From 18-21 May 2026, MeOut organised the Youth Innovation Journey: Integrating Youth Category into the World’s Largest Innovation Award training in Szeged, Hungary, together with international partners including EU-Startups and Global Startup Awards. Participants from Hungary, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Romania came together for an intensive Youth Ambassador Training focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem engagement.
The initiative was developed to create a more accessible and structured pathway for young innovators, helping them transform early-stage ideas into mature concepts while gaining the skills and confidence needed to participate in international innovation ecosystems.
By introducing a dedicated Youth Category within a global innovation award, the project aims to strengthen the connection between education, entrepreneurship, and innovation, ensuring that young talent is actively integrated into Europe’s evolving innovation landscape.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in a comprehensive training programme combining practical workshops, mentoring foundations, and entrepreneurial learning.
The programme opened with an introduction to the structure and objectives of the Youth Ambassador Training, followed by activities focused on baseline assessment and mentorship foundations, helping participants better understand their strengths, goals, and development opportunities.
From there, the learning journey moved into the realities of the startup ecosystem, exploring the stages of the startup roadmap and the role ambassadors can play in supporting innovation communities.
Participants worked on:
The training combined collaborative learning, practical exercises, and reflective discussions, creating an environment where participants could exchange perspectives.
A central objective of the Youth Innovation Journey is to bridge the gap between education and real-world innovation ecosystems.
Rather than focusing only on theory, the initiative encourages participants to actively engage with the processes behind startup development, innovation management, and entrepreneurial thinking.
The training in Szeged highlighted the growing importance of creating inclusive innovation pathways for youth, particularly in a rapidly evolving European innovation environment where interdisciplinary skills, adaptability, and collaboration are becoming increasingly essential.
The Youth Innovation Journey reflects a broader commitment to empowering young people through innovation education, entrepreneurship training, and international cooperation.
By combining mentoring, practical skill development, and exposure to innovation ecosystems, the project contributes to building a new generation of young innovators prepared to participate in Europe’s future economic and social development.
At MeOut, we believe that meaningful innovation ecosystems are built by creating opportunities for young people to actively contribute, collaborate, and lead.
This project is co-funded by the European Union.
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