From Teentrepreneur to the United Nations: My Journey to the HLPF

When I founded Teentrepreneur, I did so with a simple belief: that young people don’t need to wait until they’re older to lead change. We can—and should—start now. I never imagined that belief would one day take me to the global stage of the United Nations.

This July, I had the honour of attending the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) at UN Headquarters in New York City. Surrounded by policymakers, academics, activists, and delegates from around the world, I stepped into a space where decisions are made not just for today, but for generations to come. And I stepped in as a representative of youth leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

Throughout the forum, I participated in several high-level sessions and multistakeholder dialogues on accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the UN DESA Global Policy Dialogue, the SDG Global Business Forum, and sessions focused on inclusive innovation and multilateral cooperation. I had the opportunity to deliver youth interventions, where I spoke about how initiatives like Teentrepreneur empower young people to tackle pressing social and economic issues through scalable, community-rooted ventures.

In one intervention, I spoke about the need to treat youth entrepreneurship not as a token gesture, but as a serious and strategic tool for development. I shared how teen-led initiatives often emerge from lived experiences—whether it’s addressing gaps in mental health, education, accessibility, or environmental action—and how these ventures deserve both recognition and support.

Beyond the formal sessions, one of the most meaningful moments came when I met Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. We spoke about the role of young people in diplomacy and innovation, and I had the chance to share the work we’re doing at Teentrepreneur. As a young Vietnamese delegate on an international stage, it was a deeply grounding and proud moment—to connect my global advocacy with my national identity.

This experience at the UN taught me that it is not enough to simply have a seat at the table—we have to speak up when we’re there. And when we do, we must speak not only for ourselves, but for the countless young people back home who have ideas but not yet the platform to share them.

Leaving New York, I felt deeply inspired—and more committed than ever to building a future where youth-led innovation is not the exception, but the norm. Teentrepreneur will continue to be that launchpad for ideas, energy, and action. And this time, we’re doing it with the echoes of the UN behind us.

Because the world is listening. Now it’s up to us to keep speaking.