WEC Entrepreneurial Factors: Pre-post-analysis | Kenya 6
KRU
Overview
Study Background
This report presents a follow-up analysis to the initial findings shared by Prof. Melodi Botha from the Department of Business Management, University of Pretoria. The primary objective of the experimental study was to evaluate changes in learners’ entrepreneurial factors before and after participation in the Wavumbuzi Entrepreneurship Challenge (WEC).
The study employed a pretest–posttest experimental design, in which measurements were taken before and after exposure to the WEC intervention.
- The baseline sample (pre-test) consisted of 24,953 usable responses collected from high school learners across more than 200 schools prior to their exposure to WEC.
- The endline sample (post-test) included 10,643 usable responses from the same cohort, collected after participation in the WEC.
- For the purpose of this pre–post analysis, a matched sample of 10,643 learners who completed both the baseline and endline surveys was used to enable robust inferential comparisons.
Data collection took place over a six-week period, from 20 January to 4 May 2025 (excluding examination weeks). Surveys were self-administered online via the Wavumbuzi platform hosted on AWS.
This experimental design enabled us to assess whether exposure to the WEC led to statistically significant improvements in entrepreneurial factor levels among participating learners.
Experiment Results
Out of the 18 validated entrepreneurial factors that were assessed, significant improvements were observed in 8 entrepreneurial factors. These changes were determined by calculating the average difference between the post-test (endline) and pre-test (baseline) scores for each factor. The entrepreneurial factors with statistically significant positive average differences between the baseline and endline scores are presented in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Statistically significant positive average differences between the baseline and endline scores.
Pre- and post-test analysis were conducted to compare the baseline and endline findings. From the mean score comparisons, it is evident that most of the mean scores of the factors are higher for the endline than the baseline samples, which indicates that the WEC did improve the baseline respondents’ level of ECs. However, 10 factors did not show statistically significant improvements:
- “Need to achieve”,
- “Need for autonomy”,
- “Resilience”,
- “Values Driven”,
- “Self-efficacy”,
- “Mobilising others”,
- “Money sense”,
- “Business preparation (EI 1)”,
- “Intend to start-up (EI 2)”,
- “Structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM 2)”
Scope and Objective
This extended analysis responds to questions and suggestions raised during the initial presentation of results. The secondary analysis aims to explore the following areas:
Matched Sample Profiling: Conduct a descriptive analysis of the learners who completed both the baseline and endline surveys.
Domain Plurality: Assess the level of engagement and intensity of gameplay among participants to determine whether greater exposure correlates with greater entrepreneurial factors improvement.
Domain Specificity: Examine the relationship between types of completed quests and changes in statistically significant entrepreneurial factors.
Engagement-Based Comparisons: Compare the number of statistically significant entrepreneurial factor gains between engaged and disengaged learners to better understand differential program outcome.
Summary
Summary statistics of ECs and other covariates
Table 1 presents the summary statistics for demographic variables and quest participation among the 10,643 learners who completed both baseline and endline surveys in the WEC. Participants were categorized into two groups: engaged (n = 10,631) and not engaged (n = 12), based on their completion of the Introductory Quest and subsequent thematic quests.
Table 1: Summary statistics of Quests and other covariates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement Level |
| ||
Variable | Overall | Engaged | Not Engaged | p-value2 |
Age | 15.8 (1.7) | 15.8 (1.7) | 15.4 (1.5) | 0.3 |
N/A | 1,113 | 1,113 | 0 | |
Gender | 0.3 | |||
Female | 5,571.0 (52.3%) | 5,568.0 (52.4%) | 3.0 (25.0%) | |
Male | 4,858.0 (45.6%) | 4,849.0 (45.6%) | 9.0 (75.0%) | |
Prefer not to say | 130.0 (1.2%) | 130.0 (1.2%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
Prefer to self-describe | 84.0 (0.8%) | 84.0 (0.8%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
Education | 0.6 | |||
Lower Secondary/High school (Grade 7-9) | 2,592.0 (24.4%) | 2,588.0 (24.3%) | 4.0 (33.3%) | |
Other | 192.0 (1.8%) | 192.0 (1.8%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
Upper Secondary/High school (Grade 10-13; Form 2-4;) | 7,859.0 (73.8%) | 7,851.0 (73.9%) | 8.0 (66.7%) | |
Introductory Quest | 10,635.0 (100.0%) | 10,631.0 (100.0%) | 4.0 (80.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Climate Quest | 9,347.0 (87.9%) | 9,347.0 (87.9%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Future Industry Quest | 9,370.0 (88.1%) | 9,370.0 (88.1%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Creative Industry Quest | 9,307.0 (87.5%) | 9,307.0 (87.5%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Aquapreneurship Quest | 9,258.0 (87.0%) | 9,258.0 (87.1%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Learning from Failure Quest | 9,717.0 (91.4%) | 9,717.0 (91.4%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Public Health Quest | 9,376.0 (88.2%) | 9,376.0 (88.2%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
All Quests | 8,278.0 (77.8%) | 8,278.0 (77.9%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | <0.001 |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
Num Quests | <0.001 | |||
0 | 5.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 5.0 (100.0%) | |
1 | 451.0 (4.2%) | 451.0 (4.2%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
2 | 685.0 (6.4%) | 685.0 (6.4%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
3 | 408.0 (3.8%) | 408.0 (3.8%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
4 | 383.0 (3.6%) | 383.0 (3.6%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
5 | 426.0 (4.0%) | 426.0 (4.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
6 | 8,278.0 (77.8%) | 8,278.0 (77.9%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | |
N/A | 7 | 0 | 7 | |
1Mean (SD); n (%) | ||||
2Wilcoxon rank sum test; Fisher's exact test | ||||
Age. The mean age of participants was 15.8 years (SD = 1.7). No statistically significant differences were observed between engaged learners (M = 15.8, SD = 1.7) and not engaged learners (M = 15.4, SD = 1.5), p = .30.
