Comparison · 14 material differences
Endeavor vs Forum of Young Global Leaders
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining: Endeavor: No published maximum age at joining; Forum of Young Global Leaders: Under 40 at the time of nomination.
- Role or title: Endeavor: No published role or title; Forum of Young Global Leaders: Business-sector candidates must run a qualifying company or division as President, Chairman, CEO, Managing Director, Managing Partner, Publisher or equivalent.
- Minimum company revenue: Endeavor: Most candidates in the selection process have US$500,000 to US$10 million in annual revenue; Forum of Young Global Leaders: No published minimum company revenue.
- Geographic restriction: Endeavor: Main operations or headquarters must be based in an Endeavor market; Forum of Young Global Leaders: No published geographic restriction.
- Annual dues: Endeavor: No membership dues are published; Endeavor is a non-profit funded by donors and by Endeavor Catalyst rather than by entrepreneur fees.; Forum of Young Global Leaders: Not publicly disclosed.
Side by side
| Endeavor | Forum of Young Global Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Leadership network | Leadership network |
| Founded | 1997 (Founded by Linda Rottenberg and Peter Kellner in 1997.) | 2004 (Created by World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab in 2004; the community marked its 20th anniversary in 2024. The YGL Foundation describes itself as a private foundation based in Switzerland but does not publish a city on its public pages.) |
| Headquarters | New York, United States | Switzerland |
| Geographic footprint | 42 market offices across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States and Canada | Members and alumni from over 120 countries; convenings held worldwide |
| Members | 2,900as of September 2026 | 1,400as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 42 | No chapters; the community is organised in annual classes rather than local chapters |
| Primary audience | Founders of high-growth, scale-up stage companies headquartered outside the largest developed startup markets | Leaders under 40 drawn from business, government, civil society, academia, media, the arts and social enterprise |
| Typical member | Endeavor Entrepreneurs are founders of companies that have found product-market fit and are scaling. Endeavor states that most entrepreneurs entering its selection process have between US$500,000 and US$10 million in annual revenue, and that the average three-year compound annual growth rate across its entrepreneurs exceeds 100 per cent. | Members are selected in annual classes of roughly 100-120 people under the age of 40 and include ministers, heads of state, chief executives, founders, scientists, journalists and artists. The Class of 2026 comprised 118 leaders from 55 countries. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | No published maximum age at joining | Under 40 at the time of nominationThe Forum's published nomination criteria state the candidate must be "40 years of age or younger at the time of nomination"; the Class of 2026 was described by the Forum as 118 leaders under the age of 40.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Role or title | No published role or title | Business-sector candidates must run a qualifying company or division as President, Chairman, CEO, Managing Director, Managing Partner, Publisher or equivalentFrom the Forum's YGL nomination criteria document. Where the company is a Forum member or partner, the candidate needs the approval of that company's CEO or Chairman. This document is undated on its face and references the Class of 2015, so the current wording may differ.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum company revenue | Most candidates in the selection process have US$500,000 to US$10 million in annual revenueEndeavor frames this as a description of typical candidates at the scale-up inflection point rather than a hard cut-off.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum company revenue |
| Geographic restriction | Main operations or headquarters must be based in an Endeavor market"Your main operations or HQ are based out of an Endeavor market." Endeavor invites diaspora founders from its markets to make contact even if this is not met.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| Invitation required | Sometimes | Yes |
| Sponsor required | No | Yes |
| Application process | Founders complete a short form on the Endeavor site, choosing the local Endeavor office they wish to apply through. Local staff screen and, if the company fits, the founder enters a process of one-on-one mentorship and panel sessions. The process culminates in an International Selection Panel at which global business leaders, including existing Endeavor Entrepreneurs serving as panellists, interview candidates and deliberate before selecting. | There is no application. Candidates are nominated by World Economic Forum members and partners; the site states plainly that nomination is not open to the general public and that unsolicited applications are not accepted. Nominees are then assessed against the Forum's criteria. The Forum's published criteria document describes shortlisted candidates being evaluated by the executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles and finally screened by a selection committee. Nominations for a given class close in the spring of the preceding year. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. Endeavor publishes no acceptance rate; outside reporting has described the process as running roughly twelve to eighteen months. | The Forum states that roughly 100 people are selected each year "from thousands of candidates worldwide"; no acceptance rate is published. The Class of 2026 numbered 118 from 55 countries. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | No membership dues are published; Endeavor is a non-profit funded by donors and by Endeavor Catalyst rather than by entrepreneur fees.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Programme fee | Endeavor publishes no fee schedule for entrepreneurs. Its stated funding model combines philanthropic support with Endeavor Catalyst, a rules-based co-investment fund that takes allocations in eligible rounds of selected companies. | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Membership term | Open-ended once selected; Endeavor Entrepreneurs remain in the network and are expected to mentor and serve as selection panellists | Three-year development programme, followed by lifetime access to the alumni community |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Local and regional office programming, sector Vertical sessions, network gatherings and the year-long Endeavor Outliers cohort | Annual class intake; academic modules, thematic gatherings and Forum convenings through the year |
| Peer forums | Local and regional entrepreneur communities anchored to the selecting office, plus sector-based Verticals | Annual classes and cohort programming rather than standing small-group forums |
| Confidentiality | Endeavor describes itself as a "Network of Trust" and states that it safeguards founders' interests; no written confidentiality policy is published | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Chapter-based, Event-focused | Cohort-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Partial |
| Local chapters | Yes | No |
| Virtual membership | No | No |
| Online community | Not documented | Not documented |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Yes | Yes |
| Travel | Yes | Yes |
| Family programming | No | Not documented |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | Yes | Not documented |
| Investment opportunities | Yes | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Low | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Endeavor · Forum of Young Global Leaders