How the Youngpreneur 40 Works
An annual list of forty entrepreneurs, age forty and under, redefining the timeline of success. Here is the mindset behind it, who qualifies, how the class is chosen, and how to put a name forward.
Young is a headspace
Youngpreneur has never been only about a number. Young is relative, and it is a mindset. A seventy year old calls a forty year old young. What connects everyone under this brand is the drive to build early and build boldly. The Youngpreneur 40 extends that recognition across the full range of the movement, so the brand is truly for everyone.
Who qualifies
Forty and under
The candidate is 40 years old or younger, measured on a single fixed date, the first of January of the class year, so everyone is judged on the same footing no matter when they were nominated.
Leads an active business or brand
They founded or lead a business, brand, or venture that is operating today. It can be a product, a service, a nonprofit, or a creative venture, at any stage from early traction to established.
A real, verifiable story
The work and the results can be verified. Candidates should be able to point to what they have built, whether that is customers, revenue, community, or measurable impact.
Submitted or nominated
A candidate can put themselves forward or be nominated by someone else, both judged the same way. Anyone under 18 is nominated with a parent or guardian.
What we look for
Every candidate is scored by the panel on the same four measures, with the same weights, so the standard is clear and equal for all.
Demonstrated impact
What the work has actually done. Revenue, growth, customers, reach, or a clear and measurable difference made.
Strength and originality
How sound the idea is, and how original the approach. Something that stands on its own.
The long game
Where the work is headed. The long term potential of the venture and the founder.
How they lead
The way a founder carries their team, their customers, and their mission. Character and consistency.
The tracks
The forty are drawn across five tracks, so the class represents the full range of what young founders build and a strong candidate in a smaller field is not buried under a crowded one: Product and Retail, Tech and Digital, Creative and Media, Social Impact, and Service and Trades.
How to be considered
Submit or nominate
Put your own candidacy forward, or nominate an entrepreneur who belongs on the list. Come ready to tell the story, what they built, who it serves, and why it matters.
The panel scores
An independent panel scores every eligible candidate on the rubric above. Judges score on their own and results are averaged, so no single judge can swing it, and each judge steps out of any candidate they are connected to.
The shortlist
The strongest candidates in each track are considered together in deliberation, and claims are verified before anyone is locked in.
The class is named
The forty honorees are revealed together as the annual class. The inaugural Class of 2028 will be the first list published.
The timeline
Open now
Nominations are open and taken year round. Put a name forward at any time.
October 1, 2027, 11:59 PM EST
Nominations close for the inaugural Class of 2028.
Winter 2027 to 2028
The panel scores every candidate on the rubric and selects the class.
February 2028
The Class of 2028 is revealed, each honoree with a profile that tells their story.
All times are Eastern. Every year after follows this same shape.
Our pledges
No cost to nominate
Nominating is always free. No entry fee, no pay to play.
The rubric is public
The measures and weights are published before anyone applies.
Following does not count
Judged on the work, not on votes or reach on social.
Checked before final
Claims are verified and consent is secured before any name goes public.
Being named to the list
Each honoree is featured in the annual Youngpreneur 40 with a written profile that tells their story, a digital honoree seal to share, a printed certificate, and a branded honoree gift. It is recognition of a timeline redefined, and a platform to carry the work further, in front of a community built around young and youth entrepreneurs.
Put a name forward
Nominations for the inaugural Class of 2028 are open now. Submit your own candidacy or nominate someone who belongs on the list.