Gender. Gender distribution was nearly balanced across the sample, with 52.3% identifying as female, 45.6% as male, 1.2% preferring not to say, and 0.8% choosing to self-describe. No significant differences were found by engagement level, p = .30.
Education Level. Most learners (73.8%) were in upper secondary/high school (Grades 10–13), while 24.4% were in lower secondary/high school (Grades 7–9), and 1.8% were classified as “other.” Differences by engagement level were not statistically significant, p = .60.
Engagement. Of the total sample, 10,631 learners (99.9%) were categorized as engaged and only 12 learners (0.1%) as not engaged. This distribution indicates that nearly all learners achieved engaged status, reflecting a sharp contrast with earlier cohorts and highlighting the effectiveness of participation mobilization in this round of WEC.
Quest Participation. Participation patterns were consistently higher among engaged learners:
Introductory Quest: 100% of engaged learners completed it, compared to 80% of not engaged learners, p < .001.
Thematic Quests: Completion rates were almost universal among engaged learners (87.1% to 91.4%), while none of the not engaged learners completed any of these quests (all p < .001). These included:
- Climate Quest (87.9%)
- Future Industry Quest (88.1%)
- Creative Industry Quest (87.5%)
- Aquapreneurship Quest (87.1%)
- Learning from Failure Quest (91.4%)
- Public Health Quest (88.2%)
All Quests: 77.9% of engaged learners completed all quests, compared to 0% of not engaged learners, p < .001.
Results
Pre-post test analysis | All respondents (10,643) - We do NOT exclude any learner
Table 2 presents the results of a pre–post test analysis conducted with all participants of the WEC in Kenya. Using paired t-tests, the study assessed changes across 18 validated entrepreneurial factors. All learners who completed both the baseline and endline surveys were included, regardless of engagement level. The analysis revealed statistically significant improvements in 8 out of 18 entrepreneurial factors.
Pre-post test analysis | All respondents (10,643) - Does NOT exclude any learner | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 79.1 (20.5) | 75.9 (21.4) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 40.1 (19.6) | 39.1 (17.7) | <0.001 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 49.3 (25.7) | 40.4 (25.1) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 32.0 (21.4) | 34.4 (17.5) | <0.001 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 40.1 (22.1) | 38.9 (20.0) | <0.001 |
Need to achieve | 81.3 (22.7) | 82.9 (22.2) | <0.001 |
Need for autonomy | 84.0 (18.9) | 84.9 (18.6) | <0.001 |
Resilience | 87.6 (17.2) | 88.1 (17.0) | 0.026 |
Values Driven | 67.0 (27.2) | 68.9 (26.8) | <0.001 |
Taking action and initiative | 74.8 (21.6) | 71.2 (21.6) | <0.001 |
Self-efficacy | 87.9 (14.3) | 88.1 (13.5) | 0.3 |
Opportunity recognition | 86.6 (14.4) | 85.6 (14.4) | <0.001 |
Opportunity assessment | 84.1 (15.8) | 83.3 (15.8) | <0.001 |
Innovative problem-solving | 88.1 (13.6) | 87.1 (13.5) | <0.001 |
Resourcefulness | 88.3 (13.4) | 87.5 (13.2) | <0.001 |
Mobilising others | 89.4 (13.0) | 89.5 (12.3) | 0.5 |
Working with others | 89.2 (12.9) | 88.9 (12.5) | 0.019 |
Money sense | 87.2 (15.7) | 87.0 (15.6) | 0.3 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Entrepreneurial Experience. Learners reported a significant improvement, with scores increasing from baseline (M = 75.9, SD = 21.4) to endline (M = 79.1, SD = 20.5), p < .001.
Business Preparation (Entrepreneurial Intention – EI1, reverse coded). Scores rose from baseline (M = 39.1, SD = 17.7) to endline (M = 40.1, SD = 19.6). After adjusting for reverse coding, this represents a negative change, p < .001.
Intend to Start-up (Entrepreneurial Intention – EI2, reverse coded). Scores increased significantly from baseline (M = 40.4, SD = 25.1) to endline (M = 49.3, SD = 25.7). After reverse coding, this reflects a negative change, p < .001.
Positive Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM1, reverse coded). Endline scores (M = 32.0, SD = 21.4) were lower than baseline scores (M = 34.4, SD = 17.5). After reverse coding, this indicates a positive improvement, p < .001.
Structured Tasks and Following Others’ Rules (EM2, reverse coded). Scores increased slightly from baseline (M = 38.9, SD = 20.0) to endline (M = 40.1, SD = 22.1). With reverse coding, this indicates a negative change, p < .001.
Need to Achieve. Scores declined from baseline (M = 82.9, SD = 22.2) to endline (M = 81.3, SD = 22.7), p < .001.
Need for Autonomy. Scores decreased from baseline (M = 84.9, SD = 18.6) to endline (M = 84.0, SD = 18.9), p < .001.
Resilience. Scores dropped slightly from baseline (M = 88.1, SD = 17.0) to endline (M = 87.6, SD = 17.2), p = .026.
Values Driven. Scores declined significantly from baseline (M = 68.9, SD = 26.8) to endline (M = 67.0, SD = 27.2), p < .001.
Taking Action and Initiative. Learners showed a significant improvement, increasing from baseline (M = 71.2, SD = 21.6) to endline (M = 74.8, SD = 21.6), p < .001.
Self-efficacy. No significant change was observed between baseline (M = 88.1, SD = 13.5) and endline (M = 87.9, SD = 14.3), p = .30.
Opportunity Recognition. Learners improved significantly from baseline (M = 85.6, SD = 14.4) to endline (M = 86.6, SD = 14.4), p < .001.
Opportunity Assessment. Scores increased significantly from baseline (M = 83.3, SD = 15.8) to endline (M = 84.1, SD = 15.8), p < .001.
