Young Entrepreneurs Bring Their Business Ideas To Life In Bundaberg

9 minutes ago

4 min read

More than 30 young people put their entrepreneurial skills into action through the 2026 Young Business Leaders Program, developing, launching and showcasing their own businesses as part of a term-long entrepreneurship experience in the Bundaberg region.

Designed to take entrepreneurship beyond the classroom, the program gave participants the opportunity to develop a real business idea, learn practical skills and connect with local entrepreneurs and industry leaders along the way.

From branding and marketing through to pricing, budgeting and pitching, participants spent the term turning their ideas into businesses they could share with the wider community.

From An Idea To A Real Business

The program kicked off with a hands-on Young Business Leaders Hackathon, bringing participants together to explore entrepreneurship and start developing the foundations of their businesses.

Throughout the experience, participants were challenged to identify an opportunity, think about the customers they wanted to serve and develop a product or service that could respond to a real need.

From there, the learning continued through a series of online workshops and activities covering areas including branding, marketing, customer personas, product development, pricing, budgeting, business models, digital presence and pitching.

Rather than simply learning about how businesses work, participants were putting each concept into practice as they built something of their own.

Putting Their Businesses In Front Of The Community

The program culminated in the Young Business Leaders Showcase Breakfast at CQUniversity Bundaberg, where young entrepreneurs had the opportunity to showcase and sell the businesses, products and ideas they had spent the term developing.

Held in June 2026, the morning brought together students, families, educators, local businesses and community leaders to celebrate the next generation of entrepreneurs emerging across the region. Guests were able to explore student-run businesses, network with participants and hear from entrepreneur and JRZ Homes Director Jesse Zielke.

For many participants, the Showcase was an opportunity to move beyond creating a business concept and experience what it actually feels like to talk about their idea, engage with potential customers and put their work in front of the community.

Building Confidence Along The Way

While launching a business was a major focus of the program, some of the strongest outcomes came from the skills and confidence participants developed throughout the experience.

Post-program surveys from the 2026 Bundaberg program found a 65% increase in participants' confidence to start a business, a 60% improvement in confidence presenting ideas and an 85% increase in the likelihood of participants starting a business within the next 12 months. The program also received an overall participant rating of 4.5 out of 5.

These results demonstrate the value of giving young people opportunities not only to learn about entrepreneurship, but to actually experience the process of developing an idea, receiving feedback and bringing it to life.

Why Opportunities Like This Matter

Starting a business as a young person is about much more than making a sale.

Entrepreneurship gives young people an opportunity to practise creativity, communication, problem solving, leadership and adaptability while learning how to turn an idea into action. By connecting participants with local entrepreneurs, mentors and community leaders, programs like Young Business Leaders can also help young people see the opportunities that exist within their own region.

A huge thank you to the Social Shift Institute, Australian Government Department of Social Services, CQUniversity, participating schools, mentors, families and community members who helped bring the 2026 program to life. The 2026 initiative was funded through the Social Shift Institute and Australian Government Department of Social Services, with the final showcase hosted at CQUniversity Bundaberg.

Following the success of the program, the BOP Industries team is now looking at opportunities to bring Young Business Leaders back to Bundaberg in 2027, connecting another group of young people with the skills, confidence and networks to turn their ideas into real-world ventures.

Interested in supporting the next generation of young entrepreneurs or bringing Young Business Leaders to your community?

Find out more about the Young Business Leaders Program or get in touch with the BOP Industries team to explore opportunities to get involved.

Interested in finding out more about our Programs, Hands-On Resources, or Teacher Professional Development? Head to this link to find out more information!

About The Author:

Coby Lee is the Head of Partnerships and Growth at BOP Industries, where she leads strategic collaborations that connect education and industry to create meaningful opportunities for young people. With a background in Business Management and Psychology and currently completing her Master of Education, Coby is passionate about empowering students to think entrepreneurially and build the skills needed for the future workforce.

Having studied internationally in the United States and Italy, Coby brings a global perspective and engaging facilitation style to her work. In her additional role as Young Entrepreneurs Hub Coordinator, she supports the delivery of programs and school incursions focusing on entrepreneurship, design thinking and the future of work, drawing on her own entrepreneurial journey as an author to inspire resilience, confidence and authentic leadership in the next generation.