Comparison · 12 material differences
Young Entrepreneur Council 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: Young Entrepreneur Council: No published maximum age at joining; Forum of Young Global Leaders: Under 40 at the time of nomination.
- Role or title: Young Entrepreneur Council: "founders, co-founders, CEOs, and builders who are in the arena right now"; 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.
- Annual dues: Young Entrepreneur Council: Not publicly disclosed. YEC's membership, application and FAQ pages state that membership is fee-based in effect ("A seat is earned, not bought") but publish no price; cost is discussed after acceptance.; Forum of Young Global Leaders: Not publicly disclosed.
Side by side
| Young Entrepreneur Council | Forum of Young Global Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Networking organization | Leadership network |
| Founded | 2012 (The current YEC About page states the council was founded in 2012. Earlier material and press describe the organisation launching around 2010-2011 under founder Scott Gerber; yec.co itself first appears in the Internet Archive in November 2013.) | 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 | United States | Switzerland |
| Geographic footprint | Online community with member-hosted dinners and in-person gatherings; no chapters | Members and alumni from over 120 countries; convenings held worldwide |
| Members | Not publicly disclosed. YEC does not publish a member count on its current site. | 1,400as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | No chapters | No chapters; the community is organised in annual classes rather than local chapters |
| Primary audience | Founders, co-founders, CEOs and operators building a company now, screened for fit and contribution rather than a published financial threshold | Leaders under 40 drawn from business, government, civil society, academia, media, the arts and social enterprise |
| Typical member | Founders, co-founders, CEOs and builders currently running a business. The FAQ states "Young is the mind, not the age", so the historical under-45 rule is no longer presented as a test. YEC does not publish revenue, funding or exit thresholds on its current site. | 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 | "founders, co-founders, CEOs, and builders who are in the arena right now"The FAQ adds "Young is the mind, not the age", indicating the historical age ceiling is no longer applied as a published testverified September 2026 · source ↗ | 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 ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | Yes |
| Sponsor required | Sometimes | Yes |
| Application process | A short form starts the process, followed by email confirmation and then the full application. YEC states that a person reads every application and that applicants hear back either way. Shortlisted candidates complete an interview, which YEC frames as a two-way assessment of fit. Applicants may indicate that a member referred them. | 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. YEC states applications are reviewed against "the same bar the members built" but publishes no acceptance rate. | 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 | Not publicly disclosed. YEC's membership, application and FAQ pages state that membership is fee-based in effect ("A seat is earned, not bought") but publish no price; cost is discussed after acceptance.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Programme fee | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Membership term | Not documented | Three-year development programme, followed by lifetime access to the alumni community |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Live online sessions, in-person dinners and member-hosted gatherings scheduled through a public events calendar | Annual class intake; academic modules, thematic gatherings and Forum convenings through the year |
| Peer forums | No published forum structure; YEC describes itself as "a small circle of peers who act as a mirror, not a directory you scroll" | Annual classes and cohort programming rather than standing small-group forums |
| Confidentiality | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Virtual, Cohort-based, Event-focused | Cohort-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Partial | Partial |
| Local chapters | No | No |
| Virtual membership | Yes | No |
| Online community | Yes | Not documented |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Partial | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Yes |
| Retreats | Not documented | Yes |
| Travel | No | Yes |
| Family programming | No | Not documented |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | Not documented | Not documented |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Young Entrepreneur Council · Forum of Young Global Leaders