The Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC) is an online 12-hour business idea competition for high school students aged 14 to 18. Participants can join from anywhere with internet access. The competition inspires young people to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and enhance their understanding of business and innovation. It challenges teams of 3 to 8 students to tackle global issues through innovative and sustainable business ideas, applying their knowledge of science and technology. Teams compete in a preliminary round to qualify for the global finals. In each stage, teams have 12 hours to solve a challenge announced on the competition day and submit their business idea in English, including a two-page document and a three-minute video presentation. Submissions are judged on creativity and innovation, finance and production, marketing, and communication. Challenges address global social issues like environmental sustainability and social welfare. Winners receive a trophy and certificate, while all teams get a participation certificate and feedback.
Cycle information checked on November 3, 2026 against the official homepage and 2026 timetable. The retained 2026 registration deadline was April 20 at 17:00 Japan Time, with the preliminary round on May 16 and the final on June 20. The homepage now lists 2026 winners. These are historical dates; no 2027 schedule was published on the checked pages. The How To Join page describes separate national selection processes for Japan and Indonesia. The eligibility rules assess age at the Final Round, require schooling in the same country, and retain eligibility for May/June graduates of that competition year.
For the historical 2026 direct international registration route, the How To Join page gives a ¥10,000 fee per team and an April 23 payment-confirmation deadline; the rules specify 17:00 Japan Time on that date. These amounts and payment conditions have not been assigned to a future cycle or the separate Japan/Indonesia national routes.