The Rise of Gen Z Entrepreneurs and How to Reach Them

The Rise of Gen Z Entrepreneurs and How to Reach Them

They’re building brands on TikTok, launching newsletters from dorm rooms, selling drop-ship merch from their phones, and raising capital before they can legally drink. Gen Z isn’t waiting for permission to become entrepreneurs—they’re doing it their own way, on their own timeline, and with their own playbook.

In 2025, this generation of builders is rewriting the rules of what it means to be a founder. But to engage them—whether as partners, consumers, or collaborators—brands and platforms need to understand their mindset, media habits, and what they truly value.

Why Gen Z is Built for Entrepreneurship

• Digital fluency: They’ve grown up as creators, curators, and community-builders.
• Economic urgency: Many came of age during the pandemic and a volatile job market—stability was never a given.
• Low barrier tools: Platforms like Shopify, Canva, and Substack made it easier than ever to launch a business overnight.
• Identity-driven brands: Gen Z doesn’t just build for profit—they build to express purpose, identity, and point of view.

What Makes Them Different from Millennial Founders

• Speed > Perfection: They’ll ship an MVP in a day, test it on social, and iterate based on feedback.
• Community-first: Many start with an audience and then build a product—not the other way around.
• Transparency as a baseline: They talk openly about failure, mental health, and money.
• Non-traditional funding: Crowdfunding, brand deals, and even Patreon—not just VCs—power their ventures.

Where to Reach Them

Forget cold emails and founder dinners. Gen Z entrepreneurs live and breathe on:

• Discord: Community servers for feedback, advice, and collaboration
• TikTok: For launching, storytelling, and going viral
• Twitter/X: For thought leadership, startup memes, and direct VC convos
• LinkedIn (yes, really): But with a very uncorporate tone—more “founder journey,” less “executive polish”

What They Want from Brands

• Tools that don’t talk down to them—Gen Z can smell condescension a mile away
• Education wrapped in empowerment—“Here’s how to scale” vs. “Here’s what you’re doing wrong”
• Collaborations, not campaigns—They want to co-create, not just be used for reach

Pitching to Gen Z Founders? Do This:

• DM, don’t email
• Keep it visual—deck over doc, story over stats
• Lead with values—then bring the data
• Offer flexibility, not one-size-fits-all partnerships

Gen Z Brands to Watch

• DEUX: Started by a 20-something with raw cookie dough and a strong TikTok POV
• STAYCOOL: A Gen Z fashion brand fusing nostalgia, community, and drop culture
• Olaide Coffee: Nigerian-American founder using Instagram and Shopify to build a global DTC cafe

Final Thought

Gen Z isn’t the future of entrepreneurship—they’re already shaping it. If you want to connect with them, you have to meet them where they are: fast-moving, fiercely independent, and allergic to inauthenticity.

Don’t pitch them a path. Build with them in real time. That’s where the magic (and the ROI) lives.