Employment drives youth entrepreneurship in Fuerteventura with the second edition of El Talentón

Twenty young entrepreneurs, organized into five teams, are developing their business ideas within a structured program.

Fuerteventura hosted the second edition of El Talentón on Friday, a project financed by the Canary Islands Employment Service (SCE) and supported by the Cabildo of Fuerteventura. The initiative aims to help island youth turn their ideas into professional projects with real impact.

The inauguration took place at the Centro Insular de Juventud in Puerto del Rosario and was attended by:

• Jéssica de León, Councillor of Tourism and Employment of the Canary Government
• María Teresa Ortega, General Director of the SCE
• Lola García, President of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura
• Adargoma Hernández, Island Councillor of Education and Youth

The event gathered five teams, comprising a total of twenty young entrepreneurs, solidifying the program as a benchmark for youth entrepreneurship across the island and the archipelago.

“From the Government of the Canary Islands and the Canary Employment Service we back programs that combine training, guidance and real opportunities to keep reducing the youth unemployment rate in the Canary Islands,” said Jéssica de León.

“El Talentón is a project that not only supports young people in developing their ideas but also provides practical tools so they can move from classroom learning to launching viable, real‑world projects,” she added.

“We want young people to know that entrepreneurship is a real and viable option, that they have institutional backing to make it happen, and that they don’t need to leave the island to realize their ideas,” de León emphasized, highlighting the initiative’s potential to retain talent locally.

Funding and Objectives

• Funding: €50,000 grant from the SCE.
• Core goals: Strengthen competencies such as leadership, artificial intelligence, and teamwork, while linking youth with the islands’ business and investor ecosystem.

Young participants from Fuerteventura, El Hierro, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote have already taken part in El Talentón 2026, which will run until September and conclude in La Palma after touring Tenerife, La Gomera, and La Graciosa.

“This initiative puts youth at the forefront of social and economic transformation,” said María Teresa Ortega, General Director of the SCE.

“Projects like this not only foster creativity and talent but also boost the confidence of many young people who have great ideas but sometimes need that initial push and guidance to take the first step,” Ortega added.

“El Talentón demonstrates the enormous potential of Fuerteventura’s youth when they have the spaces, tools, and support to develop their ideas. Today we see young people creating, innovating, and working on projects that can become real opportunities for their future and for the island,” highlighted Lola García, President of the Cabildo.

“El Talentón’s arrival in Fuerteventura for a second consecutive year is a necessary action for the island’s active and participative youth,” noted Adargoma Hernández, Island Councillor of Education and Youth.

“Camino Talentón” Methodology

Throughout the day, participants follow the “Camino Talentón”, a proprietary methodology that blends short training modules, professional mentorship, and a realistic entrepreneurship simulation.

• Prize: The winning team from each island receives €1,500 to develop its Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and gains direct entry to the regional final on 12 September in Santa Cruz de La Palma.
• Grand prize: The regional winner will earn a training and innovation trip to China.