How Asia‑Pacific Youth Are Driving Economic and Social Transformation

Written By Nonprofit Megaphone

The Asia-Pacific region is home to more than 60% of the world’s youth, a staggering 717 million people aged 15–24, according to the United Nations. This demographic power is reshaping the region’s economy and catalyzing sweeping social transformation. From launching startups to advocating for climate justice, these young leaders are taking charge of their futures with grit, resilience, and innovation. Organizations like Tiyara are helping to unlock this potential by providing educational grants for college degrees, vocational training, and professional programs.

However, even as the region has made great strides in development, challenges such as unequal access to education and skills gaps remain. Asia-Pacific youth are five times more likely to be unemployed than adults, leaving millions of capable individuals sidelined from the very economies they could be helping to build. Tapping into the full potential of this generation will be key to shaping a more prosperous Asia-Pacific.

Youth‑Led Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Across the region, young entrepreneurs are founding tech startups, social enterprises, and sustainable impact initiatives. From agritech to green logistics, youth‑led ventures are transforming traditional sectors into hubs of innovation. Many receive support through regional accelerators and mentorship schemes.

Here are three youth-led innovations from across the Asia-Pacific region that are transforming traditional sectors through entrepreneurship, technology, and sustainable practices:

  • Agritech & Agri-Fintech – iFarmer (Bangladesh)
    Founded in 2019 by young entrepreneurs, iFarmer provides smallholder farmers with bundled services including financing, agricultural inputs, expert advice, and market access. In 2024, it was selected for the Visa Accelerator program in the Asia-Pacific region, where it received tailored mentorship and technical support. The company has served over 63,000 farmers across 19 districts and raised $2.1 million in an early stage of investment that helps startups grow before they secure larger rounds of funding. This demonstrates the tangible economic impact of youth-led innovation in agriculture.

  • Environmental Technology – MyH2O (China)
    MyH2O was launched in 2015 by Xiaoyuan Ren and engages young volunteers in crowdsourcing and mapping water quality data from rural communities across China. The mobile app-based platform now operates in over 1,000 villages across 26 provinces, helping residents understand and advocate for safe drinking water while building environmental accountability from the ground up.

  • Circular Economy – Greensole (India)
    Co-founded by youth innovator Shriyans Bhandari, Greensole collects discarded shoes and upcycles them into comfortable footwear for underserved communities. The enterprise has refurbished over 600,000 pairs of shoes while creating sustainable jobs for tribal women in manufacturing. Greensole’s work demonstrates how circular economy models can generate both environmental and social returns. By transforming waste into opportunity, Greensole exemplifies how young social entrepreneurs in India are harnessing sustainable innovation to fuel inclusive economic development in one of the world’s youngest nations.

All three ventures were founded by individuals in their mid-20s or younger, clearly demonstrating youth leadership in transforming agriculture, environmental tech, and sustainable manufacturing.

The Digital Generation Driving the Economy

Today’s youth are digital natives. With smartphones in their hands and global networks at their fingertips, they are powering the digital economy through creativity, code, and collaboration. From e-commerce and app development to remote work and the creator economy, young people are using online platforms to earn, learn, and lead.

In Vietnam, for example, this shift has turned informal gig work into full-time careers. With nearly 56% of its population under age 35, tech-savvy young people are reshaping both how people earn and how they spend. Their influence is helping to grow e-commerce to an estimated $57 billion by 2025 and is also fueling growth in financial technology (fintech) and education technology (edtech). Vietnam’s digital economy is expanding quickly, driving new investments in areas such as e-commerce, digital banking, and green industries.

Additionally, educational technology platforms are making education more accessible for underserved learners. This virtual-first learning model equips youth with in-demand skills across diverse career paths such as coding, digital marketing, graphic design, online tutoring, and e-commerce logistics. Tiyara helps bridge the digital divide by offering educational grants that enable youth to pursue these fields. These skills not only drive job creation but also foster youth empowerment, enabling young people to actively shape the future of the Asia-Pacific economy.

Youth‑Led Advocacy

Asia-Pacific youth are increasingly stepping into roles as powerful advocates, driving change across critical social, environmental, and governance challenges. Here are three powerful examples of youth-led advocacy advancing sustainable development across the Asia-Pacific region:

Together, these efforts reflect the growing impact of youth-led advocacy in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future for the region.

Education as an Economic Engine

Despite these stunning examples of achievement and competence, youth unemployment in the Asia‑Pacific region remains alarmingly high (13.8% for those aged 15–24 in 2019, compared with just 3.0% for adults), leaving over 160 million young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET).

Access to quality education remains the most powerful driver of youth empowerment. Across the Asia-Pacific region, increased investments in schools, vocational training, and scholarships are helping millions of students step into stable, fulfilling career paths.

Key resources supporting youth development include:

  • Scholarship funds help youth overcome financial barriers, moving from underserved regions into core work sectors.

  • Vocational training programs (often embedded in secondary or tertiary curricula) prepare students for high-growth industries.

  • Mentorship programs provide guidance and support that help youth explore and succeed in diverse career paths.

Resources like these play a crucial role in bridging educational gaps, empowering youth to access quality training and pursue meaningful career paths that contribute to regional economic growth. Organizations like Tiyara are at the forefront, offering educational scholarships to students from underserved communities. These efforts are helping break cycles of poverty and enabling systemic change through education.

Our scholarship programs in Thailand, India, and the Philippines are prime examples of targeted initiatives that create opportunities for marginalized youth to gain education and skills critical for driving sustainable economic development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Investing in Their Potential

Investing in Asia-Pacific youth means prioritizing education as the foundation for long-term, inclusive growth. In a region marked by both rapid development and deep disparities, scholarships play a vital role in leveling the playing field. They open doors for talented young people who might otherwise be left behind.

By funding access to quality education, vocational training, and higher learning, scholarships empower youth to pursue meaningful careers, support their families, and contribute to national and regional progress. As the region’s largest demographic group, educated youth are a critical force for innovation and sustainable development across diverse communities.

At Tiyara, we seek to provide higher education scholarships that will make life-changing differences for under-resourced young women and men. Scholarships are also extended to young women and men who belong to indigenous populations living in remote areas or who have had their lives changed by discrimination because of crimes committed by a family member, or have lost a family member to a crime, and those who face discrimination because of their caste. 

You can help make dreams come true by providing education for Tiyara’s scholars and helping to put a deserving young person through college! In doing so, you’ll propel not just one student, but the global community toward a brighter, more equitable future.

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Measuring the Long-Term Impact of Education Programs