Finalists will compete in this year’s The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge Grand Final in November in a bid to win £10,000 (€11,750*)
Five young entrepreneurs have been named as finalists in the latest The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge (YEC), an initiative launched by Verizon Business and Unloc. The challenge, now in its eighth year, aims to discover the business leaders of tomorrow by tasking young European entrepreneurs between the ages of 16 and 25 to devise a tech-led business idea that addresses a key industry or societal issue.
This year’s challenge has brought to light a number of business models that tackle current global issues including a biodegradable coral probiotic delivery system, sustainable tiles made from fish scales, assistive wearable sound alerting system, reusable stoma bag fullness sensor and sustainable algae-based construction materials. The team received over 100 competitive and innovative business ideas from across Europe including the UK, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Turkey, Malta, Romania, Netherlands, Monaco, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Croatia, Cyprus & Sweden.
“We are in an era where technological innovation is crucial for tackling complex challenges in sustainability, climate change, and health. Investing in the next generation of leaders and their ideas is essential to addressing these issues,” said Hayden Taylor, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Unloc. “Each year, we are amazed by the ingenuity of young entrepreneurs and are impressed to see the innovative ideas submitted to The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge.”
The five finalists will now compete head-to-head in a grand finale held in November 2026, pitching their business concept live to a panel of expert judges and invited guests representing both the worlds of business and education. The winner receives £10,000 (€11,750*), mentorship and a technology support package to help kick start their business. In addition, the winner will also receive a ticket to attend the Global One Young World 2027 Tokyo Summit.
Each runner-up will receive £1,000 (€1175) micro-grant to fund their start-up business, a personalised development plan that focuses on key priorities, and access to a series of masterclasses over the next year that will pair the finalists with various industry experts.
Here are the 2026 finalists:
Mackenzie Sargeant – Ocean Guard
Mackenzie aims to address the rapid degradation of coral reef ecosystems, which are disappearing faster than they can naturally recover. Ocean Guard’s solution is an innovative marine biotechnology delivery system that provides beneficial probiotics directly to corals. Designed from biodegradable materials, this simple and accessible system allows aquariums, coral aquaculture farmers, and reef restoration teams to routinely administer targeted treatments without leaving persistent plastic waste in aquatic environments.
The key selling point is translating cutting-edge microbiome research into practical, commercially viable conservation tools. By offering a scalable alternative to complex laboratory interventions, Ocean Guard strengthens the blue economy and safeguards marine biodiversity. Early working prototypes and industry partnerships establish a practical path from commercial aquaculture toward large-scale reef restoration.
Mackenzie’s venture aligns with UN SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 13: Climate Action.
Haofei Niu – TactiCall
Haofei aims to address the safety and independence challenges experienced by over 1.5 billion people living with hearing loss worldwide. TactiCall is an assistive home wearable system that uses machine learning to listen for vital household sounds and translate them into distinct visual cues and wrist vibrations. The setup combines room microphones, a central listening hub, and an intuitive wristband that detects both universal alarms and personalised domestic sounds taught through a companion app.
The key selling point is that TactiCall eliminates the need for expensive rewiring or bulky dedicated transmitters on every household appliance. By adapting to existing acoustic environments, the reusable system offers an affordable, non-intrusive safety solution that users can easily take when travelling or moving home.
Haofei’s innovation aligns with UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.
Alex Pernas Gallego – Eskalium
Alex aims to address the dual challenges of seafood waste and heavy carbon emissions in the construction sector, where conventional ceramic tiles require energy-intensive kiln firing exceeding 1,200°C. Eskalium provides an ecological alternative by upcycling discarded fish scales from Galicia’s fishing industry into distinctive architectural tiles. The manufacturing process cures entirely at room temperature without kiln firing, drastically cutting industrial energy consumption while giving each tile a unique, organic texture and finish.
The key selling point is transforming an abundant industrial waste product into a premium, circular design material without relying on energy-heavy ceramic kilns. By catering directly to interior designers, architects, and boutique hotels, Eskalium creates high-value sustainable building products while supporting the local coastal economy.
Alex’s venture aligns with UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 13: Climate Action.
Ria Hill – StomaShield
Ria aims to address the distress and quiet humiliation caused by stoma bag leaks and ballooning, a daily reality affecting over 200,000 individuals in the UK and millions globally. StomaShield is an affordable, proactive assistive device comprising a soft, flexible band worn around the stoma bag and a detachable, wipeable electronics pod. Unlike reactive leak detectors, StomaShield continuously senses bag fullness and gas pressure in real time, alerting users before seals fail.
The key selling point is its focus on preventive care and universal affordability. By engineering an accessible, reusable sensor from day one, StomaShield protects vulnerable individuals such as post-operative patients and people living with dementia who cannot react quickly to sudden failures, avoiding costly clinical complications and undignified accidents.
Ria’s solution aligns with UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.
Janna Naser – Alga Solutions
Janna aims to address the construction sector’s heavy reliance on fossil-based, resource intensive materials by harnessing the natural regenerative properties of macroalgae. Alga Solutions transforms sustainably cultivated seaweed into functional powder additives designed for building materials, beginning with cellulose insulation. Developed alongside Chalmers University of Technology, these marine additives impart natural fire-retardant, moisture- regulating, and binding capabilities to insulation without requiring manufacturers to retool existing industrial production lines.
The key selling point is its seamless compatibility with current manufacturing processes, significantly lowering adoption barriers for industrial partners. Because seaweed requires neither arable land nor freshwater irrigation, the circular material platform reduces building carbon footprints while offering scalable pathways toward fully bio-based building insulation.
Janna’s venture aligns with UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
For more information on the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge click here!
About Unloc
Unloc was founded in 2013 by award-winning young leaders and advocates Hayden Taylor and Ben Dowling. Our mission is to empower young people to be innovative changemakers who seek to build stronger communities and sustainable businesses. We develop young people’s skills, enhance their potential and boost their determination to succeed.
This is encapsulated in our ‘Developing Young Potential’ tagline. We work towards our mission by delivering inspiring educational programmes in our growing network of schools and colleges, our physical Changemaker Studios spaces in Portsmouth and London, and work with business leaders to deliver a range of programmes that help us achieve our mission. For more information about Unloc visit unloc.org.uk
About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024. Verizon’s
world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.
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