AI-enhanced coaching for young immigrant entrepreneurs: the role of custom GPTs

Entrepreneurship is a viable pathway to integration, economic independence, and innovation for many young immigrants. However, establishing a business in a new country involves navigating an unfamiliar legal environment, building professional networks from scratch, and adapting to fast-changing market dynamics.

These challenges highlight the importance of comprehensive and targeted support systems, both in person and aided by modern technology, such as AI. In the Upbeat project we address these needs by supporting young immigrant entrepreneurs in Finland and Estonia.

A central element of the project is the Start Smart Training programme, which provides entrepreneurial education, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Alongside human-led instruction, the integration of AI tools, such as custom GPTs, demonstrates how AI-enhanced coaching can strengthen entrepreneurial capacity.

The Business Plan Coach: structuring entrepreneurial ideas

A well-prepared business plan is a cornerstone of any entrepreneurial venture, serving both as a roadmap and as a communication tool for investors, partners, and regulatory authorities. The Business Plan Coach GPT functions as an interactive guide that helps entrepreneurs transform their ideas into structured business plans.

Its methodology is highly accessible, progressing through company details, business concepts, market analysis, operational planning, and financial projections. The tool simplifies complex concepts, making them understandable for users who may be drafting a plan in a second language or without prior exposure to formal business planning conventions.

For example, a young entrepreneur launching a fast-food restaurant in Helsinki could use the Business Plan Coach to articulate their unique competitive advantages, outline their target market, and structure a funding plan appropriate for the Finnish business environment.

The Future Proof Mentor: building resilience in uncertain environments

While a robust business plan provides a strong starting point, long-term success requires adaptability. The Future Proof Mentor GPT complements the planning process by guiding entrepreneurs through scenario planning and strategic foresight.

The tool introduces frameworks such as PESTLE analysis, the Four Futures model, and 2×2 scenario matrices to explore multiple plausible futures. By identifying key uncertainties, emerging trends, and potential risks, entrepreneurs can proactively adapt their business models.

Consider, for instance, a sustainable fashion startup in Tallinn. By using the Future Proof Mentor, the entrepreneur can prepare for possible regulatory changes in EU textile recycling, evolving consumer preferences for second-hand markets, and global supply chain disruptions, thereby strengthening the enterprise’s long-term resilience.

A pathway to sustainable entrepreneurship

Within the Upbeat Start Smart Trainings, the combination of the Business Plan Coach and Future Proof Mentor ensures that entrepreneurs develop a coherent, well-documented business plan and then refine it through scenario-based analysis that considers future risks and opportunities.

This dual approach aligns with modern entrepreneurship education, which emphasises both strategic clarity and agility in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments. Participants emerge with a business model that is both grounded in current realities and adaptable to changing conditions.

The integration of AI-powered tools with human-led mentoring represents a significant step forward in entrepreneurship support. With the next Start Smart Training commencing in September 2025, the Upbeat project offers not only the resources to start a business today but also the foresight to adapt it for the challenges of tomorrow.

The author used ChatGPT 5 to finalise the wording of the text (search engine optimisation and alignment).

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