YSBE Net Social Impact Hackathon Brings Together Young Changemakers from Eight Countries

From 6-8 October 2026, the YSBE Net Social Impact Hackathon brought together young people from Romania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, and Türkiye for an intensive three-day online experience focused on social entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact. Organised within the Youth Social Business Entrepreneurship Network (YSBE Net) project, the Hackathon provided students with a unique opportunity to work in international teams, exchange ideas across borders, and develop innovative solutions to real social challenges affecting their communities.

The event was designed as a practical learning experience where participants could apply entrepreneurial thinking, creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in a collaborative international environment. Guided by experienced mentors, business professionals, and project partners, students explored social challenges, identified opportunities for change, and transformed their ideas into viable social business concepts. Throughout the Hackathon, teams benefited from mentoring sessions, expert feedback, business coaching, and digital pitching workshops that helped them strengthen both their solutions and presentation skills.

A valuable contribution was provided by the business mentors invited to join the initiative and to share practical experiences from the social enterprise sector and inspiring participants with real-life examples of social businesses creating meaningful impact. Their involvement enriched the learning experience and provided students with additional insights into turning ideas into sustainable social ventures.

The Hackathon also served as an opportunity to present the broader objectives and achievements of the YSBE Net project, including the newly launched YSBE Net Digital Hub. Participants were introduced to the free online platform, which provides access to social entrepreneurship learning resources, self-paced digital modules, webinars, mentoring opportunities, and certification. Through the Digital Hub, students can continue their learning journey and remain connected to future project activities and opportunities.

The event concluded with teams pitching their solutions to an international jury, demonstrating not only the creativity and commitment of young people but also the value of international cooperation in addressing social challenges. Beyond the innovative ideas generated, the Hackathon fostered intercultural dialogue, peer learning, networking, and the development of entrepreneurial competencies that will support participants long after the competition ended.

The YSBE Net Social Impact Hackathon successfully achieved its goal of empowering young people to transform social challenges into opportunities for positive change, while strengthening a growing European community of future social entrepreneurs committed to creating sustainable impact in their communities.