Innovative Problem-solving. Scores improved from baseline (M = 87.1, SD = 13.5) to endline (M = 88.1, SD = 13.6), p < .001.
Resourcefulness. A significant improvement was observed, with scores increasing from baseline (M = 87.5, SD = 13.2) to endline (M = 88.3, SD = 13.4), p < .001.
Mobilising Others. No significant change was detected between baseline (M = 89.5, SD = 12.3) and endline (M = 89.4, SD = 13.0), p = .50.
Working with Others. A small but statistically significant improvement was observed, from baseline (M = 88.9, SD = 12.5) to endline (M = 89.2, SD = 12.9), p = .019.
Money Sense. No significant difference was observed between baseline (M = 87.0, SD = 15.6) and endline (M = 87.2, SD = 15.7), p = .30.
Overall, the pre–post analysis revealed that eight entrepreneurial factors improved significantly: entrepreneurial experience, positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1, reverse coded), taking action and initiative, opportunity recognition, opportunity assessment, innovative problem-solving, resourcefulness, and working with others. In contrast, seven factors declined, namely need to achieve, need for autonomy, resilience, values driven, business preparation (EI1, reverse coded), intention to start-up (EI2, reverse coded), and structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2, reverse coded). Three factors—self-efficacy, mobilising others, and money sense showed no significant change. Given the near-universal engagement level (10,631 of 10,643), the limited or negative changes in some domains are not attributable to low participation. They more likely reflect factor-specific effects, reverse-coded intention measures, ceiling effects from high baselines, or the short intervention window.
Domain Plurality
<1 Quest
Domain plurality: Pre-post test analysis of learners who did NOT complete a Quest
Since only five respondents did not complete a quest, the sample size was too small to conduct this analysis reliably.
≥ 1 Quests
Domain plurality: Pre-post test analysis of learners who completed ≥ 1 Quest
Table 4 presents results from the pre–post test analysis of learners who completed at least one quest during the WEC. This group (N = 10,631) engaged meaningfully with the program’s experiential components. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate changes across 18 validated entrepreneurial constructs.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who completed ≥ 1 Quest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 79.1 (20.5) | 75.9 (21.4) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 40.1 (19.6) | 39.1 (17.7) | <0.001 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 49.3 (25.7) | 40.4 (25.1) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 32.0 (21.4) | 34.4 (17.5) | <0.001 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 40.1 (22.1) | 38.9 (20.0) | <0.001 |
Need to achieve | 81.3 (22.7) | 82.9 (22.2) | <0.001 |
Need for autonomy | 84.1 (18.8) | 84.9 (18.6) | <0.001 |
Resilience | 87.6 (17.2) | 88.1 (17.0) | 0.027 |
Values Driven | 67.0 (27.2) | 68.9 (26.8) | <0.001 |
Taking action and initiative | 74.8 (21.6) | 71.2 (21.6) | <0.001 |
Self-efficacy | 87.9 (14.3) | 88.1 (13.5) | 0.4 |
Opportunity recognition | 86.6 (14.4) | 85.6 (14.4) | <0.001 |
Opportunity assessment | 84.1 (15.8) | 83.3 (15.8) | <0.001 |
Innovative problem-solving | 88.1 (13.6) | 87.1 (13.5) | <0.001 |
Resourcefulness | 88.3 (13.4) | 87.5 (13.2) | <0.001 |
Mobilising others | 89.4 (13.0) | 89.5 (12.3) | 0.6 |
Working with others | 89.2 (12.9) | 88.9 (12.5) | 0.015 |
Money sense | 87.3 (15.7) | 87.0 (15.6) | 0.2 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
For learners who completed one or more quests, entrepreneurial experience increased significantly from baseline (M = 75.9, SD = 21.4) to endline (M = 79.1, SD = 20.5), p < .001. Taking action and initiative also improved, with endline scores (M = 74.8, SD = 21.6) higher than baseline scores (M = 71.2, SD = 21.6), p < .001. Additional factors with statistically significant gains included opportunity recognition (M = 86.6, SD = 14.4 vs. M = 85.6, SD = 14.4), p < .001; innovative problem-solving (M = 88.1, SD = 13.6 vs. M = 87.1, SD = 13.5), p < .001; and resourcefulness (M = 88.3, SD = 13.4 vs. M = 87.5, SD = 13.2), p < .001.
For the reverse-coded measures, results were mixed. Positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1) showed a significant improvement, with lower endline scores (M = 32.0, SD = 21.4) compared to baseline (M = 34.4, SD = 17.5), p < .001. In contrast, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened, with higher endline scores (M = 49.3, SD = 25.7) relative to baseline (M = 40.4, SD = 25.1), p < .001. Similarly, business preparation (EI1) and structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2) both worsened, with small but statistically significant increases (EI1: p < .001; EM2: p < .001).
Several factors declined, including need to achieve (M = 82.9 to M = 81.3, p < .001), need for autonomy (M = 84.9 to M = 84.1, p < .001), resilience (M = 88.1 to M = 87.6, p = .027), and values driven (M = 68.9 to M = 67.0, p < .001). Other factors such as self-efficacy (p = .40), mobilising others (p = .60), working with others (p = .015, marginal), opportunity assessment (p < .001, small effect), and money sense (p = .20) showed little to no meaningful change.
Overall, learners who engaged in at least one quest (N = 10,631) demonstrated significant gains in entrepreneurial experience, initiative, recognition, problem-solving, and resourcefulness. However, three of the four reverse-coded measures (EI1, EI2, EM2) worsened, and declines in innate-related factors (need to achieve, need for autonomy, values driven) indicate that engagement did not strengthen all entrepreneurial factors.
