A wave of young entrepreneurs is reshaping the business landscape, driven by their familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI) and a desire for independence. Among them is Arnau Ayerbe, who, despite securing a prestigious role as an AI engineer at JP Morgan shortly after graduating from the University of Bath in 2024, felt unfulfilled. “I realized very quickly that the person to my right and to my left were going to be me in 20 years, and I didn’t want to become that,” Ayerbe explained.
In 2023, Ayerbe partnered with his high school friend from Madrid, Pablo Jiménez de Parga Ramos, and university acquaintance Bergen Merey to launch Throxy. This startup specializes in creating AI agents designed to enhance the efficiency of sales teams. Now, at just 24 years old, the trio has successfully raised nearly £5 million across two funding rounds and generated annual sales approaching £1.2 million.
The entrepreneurial spirit among young people is evident, particularly within the Gen Z demographic. According to data from Enterprise Nation, 62% of Gen Z individuals, born between 1997 and 2012, express a desire to start their own businesses. This trend is mirrored in the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, revealing that the number of loans awarded to Gen Z founders has doubled in the past five years.
Challenges and Work Ethos of Young Founders
For the founders of Throxy, the journey has been both rewarding and demanding. Ramos notes that their work culture is far from the conventional nine-to-five; instead, they embrace a “9-9-6” approach, putting in long hours six days a week. Ayerbe candidly admits, “If I had known the amount of effort and work I needed to do to take the company to this point, I would probably have never started it.”
What sets these young entrepreneurs apart from previous generations is their intrinsic comfort with AI technologies. Ayerbe recalls his experience working with early models of ChatGPT during his academic research. “It honestly felt like magic. It felt like there was going to be something transformational here that is going to fundamentally change the way we as humans do work, for the better,” he stated.
The potential for success is significant, with research from investment network Antler indicating that the average age of entrepreneurs founding AI unicorns—startups valued at over $1 billion—has decreased dramatically from 40 in 2020 to just 29 in 2024.
Despite these successes, young entrepreneurs often face underestimation from clients and partners, who are typically older. Rosie Skuse, a business owner in her early 20s, frequently encountered this challenge. She was often mistaken for an assistant rather than the owner of her company, Molto Music Group. “Some people wouldn’t even shake my hand. It was really tough, and I used to struggle loads with it,” Skuse recalled.
Now 29, she leads a music and entertainment agency that has attracted high-profile clients such as The Dorchester and The Savoy. Molto Music Group, founded in 2019, faced early setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic but has since thrived, generating its first million in sales in 2023 and achieving a turnover of £1.6 million in 2025.
Advice from Established Entrepreneurs
While young founders demonstrate resilience and innovation, experienced entrepreneurs stress the importance of sustainable growth. Lee Broders, 53, an entrepreneur with a diverse portfolio of seven ventures, emphasizes that making the first million isn’t the ultimate goal. “Speed can often hide fragile foundations. Growing something quickly doesn’t always equal sustainability or robustness,” he cautioned.
Similarly, Sarah Skelton, co-founder and managing director of Flourish, a recruitment firm focused on the sales industry, highlights the potential pitfalls of inexperience. Having started her first business at 46, she worries that younger founders may miss out on essential leadership skills typically acquired in traditional work environments. “You have to have lived experiences to be really strong at that leadership piece,” Skelton said.
She pointed out the importance of building a robust professional network, which can be a challenge for younger entrepreneurs. “It’s really tough when you’re that young. How do you know who to lean on and where to find those people?”
As the trend of young entrepreneurs continues to grow, the interplay of innovation and experience will likely shape the future of business, making it essential for emerging leaders to navigate challenges while leveraging their unique strengths.
