Danish business group proposes 78 measures to support young entrepreneurs

A Danish business organisation has called for better support for young entrepreneurs, including mentorship programmes and dedicated school courses, to remove barriers preventing teenagers from starting their own companies.

The proposals come from SMVdanmark, which represents small and medium-sized enterprises, and include 78 specific measures to encourage youth entrepreneurship. According to the group, many young people cite lack of skills as a key obstacle to launching a business.

“Most never meet an entrepreneur in person,” said Kasper Munk Lauridsen, head of industry and education at SMVdanmark. “You might have seen Lion’s Den [a Danish business pitch show] and encountered it that way, but it’s crucial to meet an entrepreneur one-on-one—ideally a young one—so you can see that this path is possible.”

The organisation’s recommendations include making entrepreneurship an elective subject in primary schools, allocating funding for start-up training in vocational programmes, and establishing a national knowledge centre to improve teaching quality. Local municipalities are also urged to create better environments for young founders, particularly in rural areas where job creation is critical.

One success story is 20-year-old Rasmus Beckmann from Mejrup, near Holstebro, who launched his window-cleaning business at 16. Today, his company employs five full-time staff. He argues that schools should focus more on practical start-up skills rather than advanced financial management.

“What would help most is if youth education programmes taught how to start a business instead of how to manage finances for a company with 30 million kroner in turnover,” Beckmann said. He now advises other young entrepreneurs, adding: “If I can help someone who’s been running their own business for a couple of years but is struggling, that’s incredibly meaningful.”

Sofie Findling, deputy director at Dansk Erhverv, stressed that insufficient knowledge of entrepreneurship discourages many young people. “This shows we need to invest in entrepreneurial and innovative training—including in our education system,” she said.

SMVdanmark highlighted rural regions like West Jutland, where Beckmann operates, as areas needing extra support. “These are places where you have to fight harder for jobs,” Lauridsen said. “If someone creates something themselves, it’s even more vital. We hope municipalities will act locally to build strong start-up environments.”

The proposals follow a broader push in Denmark to integrate entrepreneurship into education and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for new businesses.