≥ 4 Quests
Domain plurality: Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed ≥ 4 Quests
Table 5 summarizes the results of a pre–post test analysis for learners who completed four or more quests in the WEC. This subgroup represents the most substantively engaged participants, having interacted with the program’s deeper and more diverse experiential components. Using paired t-tests, changes were assessed across 18 validated entrepreneurial factors.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed ≥ 4 Quests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 78.9 (20.5) | 75.8 (21.4) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 39.9 (19.2) | 39.0 (17.3) | <0.001 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 48.9 (25.5) | 40.0 (24.5) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 31.6 (21.1) | 34.3 (17.4) | <0.001 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 40.1 (22.0) | 38.8 (19.7) | <0.001 |
Need to achieve | 81.5 (22.7) | 82.9 (22.2) | <0.001 |
Need for autonomy | 84.1 (18.9) | 84.9 (18.6) | <0.001 |
Resilience | 87.7 (17.2) | 88.1 (17.0) | 0.086 |
Values Driven | 66.5 (27.4) | 68.5 (27.0) | <0.001 |
Taking action and initiative | 74.5 (21.7) | 70.8 (21.6) | <0.001 |
Self-efficacy | 88.0 (14.3) | 88.1 (13.5) | 0.7 |
Opportunity recognition | 86.6 (14.4) | 85.5 (14.5) | <0.001 |
Opportunity assessment | 84.0 (15.8) | 83.2 (15.8) | <0.001 |
Innovative problem-solving | 88.1 (13.6) | 87.1 (13.5) | <0.001 |
Resourcefulness | 88.4 (13.4) | 87.5 (13.2) | <0.001 |
Mobilising others | 89.4 (13.0) | 89.5 (12.3) | 0.7 |
Working with others | 89.3 (12.9) | 88.9 (12.6) | 0.008 |
Money sense | 87.2 (15.7) | 87.1 (15.6) | 0.5 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
For highly engaged learners who completed four or more quests, entrepreneurial experience increased significantly from baseline (M = 75.8, SD = 21.4) to endline (M = 78.9, SD = 20.5), p < .001. Taking action and initiative also showed strong improvement, with endline scores (M = 74.5, SD = 21.7) exceeding baseline scores (M = 70.8, SD = 21.6), p < .001. Other factors with significant gains included opportunity recognition (M = 86.6, SD = 14.4 vs. M = 85.5, SD = 14.5), p < .001; innovative problem-solving (M = 88.1, SD = 13.6 vs. M = 87.1, SD = 13.5), p < .001; and resourcefulness (M = 88.4, SD = 13.4 vs. M = 87.5, SD = 13.2), p < .001.
For the reverse-coded measures, only positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1) showed improvement, with lower endline scores (M = 31.6, SD = 21.1) compared to baseline (M = 34.3, SD = 17.4), p < .001. By contrast, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened (M = 48.9 vs. M = 40.0, p < .001), as did business preparation (EI1) and structured tasks (EM2), both of which increased modestly but significantly (p < .001 each).
Several factors declined despite high engagement. Need to achieve fell from baseline (M = 82.9, SD = 22.2) to endline (M = 81.5, SD = 22.7), p < .001; need for autonomy decreased (M = 84.9 to M = 84.1, p < .001); and values driven declined (M = 68.5 to M = 66.5, p < .001). Resilience showed a marginal decline (M = 88.1 to M = 87.7, p = .086).
Other factors remained unchanged, including self-efficacy (p = .70), mobilising others (p = .70), working with others (p = .008, marginal), opportunity assessment (p < .001 but very small effect), and money sense (p = .50).
Overall, learners who completed four or more quests (N = 9,087) exhibited strong gains in entrepreneurial experience, initiative, recognition, problem-solving, and resourcefulness, alongside improvements in EM1. However, three of the four reverse-coded measures (EI1, EI2, EM2) worsened, and innate-related factors (need to achieve, need for autonomy, values driven) declined. These results suggest that even among the most engaged learners, gains in applied entrepreneurial skills did not uniformly extend to psychosocial or innate factors.
Domain Specificity
Correlation between the type of quests and statistically significant entrepreneurial factors
Climate Quest
Table 6 presents the results of a pre–post test analysis for learners who exclusively completed the Climate Quest in the WEC. This subgroup (N = 370) offers insight into the domain-specific effects of climate-focused entrepreneurial content on learners’ entrepreneurial factors. The paired t-test analysis compares baseline and endline scores across 18 validated entrepreneurial factors to assess whether engagement with this single thematic quest produced statistically significant changes.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed Climate Quest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 85.0 (17.6) | 77.0 (22.4) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 33.5 (14.8) | 34.2 (16.0) | 0.4 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 62.3 (29.8) | 36.6 (17.2) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 27.2 (13.0) | 37.2 (19.9) | <0.001 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 31.5 (14.6) | 35.2 (17.4) | <0.001 |
Need to achieve | 80.5 (22.1) | 80.7 (23.1) | 0.9 |
Need for autonomy | 84.4 (17.3) | 84.5 (18.0) | >0.9 |
Resilience | 88.2 (14.3) | 88.1 (16.4) | >0.9 |
Values Driven | 75.1 (23.0) | 74.4 (24.6) | 0.6 |
Taking action and initiative | 78.8 (19.4) | 75.1 (20.6) | <0.001 |
Self-efficacy | 88.0 (11.4) | 88.1 (12.1) | 0.9 |
Opportunity recognition | 87.1 (12.5) | 86.8 (12.7) | 0.7 |
Opportunity assessment | 85.9 (13.1) | 84.3 (14.8) | 0.044 |
Innovative problem-solving | 88.1 (11.5) | 87.5 (12.2) | 0.3 |
Resourcefulness | 88.1 (11.8) | 87.4 (12.2) | 0.3 |
Mobilising others | 88.7 (11.4) | 88.8 (11.2) | >0.9 |
Working with others | 88.3 (12.0) | 88.7 (12.1) | 0.6 |
Money sense | 87.1 (14.0) | 85.5 (16.2) | 0.066 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Significant gains were observed in several areas. Entrepreneurial experience improved markedly from baseline (M = 77.0, SD = 22.4) to endline (M = 85.0, SD = 17.6), p < .001. Taking action and initiative also rose significantly (M = 75.1, SD = 20.6 vs. M = 78.8, SD = 19.4), p < .001. Opportunity assessment increased modestly (M = 84.3, SD = 14.8 vs. M = 85.9, SD = 13.1), p = .044.
