The Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) is the U.S. Department of State's flagship program for emerging entrepreneurs from Europe. A cohort of young European entrepreneurs from 45 countries will participate in a robust fellowship program in 2021-2022.
The YTILI Fellowship Program application opens January 4, 2021 and closes March 1, 2021 at 11:59 pm EST.
Since its launch in 2016, approximately 300 alumni from across Europe have bolstered their business skills and transatlantic partnerships through the YTILI Fellowship Program. YTILI uses entrepreneurship as a tool for economic empowerment to promote mutual understanding, enhance business and leadership skills, and build lasting partnerships between business leaders from Europe and the United States. Beginning in October 2021, YTILI will empower a new cohort of young European business and social entrepreneurs to grow their ventures, foster global partnerships, and positively impact the economic development of their communities.
The YTILI Fellowship Program engages young European entrepreneurs in a series of professional development and leadership activities that are designed to strengthen the transatlantic relationship and encourage European businesses, governments and civil society to develop their innovation ecosystems. The program includes an online and in-person entrepreneurship curriculum; a fellowship placement with a business or organization in one of nine U.S. cities; opening and closing conferences in Chicago and Washington, D.C.; and a regional Innovation Summit in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The 2021-2022 YTILI Fellowship Program will run from October 2021 to September 2022, with U.S. travel elements scheduled for March 22, 2022 – April 27, 2022.
