WeDo Academy: Shaping Young Minds and Turning Teens into Startuppers
Daniele Manni is the CEO of WeDo Academy, created in 2021 in Salento, a beautiful and historic land in southern Italy, kissed by the sun and two seas, the heel of the Italian “boot”. WeDo Academy transforms teens into startuppers and was founded with eight esteemed friends, who later became partners and colleagues. A young company, therefore, but one built on the twenty years of experience that Daniele has gained in the school environment, teaching and practicing Entrepreneurial Mindset Education with his under-18 students.
The very personal teaching technique that Daniele has created and implemented, which represents the core business of WeDo Academy, is called “LEARNING (Entrepreneurship) BY DOING (Startups).” This innovative approach to teaching has earned him over 30 national and international awards and recognitions, so much so that he has earned the title of “Most Awarded Teacher in Italy.” Among the international awards are the “Global Teacher Award” (2020), the “GESS Education Award” (2023), Top 3 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teaching Excellence Awards (2018, 2020), and Top 50 “Global Teacher Prize” (2015).
However, the awards Daniele values most are those related to the successes of his students, both entrepreneurial (some of whom have created nationally recognized startups) and career-oriented (as managers and professionals). Among his students’ successes, the one that stands out the most to him is the startup “Mabasta,” which has become the most influential and important youth anti-bullying movement in Italy.
Since 2000, Manni has designed and implemented over 50 micro-startups with his students across various fields (innovation, technology, social sector, tourism, food, environment, clothing, music, entertainment, etc.). Today, there are six startups that are fully operational and provide employment to the founders and their hires. In percentage terms, 12% of the startups created have been successful—far surpassing the national average (6-7%) and the international average (9-10%).
Drawing inspiration from this extensive experience, WeDo Academy has organized 8 different 6-day intensive and immersive Summer Camps since 2021. Each camp hosts 24-30 boys and girls aged 10 to 19, where they learn and experience firsthand what entrepreneurial spirit and mentality are all about.
Four new Summer Camps are planned for 2025—two in northern Italy (Milan and Verona) and two in the south (Lecce and Brindisi). Registration data from recent years show that many participants are children of business owners and traders, possibly representing those who are most drawn to a future in entrepreneurship, or perhaps it is something rooted in their DNA.
An Innovative and Unique Teaching Technique
The innovation of Daniele Manni’s technique lies in its fully “hands-on” approach. The teachers do not explain anything (so much so that they are not called teachers but coaches), and the students do not receive traditional lessons but instead experience real-world applications.
At the start of the course, instead of explaining topics like “what is a business” and “who is an entrepreneur”, the academy initiates a passionate and fun brainstorming phase where the students come up with ideas for a “brilliant” innovative startup. This can be anything—a new service, a new product, or a new application. It can span any field and be either a for-profit startup or a social startup. Everyone participates, contributing ideas and suggestions, reaching a list of over 40 ideas. Then, the best ideas are narrowed down to 10-12, and finally, the four “winning ideas” are chosen.
At this point, four teams are created, each of which will lead one of the chosen ideas. The students independently choose which team to join based on their interests and ambitions. Furthermore, each team member identifies the role they wish to take on, based on their skills, abilities, and talents.
From that moment on, each team operates exactly like a startup. They choose the name and slogan, design the logo, fill out the Business Model Canvas, conduct market research, and, depending on the startup type, create the first prototype (for a product) or the alpha version (for a service or application). In these phases, the teams are supported by WeDo Academy’s senior and junior coaches.
The role of the coaches is very important. The junior coaches are young girls and boys about the same age as the students, who have already attended the experience and training in previous editions and demonstrated a strong interest in the entrepreneurial mindset. This peer-to-peer coaching model produces excellent results and fosters growth in both the students and their junior coaches.
The camp culminates in a final event where the four teams present their startup ideas in a pitch. Each team prepares a 9-10 slide presentation and trains to deliver it effectively. There are two groups of people who listen to their presentations. The first group is a small jury of 5-7 entrepreneurs and professional startuppers who evaluate the startups based on factors such as innovation, feasibility, and the quality of the presentation, declaring the winning startup with the highest score. The second group consists of the parents and family members of the participants, who listen to the presentations and experience firsthand the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of the experience their children have gone through.
Incubation and Acceleration of Young Micro Startups
WeDo Academy’s commitment goes beyond the intensive activities of the Summer Camps. The best ideas, born from the creativity of young participants, are incubated and guided toward growth. The senior coaches offer their knowledge, experience, and skills, along with their extensive networks of contacts developed over the years.
In selecting which startups to follow and incubate, the coaches rely not only on the validity and innovation of the idea but also on the motivation and enthusiasm the young creators demonstrate. The coaches believe that enthusiasm and a strong desire to take action are among the most important qualities a startup founder should have. Will the startup succeed or fail? No one can predict, as that’s how businesses and startups work. At WeDo Academy, the wisdom of Nelson Mandela is fully embraced: “I never lose, I either win or learn.”