For the reverse-coded measures, patterns were mixed. Positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1) improved significantly, with lower endline scores (M = 27.2, SD = 13.0) compared to baseline (M = 37.2, SD = 19.9), p < .001. Similarly, structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2) improved (M = 31.5, SD = 14.6 vs. M = 35.2, SD = 17.4), p < .001. In contrast, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened, with higher endline scores (M = 62.3, SD = 29.8) relative to baseline (M = 36.6, SD = 17.2), p < .001. Business preparation (EI1) showed no significant difference (p = .40).
Most other factors showed no meaningful change, including need to achieve (p = .90), need for autonomy (p > .90), resilience (p > .90), values driven (p = .60), self-efficacy (p = .90), innovative problem-solving (p = .30), resourcefulness (p = .30), mobilising others (p > .90), working with others (p = .60), and money sense (p = .066, marginal).
Overall, learners who completed the Climate Quest (N = 370) demonstrated notable gains in entrepreneurial experience, initiative, opportunity assessment, and two reverse-coded measures (EM1 and EM2). However, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened, and most psychosocial or innate factors did not change. These findings suggest that while climate-focused entrepreneurial content can strengthen applied skills and certain mindset components, its influence on innate-related factors is more limited.
Future Industry Quest
Table 7 presents the results of a pre–post test analysis for learners who exclusively completed the Future Industry Quest in the WEC. This analysis explores whether engagement with the quest, focused on future-oriented industries and innovation, resulted in measurable changes in learners’ entrepreneurial factors. Using paired t-tests, comparisons were made across 18 validated factors.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed Future Industry Quest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 78.8 (20.0) | 78.2 (20.7) | 0.7 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 43.9 (21.1) | 41.3 (19.5) | 0.094 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 52.5 (25.3) | 43.5 (27.5) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 34.7 (21.0) | 35.2 (18.7) | 0.8 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 41.5 (20.9) | 40.5 (20.9) | 0.6 |
Need to achieve | 78.9 (22.3) | 81.7 (22.7) | 0.14 |
Need for autonomy | 81.9 (17.9) | 83.7 (18.8) | 0.14 |
Resilience | 84.2 (18.1) | 86.7 (16.3) | 0.036 |
Values Driven | 71.1 (25.0) | 74.2 (24.6) | 0.063 |
Taking action and initiative | 75.0 (21.5) | 73.5 (20.5) | 0.3 |
Self-efficacy | 85.6 (14.5) | 86.4 (14.3) | 0.4 |
Opportunity recognition | 84.2 (14.6) | 84.2 (15.0) | >0.9 |
Opportunity assessment | 82.9 (15.4) | 83.0 (16.6) | >0.9 |
Innovative problem-solving | 85.7 (14.2) | 85.5 (14.1) | 0.9 |
Resourcefulness | 85.8 (13.9) | 85.6 (14.7) | 0.8 |
Mobilising others | 87.2 (13.6) | 88.1 (13.2) | 0.3 |
Working with others | 86.9 (13.8) | 87.3 (12.4) | 0.6 |
Money sense | 84.9 (16.4) | 85.4 (15.7) | 0.6 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Overall, the results show limited but notable effects. Resilience declined significantly, dropping from baseline (M = 86.7, SD = 16.3) to endline (M = 84.2, SD = 18.1), p = .036. This suggests reduced adaptability under challenge. In contrast, entrepreneurial experience remained stable (p = .70), as did other non-reverse-coded constructs such as need to achieve (p = .14), need for autonomy (p = .14), values driven (p = .063, marginal), taking action and initiative (p = .30), self-efficacy (p = .40), opportunity recognition (p > .90), opportunity assessment (p > .90), innovative problem-solving (p = .90), resourcefulness (p = .80), mobilising others (p = .30), working with others (p = .60), and money sense (p = .60).
For the reverse-coded constructs, patterns were mixed. Entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened significantly, with higher endline scores (M = 52.5, SD = 25.3) compared to baseline (M = 43.5, SD = 27.5), p < .001. Business preparation (EI1) showed a non-significant upward shift (M = 41.3, SD = 19.5 vs. M = 43.9, SD = 21.1), p = .094. Meanwhile, both positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1) (p = .80) and structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2) (p = .60) showed no meaningful differences.
In summary, engagement with the Future Industry Quest did not produce widespread improvements in entrepreneurial factors. The only significant finding was a decline in resilience, while entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened substantially. Taken together, these findings suggest that although future-oriented content may expose learners to innovation themes, it was not sufficient to strengthen key entrepreneurial skills or innate factors.
