About Prince Daniel's Fellowship
Prince Daniel's Fellowship is run by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) in collaboration with H.R.H. Prince Daniel, with the aim of inspiring more young people to see entrepreneurship as an option and to dare take the step of starting their own business.
Prince Daniel’s Fellowship was established in 2013 in response to the fact that many young people refrain from starting businesses, often due to a fear of failure. Research shows that attitudes towards risk-taking, access to role models and sources of inspiration, as well as perceived support from one’s surroundings, play a significant role in whether individuals choose to take the step into entrepreneurship.
Our starting point is that entrepreneurship is not solely about business ideas, but also about knowledge, networks, and self-confidence. Studies, including those from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), demonstrate that access to role models, inspirers, and relevant networks increases the likelihood of identifying business opportunities and starting a company. Prince Daniel’s Fellowship therefore works to strengthen these conditions by highlighting entrepreneurs and inspirers, creating encounters between young people and experienced business leaders, and offering concrete opportunities for development.
A central component of the Fellowship is the mentoring programme, in which entrepreneurs are matched with experienced business leaders. Through regular meetings, participants receive support in developing their leadership skills, further refining their business ideas, and addressing concrete challenges.
"Young entrepreneurs are our future. It is through their ideas, courage and desire to change that the society of tomorrow takes shape."
H.R.H. Prince Daniel
Mentoring also provides access to new perspectives and networks that can be crucial for continued development and growth.
Our vision is to contribute to a culture in which entrepreneurship is seen as a natural and viable choice for more people, with a more open attitude towards risk-taking and a strengthened confidence in one’s own abilities. Through mentoring, knowledge-sharing, and networks, we work to encourage more young people to take the step into entrepreneurship, while also supporting development and growth in existing businesses.
