The International Youth Entrepreneurship Olympiad 2026 (IYEO 2026) — themed "Dream. Dare. Deliver." — is a global startup competition hosted in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and organized under the Seoul Business Agency's Startup Plus program. Open to all entrepreneurship-related topics, the Olympiad invites young innovators worldwide to pitch their ideas and compete for recognition and funding.
The competition runs across two divisions: a Secondary Division for middle and high school students (grades 6–12 or equivalent age groups), and a University Division for undergraduate students aged 34 or under, including those on leave or graduating. Participants may enter as individuals or in teams of up to three, and the event is open to domestic and international students of all nationalities. All materials and presentations must be in English.
Fourteen finalists (seven teams per division) compete for prizes including a Grand Prize of $5,000 and the Seoul Mayor's Award, a Gold Award of $2,000, two Silver Awards of $1,000 each, and three Bronze Awards. Main programmes include a Startup Pitch Contest, Startup Mentorship, and a Seoul City Tour.
Applications close Monday, July 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM (KST). The preliminary round runs July–August, with semi-final on-site presentations on September 8, a Seoul City Tour on September 9, and the final round and awards on September 10. Live online sessions are available for international participants unable to travel to Korea.
Apply via the Startup Plus website (startup-plus.kr/project/PRJ006960).
