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What the pilot showed

Students in 15 schools practised running a business in The Kidpreneur, with their teachers beside them. Here is what we measured and what we saw.

The figures

300+
students reached in the pilotPilot run with Memhir Institute (formerly 4H Ethiopia)
15
schoolsAddis Ababa region
90%
completed with an instructorInstructor-assisted sessions
Over 70%
did something real with their businessPilot students, beyond the game itself
36
letters of intent, 15 of them committed to a paid subscription or paid pilotNo one has paid yet
A pilot session: a facilitator speaks to students seated in a school hall

How we ran it

Before the online platform, we tested the idea in real Ethiopian classrooms with real teachers.

  • The Kidpreneur ran in school computer labs with students in grades 7 to 12.
  • The founder observed sessions directly.
  • Teachers filled in feedback surveys after each cohort.
  • Students were interviewed to see whether their mindset changed.

What we saw

Changes in how students talked about business, as reported by their teachers and heard in interviews.

  • "I can create a business"

    Students shifted from passive job-seekers to active problem-solvers, explaining their business reasoning in their own words.

  • Asking business questions outside class

    Teachers reported students discussing business ideas during breaks and in other subjects.

  • Understanding trade-offs

    After several simulations, students showed they understood cause and effect in business decisions.

Built by someone who has taught the class

Before building The Kidpreneur, our founder Amanuel Zewdu was Volunteer Programs Director at Memhir Institute (formerly 4H Ethiopia), teaching entrepreneurship, programming and life skills in schools in Addis Ababa. Beza Tesfaye, General Manager, has endorsed the platform.

  • 1st Prize, YALI Fellowship

    U.S. State Department, Young African Leaders Initiative

    Awarded for entrepreneurship and social innovation leadership.

  • SIMP Africa Fellowship

    Swedish Institute, Swedish Government

    A government-backed leadership programme for African changemakers.

  • EMPRETEC methodology

    UNCTAD and UNDP, ILO-certified

    Certified in the UN entrepreneurship training methodology. It underpins the design: building behaviours, not just knowledge.

  • GreSIS Global Resource Bank

    Organisation of Southern Cooperation

    Contributed educational content to a shared global resource repository. The organisation concluded its operations in 2026.

  • Ivey Leadership Certificate

    Ivey Business School, Western University

    Leadership training applied to the curriculum design and to how we work with schools.

  • Pedagogical frameworks

    7 Habits, Business Model Canvas, Business Model Generation

    Covey's 7 Habits for character, the Business Model Canvas for structure, and Osterwalder and Pigneur's approach for creative strategy.

Read the reports

Each one opens in your browser. Print to PDF to save a copy.

  • Pilot report

    Methodology, findings and key insights from the pilot across 15 schools.

  • Teacher testimonials

    First-hand accounts from educators across Addis Ababa on student engagement and learning.

  • Theory of change

    Our logic model: how practising with a simulated business builds lasting mindset change.

  • Memhir Institute partnership letter

    Official letter from Beza Tesfaye, General Manager, confirming the founder's teaching role and Memhir Institute's endorsement of The Kidpreneur.

Aligned with national priorities

The Kidpreneur supports Ethiopia's digital education and entrepreneurship frameworks.

  • Ethiopia Digital Education Strategy (2023)
  • DESTA Digital Entrepreneurship Programs
  • ETOL Learning Outcomes Framework
  • 21st Century Skills Development Initiative
  • Ministry of Education Innovation Partnerships

Researchers and evaluators

If you want to evaluate The Kidpreneur or look at the data behind these figures, write to us.

contact@thekidpreneur.com