Lessons learned: Youth in Motion founder Caitlin Tanaka named Future Leader of the Year

For Caitlin Tanaka, founder of Youth In Motion, being named the Future Leader of the Year in the 2024 Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards is already as life-changing as the impact her startup gives to students in regional NSW to succeed at school.

As she explained on LinkedIn following the recognition: “Three months ago, I was having a really tough time even submitting the application”, but her team helped her get there and she “pressed submit without any expectation”.

The awards gala night “was truly an amazing experience” that validated Tanaka’s efforts since launching Youth in Motion online in 2020, providing volunteer tutoring services to students across NSW to give them the educational support they need to thrive at school.

“I went into the night with the extreme pleasure of even getting to the nomination stage, and the absolute shock when I heard my name is still not over,” she said.

“I cannot thank the tireless team at Youth in Motion Inc. enough and the amazing support from Startup Daily. “We may be a team of volunteers, but we are mighty, and through our passion and grit – we are supporting young people, one creative mind at a time.”

The Future Leader of the Year award, presented by Firemark Ventures, was one of five new categories added to the 15 awards, held in Sydney on September 4.

Startup Daily editor Simon Thomsen said he introduced the award to recognise early-stage entrepreneurs and encourage the tech ecosystem support them.

The other finalists were:

• Dina Titkova, a senior manager of the UNSW Founders Startup team who in 2019, launched the Health 10x accelerator program.
• Alan Hunter, CEO and founder of the NRN, who has been a transformative figure in Australia’s renewable energy sector. His previous startup, Splend, transformed the gig economy by providing car rental services to Uber drivers.
• Mitchell Hughes, from NextGen Ventures, who released the pioneering Student Startup Funding Report, and is now looking to raise NextGen’s first fund to invest in student startups.

“They’re all amazing finalists who generously give back across the startup sector to help others succeed,” Thomsen said.

“But our judges were unanimous in choosing Caitlin. The amazing thing about her is she won’t be hailed as a billionaire for her work and the efforts of volunteers at not-for-profit Youth in Motion, but they may just help someone finish school who goes on to change the world and enjoy enormous success because they were given the chance to learn and a shot at education thanks to her team.”

Tanaka is conscious of the support she’s received to succeed.

“Being part of this community is a reminder of how much support is out there for anyone daring to build something meaningful,” she said.

“I’m so lucky to be surrounded by people who champion innovation, lift each other up, and make space for us to dream big. Here’s to the startup community and the incredible journey we’re all on!”

Tanaka has been busy completing MBA in Entrepreneurship with a focus on Youth in Motion.

The organisation itself has also been busy over the last 18 months, partnering with 10 schools, providing them with much-needed support. The dedicated team of volunteer tutors has collectively delivered several hundred hours hours of tutoring and the organisation has collaborated with a range of youth services that referred young people to them for asssistance.

“These efforts have made a substantial impact, helping students achieve better educational outcomes and contributing positively to the broader community,” Tanaka said.

“The combined efforts of our team have resulted in tangible improvements in the academic performance and confidence of the students we support. Our commitment to quality education and personal growth is evident in the positive feedback we receive from students, parents, and partner schools.”

In the year ahead Tanaka is looking to ramp up their efforts and build a more sustainable and streamlined system, including building stronger relationships with those keen to support Youth in Motion.

“We need financial support to ensure we can achieve our goals for the next 12 months and onwards, as our current fundraising and donations are not sustainable to continue our operations,” she said.

“As we invest more of our budget and time into our processes, we need further funding to ensure we can continue to provide our students the same amazing experience as we grow.”

Her goal is to transition from being a completely volunteer-run organisation to compensating the tutors for their efforts.

“Securing a grant would allow us to pay our volunteers, which is essential for reducing volunteer turnover and ensuring continuity in our programs,” Tanaka said.

“This stability is vital for providing consistent support and access to education for young people who are currently falling through the cracks. By offering financial compensation, we can retain experienced volunteers and attract new talent, thereby enhancing the quality and reach of our services.”

Find out more at youthinmotion.org.au.

See the full list of 2024 Startup Daily Awards winners here.

This article is brought to you by Startup Daily, with the support of Firemark Ventures.