Manila, June 28, 2024 – Tella, a Seoul-based edtech startup that aims to create job opportunities for youth in developing countries, represented the Republic of Korea at the regional Youth Collaboration Summit 2024. Themed “Inclusive Entrepreneurship,” and co-organized by Citi Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines, the Youth Collaboration Summit 2024 brought together over 200 participants from 20 countries and regions in the Philippines to celebrate and highlight the critical role played by young entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds in driving sustainable and equitable economic development and advancing the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Yuha Jin, CEO and co-founder of Tella, shared her inspiring personal journey as a female entrepreneur and highlighted her efforts to promote inclusivity during the “Youth Co:Lab Talks: Impact to Journey” session. She was also a panelist in the session on Future-Proof Entrepreneurship and introduced her company during Demo Day. Tella connects English learners around the world with native English teachers in Southeast Asia and Africa through one-on-one chat-based English lessons. It has over 100,000 users in 60 countries. In recognition of its social and environmental efforts, Tella also achieved B Corporation certification in 2019.
“Terra is not only bridging the language gap, but also creating over 300 knowledge-based job opportunities for university-educated youth in developing countries such as the Philippines and Uganda,” said Yuha Jin, CEO and co-founder of Terra. “Young entrepreneurs need to be well-informed about technological advancements and diversify their business portfolios to manage future risks,” she added.
The Summit provided a regional platform for young social entrepreneurs in Asia and the Pacific to foster knowledge and idea exchange through networking and collaboration, inspire and engage young people to take action, discuss emerging trends in the youth entrepreneurial ecosystem, advocate for policies to enhance its resilience, and launch collaborative initiatives for inclusive youth entrepreneurship.
The two-day summit (June 27-28) brought together participants from diverse backgrounds, including young social entrepreneurs, government representatives, private partners, investors, and other youth community partners, participating online. The Korea Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Association (KOSI) also participated in the summit’s government track, “Innovative Policies for Sustainable and Inclusive Youth Entrepreneurs,” and shared Korea’s startup promotion policies and best practices for building an ecosystem that fosters green entrepreneurship and ensures inclusivity and accessibility for young people from diverse backgrounds.
Youth Co:Lab Summit 2024 was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), Aspen Development Entrepreneurship Network (ANDE), CVC Capital Partners, Commonwealth Secretariat (CWS), EY, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Spark Project, StartupUp Quezon City and the Local Economic and Investment Promotion Office of the Quezon City local government.
Founded in 2017 by UNDP and Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab is the largest youth movement for empowerment, social entrepreneurship, equality and social inclusion in the Asia-Pacific region, reaching young people in 28 countries and territories. Since its inception, Youth Co:Lab has supported activities that have engaged 280,300 people across the region.
About Youth Co:Lab Summit 2024: https://www.youthcolab.org/summit-2024
About Citi
Citi is the preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a highly respected retail bank in the continental U.S. market. Citi operates in more than 180 countries and territories and offers a wide range of financial products and services to corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals. Learn more at www.citigroup.com | X: @Citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi.
About Citi Foundation
Citi Foundation works to advance economic development and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. Our investments range from expanding financial inclusion to promoting youth employment opportunities and redefining how we build economically vibrant communities. Citi Foundation’s “more than philanthropy” approach leverages the vast expertise of Citi and its employees to advance our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.
About the United Nations Development Programme
UNDP is the leading UN organization fighting to end poverty, inequality and climate injustice. Working with a broad network of experts and partners across 170 countries, we help countries build holistic and lasting solutions for people and the planet.
For more information, see www.undp.org and www.undp.org/policy-centre/seoul or follow @UNDP.
