The Young Entrepreneurs Program

Hawai‘i Ag Foundation’s  YEP Online Marketplace today to see locally-sourced value-added ag products made by this year’s young entrepreneurs. 16 middle and high school teams have been working hard to create their value-added ag products.  Click here  for a list of products that will be available on April 6 at the KCC Farmers Market. 

This Saturday, April 6, 2024 is the last chance to buy this year’s LIMITED EDITION YEP products at the KCC Farmers Market in Honolulu.

KCC Farmers Market is located at 4303 Diamond Head Road and will be open 7:30 – 11:00 am. 

The Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP)  is a special opportunity for students to gain real-world experience of building a business end-to-end, including the creation of a product with local sourced material, writing a short-form business plan, production, marketing, sales and customer fulfillment. Businesses receive start-up capital based on their business plan, as well as net revenue proceeds from sales.

We aim for students to learn key business concepts and worforce skillsets, as well as build awareness of the importance of sustaining our local agricultural industry.

The Young Entrepreneurs Program is one of six programs the Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation proudly offers to Hawaii’s youths. The program focuses on middle and high school students, teaching hands on experience in building a real-life profitable small business. This school year, YEP students from 17 schools were tasked to create an original value-added product using locally grown ingredients or materials. Throughout the program students learn to create a business plan, design, produce and market their products.

Mahalo to the Young Entrepreneurs Program’s partners: Alumbra Innovations Foundation, Annie Sinclair Knudsen Memorial Fund, American Savings Bank, Atherton Family Foundation, County of Maui,  G.N. Wilcox Trust, Hawai‘i Food and Wine Festival, Hawaiian Electric, John M. Ross Foundation, McInerny Foundation, and the State of Hawai‘i.