Future Founder Scholarships to Strengthen Entrepreneurship in Finnish Upper Secondary Schools

Zach Shelby. Photographer Jussi Rekiaro.

Technology entrepreneur, an HTGP partner Zach Shelby and JA Finland (Nuorten yrittäjyys ja talous NYT) are launching a new scholarship initiative for upper secondary schools in Finland. The aim of the scholarships is to inspire new generations of entrepreneurs and to increase the use of the JA Company Program in schools. The scholarships are funded through a new fund established by Shelby together with Foundation PS, founded by Peter Sarlin, which supports long-term education and research to strengthen technology research and competitiveness in Finland and Europe. The fund is also supported by Illusian Founder Office, a collective of European technology entrepreneurs.

The €1,000 scholarships distributed through the fund and JA Finland encourage schools to include the JA Company Program among their elective course offerings. Each year, one student company team in every participating school will be awarded the scholarship based on criteria defined jointly by JA Finland and the school. The criteria may relate, for example, to the innovativeness or responsibility of the business idea. The purpose of the scholarship is to increase students’ interest in choosing the program as an elective and to elevate the program’s profile within schools.

In the first academic year, 2025–2026, the goal is to award scholarships to 60 upper secondary schools. JA Finland’s experts will contact schools already running the JA Company Program. Schools interested in joining can find information at (in Finnish) at: www.nuortennyt.fi/vuosi-yrittajana-stipendi. Students who would like the program to be introduced in their own school can also contact JA Finland through the website.

Entrepreneurship Interests Young People

Entrepreneur and investor Zach Shelby has spent 25 years developing and commercializing various technological solutions in Finland and Silicon Valley. He sees the JA Company Program as an excellent opportunity for young people to learn new skills, innovate, and apply what they have learned in practice.

“This is an investment in the future of young people. I believe that every young person should have the chance to try entrepreneurship already in upper secondary school. I started my first company at the age of 15, repairing computers. With my current experience and career path, I feel it’s important to give back – to create opportunities for the next generation”, says Shelby, the initiator and main funder of the scholarship model.

“We at JA Finland are delighted that Zach Shelby is taking such a significant step to support the availability of entrepreneurship studies in Finnish upper secondary schools. Right now, entrepreneurship interests young people more than ever. According to JA Finland’s Youth Future Report, nearly every second young person wishes for more entrepreneurship education. This collaboration with Shelby helps us respond directly to young people’s wishes,” says Johanna Vesikallio, CEO of JA Finland.

What Is the JA Company Program?

The JA Company Program, implemented by JA Finland, guides students through all stages of entrepreneurship as they establish and run their own student company. The program offers a turnkey solution for entrepreneurship education: students learn financial skills, teamwork, marketing, and innovation through hands-on experience.

Students participating in the program can take part in the annual Uskalla yrittää competition each spring, with the national winners representing Finland in Europe’s largest entrepreneurship competition. In Finland, about 7,000 young people complete the program annually in upper secondary and vocational institutions. The JA Company Program is also widely used internationally—for example, in Sweden, more than 40,000 students complete the corresponding program each year.

About the funding

The Future Founder Fund was established and initially financed at the initiative of Zach Shelby in autumn 2025. The fund also receives support from Peter Sarlin’s Foundation PS as well as from the Illusian Founder Office. The purpose of the scholarship is to support and encourage young people in entrepreneurship, and the fund has initially committed more than €600,000 to strengthening youth entrepreneurship education.

Foundation PS is a Finnish foundation established by Silo AI CEO and founder Peter Sarlin. The foundation supports long-term world-class research and strengthens the competitiveness of Finland and Europe in the field of artificial intelligence. By funding endowed professorships and top-level research, Foundation PS promotes innovation, attracts international expertise, and supports Europe’s position as a global AI leader. Together with public-sector and industry partners, it builds a vibrant AI ecosystem that connects research, industry, and decision-making to create long-term impact in Europe.

Illusian Founder Office, a group of European technology entrepreneurs, supports entrepreneurship through both investments and philanthropy. Its members include, for example, Supercell founder Ilkka Paananen, a long-time supporter of JA Finland.