2026 Timelines

Feb 28th
Students confirmed

July 27th
Cohort 1 begins

August 28th
Cohort 5 ends

Mid-October
Winners in parliament

History

80
Student Participants
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Recommendation Score (4.6/5)
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Satisfaction Score (4.3/5)

Youth Startups is a series of one-week programmes across summer to teach state school Year 12 students how to build and pitch a startup idea.

Bae HQ's goal through this impact programme is to empower the next generation to believe they can build anything.

Bae HQ is the community of high-growth Asian-Heritage founders & investors in the UK.

Free for students. Free for schools.

Support this as a patron.

Who is this for?

  • We work with a selected group of state schools in London each year.
  • Schools connects us with 16 students each to take part.
  • Social mobility is at the heart of this project and students of all ethnicities are accepted.

What students get

  • Daily workshops and support
  • 10 am - 4 pm at the Bae HQ office
  • Access to temporary laptops
  • Travel and lunch allowance
  • Q&A with founders & investors
  • Bae HQ T-Shirt
  • Signed copy of Startups for Outsiders Book

Weekly Themes

Students attend for one week each and share their preference with us:

  • July 27-31: Finance
  • August 03-07: Climate/Science 
  • August 10-14: Media/Marketing
  • August 17-21: Consumer brands
  • August 24-28: Health

Week Format

  • Day 1: Introduction, icebreakers, core concept overview
  • Day 2: Problem discovery & customer research
  • Day 3: Solution ideation & MVP build
  • Day 4: Pitch deck & product iterations
  • Day 5: Pitch competition & live podcast attendance

How to get involved

We work directly with partner schools rather than open applications with students to maximise impact with our resources.

Schools only need to arrange a date for an assembly to promote to programme and to select the 16 students to take part. We take care of the rest.

Confirmed Schools for 2026

  • Beal High School
  • Caterham High School
  • Ilford County High School (2nd year)
  • Mulberry Stepney Green (2nd year)
  • Oaks Park High School
  • Woodford County High School (2nd year)

We plan to double the number of schools in 2027.

Get Your School Onboard ⇒

Testimonials

Naima

2025 Student

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"The highlight for me was not just creating the prototype under tight deadlines, but the process of working together as a team to bring an idea to life. I learned how important it is to validate ideas with users early, how to adapt quickly when things don’t work as planned, and how to communicate a vision clearly in front of an audience.

I’m especially grateful to our hosts, Amardeep Parmar and Gurvir Riyat, for sharing the inspiring story behind Bae HQ. Their stories, advice, and openness added tremendous value and motivation to the week.

This opportunity has reinforced my passion for technology, problem-solving, and collaboration, and I am looking forward to building on these skills."

Samya

2025 Student

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"I spent this week being part of an amazing team at Bae HQ for work experience, where I've gained lessons of a lifetime.

Thank you to Amardeep Parmar and Gurvir Riyat for hosting us and giving us this chance, will be expecting a signed copy of your book.

Thank you to our competitors for making this week full of giggles. And thank you to my team for making this week an adventure of a lifetime!"

Harini

2025 Student

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"During the five-day programme, I learned so much from founders and investors, met new people, and developed my skills. Your energy, humour, and support made the week even more enjoyable and unforgettable.

This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I’m so grateful for every moment."

Mohan

2025 Student

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Two weeks ago, I completed my placement at Bae HQ, and it was an experience I’ll never forget. What I’m taking away from this placement is more than just the skills we learned.It’s the reminder that with the right people, support, and focus, you can achieve so much in such a short space of time. One week really can feel like months of progress. Once again thank you, Gurvir Riyat and Amardeep Parmar for making this possible and also for this placement week."

Aranee

2025 Student

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to take part in the Bae HQ work experience programme, and it has truly been a transformative 5 days- packed with innovation, teamwork, and stepping out of my comfort zone."

Cohort 3 Timelines

2026 TBA
Applications Open

2026 TBA
Applications Close

2026 TBA
Programme Starts

2026 TBA
Programme Ends