Creative Industry Quest
Table 8 presents the results of a pre–post test analysis for learners who exclusively completed the Creative Industry Quest within the WEC. This analysis explores how engagement with content related to arts, culture, and creative sectors influenced changes in entrepreneurial factors. The sample comprises 199 learners, and paired t-tests were used to assess mean differences across 18 validated entrepreneurial factors.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed Creative Industry Quest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 82.1 (20.0) | 77.4 (21.6) | 0.003 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 46.4 (25.3) | 43.0 (21.7) | 0.075 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 44.2 (24.2) | 45.7 (33.3) | 0.6 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 39.0 (29.4) | 29.9 (15.2) | <0.001 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 45.6 (28.2) | 42.3 (24.7) | 0.13 |
Need to achieve | 83.6 (22.2) | 85.3 (20.2) | 0.4 |
Need for autonomy | 87.4 (17.2) | 87.2 (17.8) | 0.9 |
Resilience | 88.6 (16.5) | 90.5 (14.1) | 0.2 |
Values Driven | 74.2 (23.4) | 71.4 (24.8) | 0.14 |
Taking action and initiative | 78.2 (22.3) | 73.4 (22.4) | 0.004 |
Self-efficacy | 89.1 (14.5) | 89.7 (11.8) | 0.6 |
Opportunity recognition | 88.3 (13.6) | 86.7 (14.5) | 0.15 |
Opportunity assessment | 87.0 (15.1) | 85.0 (15.7) | 0.094 |
Innovative problem-solving | 89.1 (13.1) | 88.6 (12.8) | 0.6 |
Resourcefulness | 89.8 (12.6) | 89.4 (12.1) | 0.7 |
Mobilising others | 90.9 (12.1) | 90.6 (11.9) | 0.8 |
Working with others | 91.2 (11.5) | 89.7 (12.3) | 0.2 |
Money sense | 90.3 (14.0) | 89.0 (14.7) | 0.3 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Significant improvements were observed in two areas. Entrepreneurial experience increased from baseline (M = 77.4, SD = 21.6) to endline (M = 82.1, SD = 20.0), p = .003. Taking action and initiative also improved significantly, rising from baseline (M = 73.4, SD = 22.4) to endline (M = 78.2, SD = 22.3), p = .004.
For the reverse-coded measures, results indicated mixed outcomes. Positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1) worsened, with higher endline scores (M = 39.0, SD = 29.4) compared to baseline (M = 29.9, SD = 15.2), p < .001, reflecting a negative change after reverse coding. Business preparation (EI1) increased slightly (M = 43.0, SD = 21.7 → M = 46.4, SD = 25.3), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = .075). Entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) (M = 45.7 → 44.2, p = .60) and structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2) (M = 42.3 → 45.6, p = .13) remained unchanged.
All other factors, including need to achieve (p = .40), need for autonomy (p = .90), resilience (p = .20), values driven (p = .14), self-efficacy (p = .60), opportunity recognition (p = .15), opportunity assessment (p = .094), innovative problem-solving (p = .60), resourcefulness (p = .70), mobilising others (p = .80), working with others (p = .20), and money sense (p = .30), did not show statistically significant changes.
In summary, learners who completed the Creative Industry Quest demonstrated improvements in entrepreneurial experience and taking action and initiative, but declines in positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1). Most other factors remained stable, with no additional significant negative changes.
Aquapreneurship Quest
Table 9 presents results from the pre–post test analysis of learners who exclusively completed the Aquapreneurship Quest within the WEC. This thematic quest centers on water-based innovation and entrepreneurship, offering learners an opportunity to explore real-world problems related to sustainability, clean water access, and aquatic ecosystems. Paired t-tests were used to assess statistically significant changes in entrepreneurial factors across 18 validated factors.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed Aquapreneurship Quest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 78.8 (20.3) | 75.9 (21.8) | 0.11 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 41.5 (20.1) | 37.9 (16.5) | 0.026 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 50.8 (26.0) | 39.8 (23.7) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 32.4 (20.8) | 35.4 (18.7) | 0.10 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 38.0 (21.3) | 35.7 (18.5) | 0.2 |
Need to achieve | 77.0 (25.9) | 81.1 (24.1) | 0.11 |
Need for autonomy | 81.2 (21.5) | 83.7 (20.2) | 0.2 |
Resilience | 84.8 (20.5) | 86.7 (18.6) | 0.3 |
Values Driven | 69.8 (25.3) | 71.7 (25.9) | 0.4 |
Taking action and initiative | 73.3 (22.9) | 71.7 (22.1) | 0.4 |
Self-efficacy | 86.5 (16.2) | 87.1 (15.5) | 0.7 |
Opportunity recognition | 84.8 (16.5) | 84.8 (16.0) | >0.9 |
Opportunity assessment | 83.8 (16.5) | 83.3 (17.3) | 0.8 |
Innovative problem-solving | 86.8 (15.0) | 86.1 (15.7) | 0.6 |
Resourcefulness | 87.1 (14.5) | 86.8 (15.0) | 0.8 |
Mobilising others | 88.5 (14.0) | 88.7 (14.0) | 0.8 |
Working with others | 88.4 (14.5) | 88.4 (14.5) | >0.9 |
Money sense | 86.3 (16.9) | 85.5 (17.5) | 0.6 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Two areas demonstrated statistically significant change. Business preparation (EI1, reverse coded) increased from baseline (M = 37.9, SD = 16.5) to endline (M = 41.5, SD = 20.1), p = .026. Because EI1 is reverse coded, this increase reflects a negative shift, suggesting weaker preparation intentions after participation. Similarly, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2, reverse coded) worsened, with scores increasing from baseline (M = 39.8, SD = 23.7) to endline (M = 50.8, SD = 26.0), p < .001.
All other factors remained stable with no statistically significant changes. This includes entrepreneurial experience (p = .11), positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1, p = .10), structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2, p = .20), need to achieve (p = .11), need for autonomy (p = .20), resilience (p = .30), values driven (p = .40), taking action and initiative (p = .40), self-efficacy (p = .70), opportunity recognition (p > .90), opportunity assessment (p = .80), innovative problem-solving (p = .60), resourcefulness (p = .80), mobilising others (p = .80), working with others (p > .90), and money sense (p = .60).
In summary, participation in the Aquapreneurship Quest was associated with negative changes in business preparation (EI1) and entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2), both reverse-coded measures, while all other entrepreneurial factors showed no significant improvement.
