Sebrae Rebrands Youth Challenge with R$600,000 Prize Pool for School Entrepreneurship

Sebrae has launched the fourth iteration of its youth initiative, formerly the Desafio Liga Jovem (DLJ), now formally titled the Olimpíada de Empreendedorismo na Escola. This program targets students across Minas Gerais and the wider Brazilian territory, challenging them to develop innovative, entrepreneurial solutions for tangible social issues within their local school or community settings, with a mandatory requirement for technological integration in their proposals.

The competition is structured to cultivate essential competencies aligned with the Base Nacional Comum Curricular, focusing on areas such as personal development, active citizenship, social inclusion, and employability. Eligibility is restricted to students in the 8th and 9th grades of Elementary School, as well as those enrolled in High School and Vocational Education programs. Teams must consist of two to five students, guided by an educator mentor, with registration closing on May 28, 2026. This edition specifically focuses on the K-12 and technical education spectrum, a notable shift from the third edition which included a category for Higher Education participants.

Participating teams will undergo a structured formative process managed by Sebrae, beginning with an online training track and supplemented by dedicated mentorship and ongoing support for project maturation. The development phase concludes with the submission of a comprehensive written project and a video-pitch presentation. All students and mentors who complete this process will receive a formal certificate from Sebrae acknowledging their participation.

Substantial incentives are allocated for high performance, with the total prize pool exceeding R$ 600,000, distributed as equipment and specialized educational experiences. State-level winners advance to the National Mission within Brazil, while second-place state teams receive vouchers. The national category winners are set to receive an international trip in 2027, with other top-placing teams awarded contemporary technology such as notebooks and cell phones. This current offering represents a significant increase from the third edition of the DLJ, which distributed over R$ 250,000 in prizes.

The initiative aims to foster a mindset where problem-solving is viewed as an entrepreneurial act, extending beyond simple business creation. It seeks to develop creativity, collaboration, self-awareness, and the capacity to identify and act upon opportunities, positioning students as agents of transformation in their immediate environments. Sebrae-MT analyst Inajara Amorim stated the competition compels young participants to critically examine their context and recognize their potential as protagonists in their communities. The previous Desafio Liga Jovem reached over 60,000 students across 43% of Brazilian municipalities, with more than 3,800 projects submitted.