Youth concern powers Futurpreneur applications

Groups offering support to young Manitoba entrepreneurs have clocked an uptick in traffic amid economic uncertainty.

Karen Greve Young is watching the applications roll in at Futurpreneur. The national non-profit offers loans and mentorships to Canadians ages 18 through 39 who are starting businesses.

Greve Young, Futurpreneur’s chief executive, expects a 50 per cent increase in applications this year over last. It follows growth of 15 per cent in 2025.

That year, Futurpreneur worked with more than 1,000 businesses.

“They won’t all necessarily be ready to start a business, but seeing that application line is an indicator that … we’re going to be supporting more,” Greve Young said.

She visited Winnipeg this week for a Futurpreneur event. The organization has worked with more than 720 Manitoba startups over its 30 years. One-third of those have sprouted since 2020.

Futurpreneur’s increase in applicants could be, in part, due to its launch of a new online portal that makes applying easier, Greve Young said.

However, the spike began more than half a year ago; the client portal launched last month.

“When the economy is struggling, we tend to see more demand,” Greve Young said. “Young people are concerned about their financial futures.

“A lot of times, starting their own business feels like a way that they can take control.”

Manitoba’s youth unemployment rate sat at 11.4 per cent in May. It’s a slight decrease from the 11.9 per cent of May 2025, but a doubling of the province’s overall unemployment rate (5.5 per cent).

Community Futures Manitoba gives loans to rural entrepreneurs. It has noticed an uptick in demand over the past year.

“We’re seeing now both the technological upheaval and uncertainty through tariffs,” said Jason Denbow, Community Futures Manitoba’s executive director.

As employers cut back, employees start getting entrepreneurial, he added.

Growth in Indigenous entrepreneurship could also be driving numbers, Denbow said: he’s tracked a 30 per cent increase in clientele over the past three years, amounting to “several hundred” Indigenous entrepreneurs annually.

More resources — including youth entrepreneur-focused organizations and events — could be helping fuel the trend, Denbow said.

It was something Grace Gyolai echoed: she’s seeing people promoting entrepreneurship online.

“Maybe through social media, people are rubbing up against the idea that you can start something,” said Gyolai, senior program manager for Winnipeg-based North Forge.

Artificial intelligence has made it easier to build apps, lowering the risk of launching a company, she added. North Forge largely works with manufacturing and STEM startups.

It’s seen a “clear rise” in younger people pursuing entrepreneurship — after high school and university, and through its program with Met schools where students build business ideas and work with mentors, Gyolai said.

Earlier this year, North Forge saw its youngest entrepreneur yet: a 10-year-old pitching a line of horse treats at one of its competitions.

Malachi Van Dycke, 23, considers himself part of a “fresh generation (and) kind of a scrappy generation that’s … tired of the way things have been done.”

“They want to mix it up and try something new,” he said.

Van Dycke got funding through Community Futures Manitoba two years ago, after working in construction. He’d wanted to create a systemized way of operating in the industry; he now runs Van Dycke Projects, a project management firm.

Despite high youth unemployment numbers, the trades are wide open with jobs, Van Dycke said.

Manitoba Business Minister Jamie Moses attended Futurpreneur’s event earlier this week; the organization receives $300,000 from the provincial government annually.

“There’s a lot of opportunities for young people to use their talents through entrepreneurship, but also to find a good paying job here,” Moses said, adding Manitoba’s youth unemployment rate is lower than most other provinces.

Last week, Premier Wab Kinew announced two initiatives — at $4.3 million — to boost youth employment. The programs are in the works; they’ll connect Manitobans ages 18 to 29 with businesses and skills training.

“A lot of the entry level jobs are starting to disappear,” said David Owasi, founder of OutreachGenius, referencing artificial intelligence.

Owasi, 32, went through Futurpreneur’s program to launch his business. OutreachGenius has AI voice and text agents that answer customer messages.

“You have to bring tangible value,” Owasi said of the job market. “Right now, the best way you can bring tangible value — if you don’t have experience — is to understand AI.”

Owasi now teaches young entrepreneurs, during Futurpreneur sessions, to incorporate AI in their startups. The sessions began in April.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com