Learning from Failure Quest
Table 10 presents findings from a pre–post test analysis of learners who exclusively completed the Learning from Failure Quest in the WEC. This quest is designed to help learners understand the value of failure in the entrepreneurial process and to cultivate resilience, growth mindset, and adaptive learning. Paired t-tests were used to assess statistically significant changes in 18 entrepreneurial factors for 425 learners.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed Learning from Failure Quest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 79.3 (20.1) | 74.4 (21.8) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 42.5 (21.5) | 41.8 (18.4) | 0.5 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 49.1 (25.3) | 42.0 (25.1) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 34.1 (23.0) | 34.3 (17.1) | 0.9 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 41.4 (22.5) | 39.8 (19.8) | 0.2 |
Need to achieve | 81.2 (22.0) | 82.7 (22.1) | 0.3 |
Need for autonomy | 83.7 (17.8) | 83.9 (18.4) | 0.9 |
Resilience | 87.3 (16.3) | 87.2 (16.6) | 0.9 |
Values Driven | 68.6 (25.5) | 69.5 (24.9) | 0.5 |
Taking action and initiative | 74.6 (20.8) | 70.6 (21.5) | <0.001 |
Self-efficacy | 87.1 (14.2) | 86.9 (12.8) | 0.8 |
Opportunity recognition | 86.1 (14.1) | 84.7 (13.5) | 0.049 |
Opportunity assessment | 84.3 (15.4) | 82.4 (15.6) | 0.011 |
Innovative problem-solving | 87.7 (12.8) | 86.0 (13.0) | 0.006 |
Resourcefulness | 88.2 (13.1) | 86.7 (13.1) | 0.016 |
Mobilising others | 89.5 (12.5) | 88.8 (12.0) | 0.3 |
Working with others | 89.5 (11.9) | 88.1 (11.8) | 0.022 |
Money sense | 87.4 (15.5) | 85.7 (15.1) | 0.050 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Significant improvements were found across multiple factors. Entrepreneurial experience increased from baseline (M = 74.4, SD = 21.8) to endline (M = 79.3, SD = 20.1), p < .001. Entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2, reverse coded) also increased from baseline (M = 42.0, SD = 25.1) to endline (M = 49.1, SD = 25.3), p < .001, reflecting a negative change given the reverse coding.
Other positive improvements included taking action and initiative (M = 70.6, SD = 21.5 → M = 74.6, SD = 20.8, p < .001), opportunity recognition (M = 84.7, SD = 13.5 → M = 86.1, SD = 14.1, p = .049), opportunity assessment (M = 82.4, SD = 15.6 → M = 84.3, SD = 15.4, p = .011), innovative problem-solving (M = 86.0, SD = 13.0 → M = 87.7, SD = 12.8, p = .006), resourcefulness (M = 86.7, SD = 13.1 → M = 88.2, SD = 13.1, p = .016), and working with others (M = 88.1, SD = 11.8 → M = 89.5, SD = 11.9, p = .022). Money sense also showed a marginal increase (M = 85.7, SD = 15.1 → M = 87.4, SD = 15.5, p = .050).
No significant changes were found for business preparation (EI1, reverse coded) (p = .50), positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1, reverse coded) (p = .90), structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2, reverse coded) (p = .20), need to achieve (p = .30), need for autonomy (p = .90), resilience (p = .90), values driven (p = .50), self-efficacy (p = .80), or mobilising others (p = .30).
In summary, the Learning from Failure Quest was associated with substantial and widespread improvements in entrepreneurial experience, initiative, opportunity-related factors, problem-solving, and collaboration. However, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2, reverse coded) worsened, suggesting that while learners developed action-oriented and collaborative skills, their entrepreneurial intentions may have weakened.
Public Health Quest
Table 11 presents the results of a pre–post analysis for learners who exclusively participated in the Future Industry Quest, a learning module aimed at exploring evolving global industries and fostering future-oriented entrepreneurial thinking. Among the 380 learners analyzed, multiple statistically significant changes were observed.
Pre-post test analysis of learners who only completed Public Health Quest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 82.0 (20.7) | 76.6 (22.8) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 36.9 (20.1) | 35.9 (20.2) | 0.3 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 61.7 (29.4) | 42.6 (28.7) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 31.9 (20.5) | 37.0 (20.5) | <0.001 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 35.9 (20.7) | 38.3 (22.1) | 0.058 |
Need to achieve | 80.0 (22.3) | 81.1 (22.3) | 0.5 |
Need for autonomy | 84.2 (17.7) | 85.0 (18.5) | 0.5 |
Resilience | 86.0 (17.0) | 87.7 (16.9) | 0.11 |
Values Driven | 73.9 (23.0) | 74.1 (24.6) | 0.9 |
Taking action and initiative | 79.5 (20.2) | 78.4 (19.7) | 0.3 |
Self-efficacy | 86.2 (14.5) | 88.6 (13.0) | 0.006 |
Opportunity recognition | 86.3 (13.9) | 87.3 (13.4) | 0.2 |
Opportunity assessment | 85.5 (14.5) | 85.6 (14.4) | >0.9 |
Innovative problem-solving | 87.4 (13.6) | 87.4 (13.6) | >0.9 |
Resourcefulness | 87.6 (13.6) | 87.4 (13.8) | 0.8 |
Mobilising others | 88.0 (13.4) | 88.4 (13.3) | 0.7 |
Working with others | 87.7 (13.3) | 88.5 (13.2) | 0.3 |
Money sense | 87.3 (14.1) | 86.8 (15.2) | 0.6 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Several significant changes emerged. Entrepreneurial experience improved from baseline (M = 76.6, SD = 22.8) to endline (M = 82.0, SD = 20.7), p < .001. Entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2, reverse coded) worsened, with endline scores (M = 61.7, SD = 29.4) higher than baseline (M = 42.6, SD = 28.7), p < .001, indicating a negative change. In contrast, positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1, reverse coded) improved significantly, with endline scores (M = 31.9, SD = 20.5) lower than baseline (M = 37.0, SD = 20.5), p < .001.
A decline was observed in self-efficacy, which decreased from baseline (M = 88.6, SD = 13.0) to endline (M = 86.2, SD = 14.5), p = .006.
