There are moments that remind you why you started.
When Ultra Education CIC was founded over a decade ago, we had one simple but ambitious belief: young people deserve to be seen, heard, and equipped to shape their own futures through entrepreneurship.
What we never imagined was that one day, children as young as eight years old would be sharing their entrepreneurial journeys in one of the UK’s most influential government departments—the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
A Room Full of Big Ideas and Bigger Ambition
The event was the vision of Seema Malhotra FRSA MP and her team, who brought together a coalition of organisations all working toward the same goal: unlocking enterprise and entrepreneurial potential in young people. Alongside Ultra Education CIC, the day featured Young Enterprise, Unloc, The King’s Trust, and The Maple Review UK — each bringing their own approach, but all united in the belief that young people have something valuable to say about the future of business in this country.
Why It Matters More Than a Report Ever Could
Speaking to attendees afterwards, one theme came through again and again to us: hearing directly from young entrepreneurs lands differently than reading about them in a report or policy paper. There is something about watching a child articulate their business idea, their challenges, and their ambitions in real time that no statistic can replicate. It reframes the conversation from “what should we do for young people” to “what are young people already capable of doing themselves” and that shift matters.
Of course, the hope is that this kind of engagement does more than move a room. It should inform policy, shape funding decisions, and influence how institutions like the FCDO think about youth enterprise going forward. Seeing and hearing is powerful, but the real test is whether it translates into lasting change.
Thank You to Everyone Who Showed Up
Events like this only work because people make the effort to be in the room. Huge thanks to the colleagues and friends who came along to support the day: Katrina Thompson, Dr Susanne Coles, Nzube Ufodike, Ronke Maye, Ellie Costello, Duncan Simms, Mili Patel, and Andrew Dakers. It was genuinely great seeing you all there.
Here’s to the Future
Days like this remind us why Ultra Education CIC exists in the first place – to make sure young people, whatever their background, get a real shot at building something of their own. Here’s to the future of enterprise and entrepreneurship in this country, and to the young people who are already shaping it.
Ultra and Out 😉