NFTE

NFTE Sends Two West Region Students to Nov. 18 National Showcase

New York – October 27, 2026 -- The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has named two West region students to advance to the U.S. National Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase on Nov. 18, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. The finalists were chosen from NFTE's 2026 West Youth Entrepreneurship Showcases in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

Two student ventures win top honors in Los Angeles and the Bay Area

Elian Gutierrez of Florence Nightingale Middle School in Los Angeles advances with Little Miss, a period product pouch. Saumit Pathak of Silver Creek High School in San Jose, California, advances with LeftoSense, an AI-powered app that scans and analyzes food to determine whether it is safe to eat.

NFTE Brief Urges AI Literacy Plus Entrepreneurial Skills in Schools

United States – October 27, 2026 -- NFTE has published a NEXUS policy brief with three recommendations for policymakers and education leaders on preparing students for an AI-driven workforce. The brief is titled "Entrepreneurship Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: How AI Literacy, Entrepreneurial Learning, and Human Skills Can Prepare Students for the Future of Work."

NFTE argues technical AI literacy alone falls short for students

The brief says the question for schools is shifting from whether students will use generative AI to how they use it thoughtfully, critically, and creatively. It names critical thinking, creativity, communication, adaptability, and entrepreneurial skills as necessary for working alongside AI.

NFTE and BUILD Merge to Reach 350,000 Students a Year

New York – October 27, 2026 -- NFTE and BUILD, two U.S. youth entrepreneurship education nonprofits, are combining into a single organization that will reach more than 350,000 students a year, according to a letter from President and CEO Dr. J.D. LaRock to both communities.

Merged group will teach in schools, communities, out-of-school programs and online

The combined organization covers in-school, community, out-of-school and online delivery. LaRock cites educator training and research among its strongest capabilities, plus multi-year commitments to individual students rather than single-semester programs. The merger also joins New York and Silicon Valley under one purpose, a combination LaRock says exists nowhere else in the field.