

To market their product/service, the students rely on collective sales, markets, e-commerce, etc. With the sale of their products/services, business transactions follow, and the daily life of the mini-enterprise proceeds. In this way, the students learn to:

• Take initiatives to find suppliers and vendors
• Develop ideas to promote their product/service through advertising
• Apply different sales techniques
• Organize a sales booth

The Mini-Enterprise Forum is the annual national competition that recognizes the best mini-enterprises of the year.

CThis program runs alongside the You(th)Start Challenges, which gives students the opportunity to participate in an exam that allows them to test their knowledge: the “Entrepreneurial Skills Pass.” The mini-enterprise program also forms an excellent foundation for the Young Enterprise Project program.