Business and Social Startups
As previously mentioned, the innovative startups created by the students of WeDo Academy are both for-profit and social, aimed at solving social problems or improving people’s lives. After the success of the “Mabasta” startup (founded by youth to prevent and combat bullying, cyberbullying, and body-shaming), there has been a growing trend toward creating socially impactful entrepreneurial ideas. Coaches now encourage this more, as they believe it is especially formative for young people (aged 10-19) to engage in designing small solutions that help or improve the lives of people facing difficulties. The 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda are a key source of inspiration for identifying problems to solve.
Benefits for Young Participants
Daniele’s educational approach combines Entrepreneurial Education with Student-Centered Education, helping participants acquire a wide range of Soft Skills. The teens who attend the camps almost unconsciously gain important skills that are rarely found in traditional school programs, such as problem-solving, resilience, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, public speaking, and the ability to manage mistakes, failures, and setbacks. Perhaps the most valuable of all skills gained is self-confidence and belief in their abilities. These are traits universally recognized as valuable for any future career. Alongside the technical skills needed to become a successful entrepreneur, WeDo Academy nurtures personal growth, ensuring the students emerge with a well-rounded skill set ready for whatever challenges they may face in the future.
The Human Touch
The real secret behind the success of WeDo Academy is the people. In an era increasingly dominated by algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, this Italian Academy prioritizes and recognizes the human contribution as its most powerful training tool. All the young participants in the camps engage, interact, and learn from a variety of professional figures, including junior and senior coaches, entrepreneurs, startuppers, and supporters.
The first to interact with the students are the Junior Coaches—17-19-year-olds who have previously participated in the same camp experience and shown a deep interest in the topics covered. Through a unique and fruitful peer-to-peer relationship, they help the participants get to know each other and support them throughout the camp. The first Junior Coaches were Luigi Carratta and Francesco Pio Manca, who were 17 and 18 years old, respectively.
Next, the Senior Coaches come in. They are the founders of WeDo Academy—professionals and experts in various fields—who help the students understand important choices and provide advice when necessary. Some of the Senior Coaches include Giancarlo Orsini (innovation), Bibop Gresta (technology), Ettore Ferramosca (communication), Donato Zollino (finance and psychology), Marco Nardin (entrepreneurship), Pietro Santoro (investments), Donatella Rampinelli (logistics), Andrea Antonaci (creativity and visual), and Daniele Manni (education).
Testimonials—entrepreneurs, startuppers, managers, athletes, artists, etc.—also play a critical role. Through storytelling, they share their personal and entrepreneurial journeys, offering insights on the right choices, challenges, mistakes, and successes. With over 70 Testimonials to date, common themes emerge: 1) Nothing is achieved easily; 2) Always dream big and commit to making your dreams a reality; 3) Mistakes and failures are integral to success—the sooner you fail, the sooner you succeed; 4) Everyone has a unique talent; 5) Alone, you can go fast, but in a team, you go far; 6) Ignore those who discourage or denigrate your ideas; 7) Optimism and confidence are crucial.
Even the owners and employees of companies that host the students for on-site case studies offer valuable human insights. Students often identify with these professionals and see them as role models for their future careers.
Finally, the Supporters—entrepreneurs, professionals, and private individuals—help by donating scholarships, allowing students who might not otherwise afford the fees to attend. These Supporters are invited to the camp, where they interact with the participants, strengthening the human connection.
Successful and Socially Relevant Startups
Naturally, one might wonder if any of the ideas born during the camps have had follow-up, growth, and success. The answer is yes.
In 2021, Mirko Cazzato, at 19, brought his social startup idea “Mabasta” to the camp. Committed to preventing bullying and cyberbullying, Mabasta now has a team of 60 young people aged 14-17 who visit schools across Italy to promote their anti-bullying model. Recently, Mabasta won two public tenders—one for 100,000 euros from two large insurance companies (Reale Mutua and Itas Mutua) and another for 150,000 euros from Fondazione con il Sud. You can visit their website here: www.mabasta.org.In 2024, Luigi Carratta (18) and Francesco Pio Manca (19) came up with the idea for “SITO – Salone dell’Innovazione, della Tecnologia e dell’Orientamento,” an expo for young people to learn about growth opportunities in their area. The first edition took place from January 16-19, 2025, in Lecce, featuring 40 exhibitors, 18 talks, and over 4,000 visitors. Despite being the first edition, the event ended in positive territory. They are now working on a 60-page catalog for 15,000 young graduates and planning the next edition with over 70 exhibitors and a projected 10,000 visitors. You can visit their website here: www.discoversito.it.