All other factors showed no statistically significant changes. These included business preparation (EI1, reverse coded) (p = .30), structured tasks and following others’ rules (EM2, reverse coded) (p = .058, marginal), need to achieve (p = .50), need for autonomy (p = .50), resilience (p = .11), values driven (p = .90), taking action and initiative (p = .30), opportunity recognition (p = .20), opportunity assessment (p > .90), innovative problem-solving (p > .90), resourcefulness (p = .80), mobilising others (p = .70), working with others (p = .30), and money sense (p = .60).
In summary, learners who completed the Public Health Quest demonstrated gains in entrepreneurial experience and positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1), but declines in entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) and self-efficacy. This suggests that while the quest fostered greater resilience in mindset and experience, it may also have tempered learners’ confidence and immediate entrepreneurial intentions
Key Takeaways
There are several findings to take home from this analysis. Figure 2 below provides an overview of entrepreneurial factors changes across domains of engagement in the WEC. The heatmap uses green (✓) to indicate factors that improved significantly, red (✖) to denote those that worsened, and blue (?) for no significant change. Numbers in parentheses show the count of improved factors per domain and per factor.
Domain Plurality: Number of Quests Completed
Learners who completed at least one quest showed significant gains across multiple entrepreneurial factors, including entrepreneurial experience, taking action and initiative, opportunity recognition, innovative problem-solving, and resourcefulness. Positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1, reverse-coded) also improved. However, several innate-related factors declined, such as need to achieve, need for autonomy, resilience, and values driven. Learners who completed four or more quests demonstrated similar patterns of improvement, but the declines in innate-related factors persisted, alongside worsened results in three of the four reverse-coded measures (EI1, EI2, EM2). This suggests that while higher quest completion strengthens applied entrepreneurial skills, it does not uniformly enhance psychosocial or innate factors.
Domain Specificity: Type of Quest Completed
Thematic quests produced varying effects.
- Climate Quest was associated with improvements in entrepreneurial experience, action and initiative, opportunity assessment, and both reverse-coded mindset measures (EM1, EM2). However, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened.
- Future Industry Quest yielded limited effects, with a decline in resilience and a negative shift in entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2). Most other factors remained unchanged.
- Creative Industry Quest improved entrepreneurial experience and taking action and initiative, but worsened positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1).
- Aquapreneurship Quest was marked by declines in business preparation (EI1) and entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2), with no improvements elsewhere.
- Learning from Failure Quest produced broad gains, including entrepreneurial experience, action and initiative, opportunity recognition, opportunity assessment, innovative problem-solving, resourcefulness, working with others, and money sense. However, entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) worsened.
- Public Health Quest improved entrepreneurial experience and positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1), but was accompanied by declines in entrepreneurial intention to start-up (EI2) and self-efficacy.
Synthesis
Across both domain plurality and specificity, a consistent pattern emerges: applied skills (e.g., entrepreneurial experience, initiative, problem-solving, resourcefulness) are more likely to improve with engagement, while innate-related or intention-based measures (e.g., EI1, EI2, need to achieve, values driven) either remain unchanged or decline. Notably, the Learning from Failure Quest stands out as the most effective thematic intervention, with the broadest set of improvements. Conversely, quests such as Aquapreneurship and Future Industry revealed either limited or negative effects, suggesting that not all content domains are equally effective in stimulating entrepreneurial growth.
It is important to note that these patterns are not explained by engagement levels, which were nearly universal (10,631 of 10,643 learners, 99%). Instead, the limited or negative changes in some domains are more likely attributable to domain-specific effects, challenges with reverse-coded entrepreneurial intention measures, ceiling effects from already high baseline scores, or the short intervention window.
Reduction of EC Improvements Compared to Previous Editions
A further consideration is the reduction in the number of entrepreneurial factors (ECs) showing improvement compared to earlier cycles. In WEC Rwanda Edition 5, 13 ECs improved significantly (KRU, 2024a, WEC-RW-5), with similar results in WEC Kenya Edition 5 (KRU, 2024b, WEC-KE-5). By contrast, the present analysis shows improvements in only 8 ECs.
Given the near-universal engagement, this reduction is unlikely to be participation-related. Instead, it underscores the role of content emphasis, measurement limitations, and structural factors in shaping observed outcomes.
Conclusion
The findings highlight the critical role of engagement depth: learners who complete multiple quests gain more robust improvements, though challenges remain in sustaining innate-related factors. Domain-specific quests vary in effectiveness, with Learning from Failure Quest and Climate Quest appearing particularly impactful. Program design should therefore aim to both refine content emphasis and balance applied skill-building with innate reinforcement.
The decline from 13 improved ECs in previous editions to 8 in the current study, despite near-universal engagement, signals that the constraint lies not in participation but in quest design, measurement challenges with reverse-coded items, and potential ceiling effects. Addressing these issues will be crucial for maximizing the WEC’s long-term impact.
Appendix
Repeat User Analysis
| metric | value |
|---|---|
| Repeat users | 1085.0000000 |
| Share of KE5 | 0.1612663 |
| Share of KE6 | 0.1019449 |
| Mean Scores Across KE5 & KE6 (Baseline vs Endline) - Repeat + First Time Players | ||||
| KE5 Post: Endline | KE5 Pre: Baseline | KE6 Post: Endline | KE6 Pre: Baseline | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 38.01495 | 39.57872 | 40.10713 | 39.14379 |
| Entrepreneurial experience | 78.11507 | 71.38659 | 79.06744 | 75.91119 |
| Innovative problem-solving | 88.57950 | 85.95932 | 88.08097 | 87.08259 |
| Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 46.08202 | 47.53466 | 49.26664 | 40.37687 |
| Mobilising others | 90.14513 | 88.99004 | 89.36793 | 89.45618 |
| Money sense | 87.03181 | 86.36402 | 87.24245 | 87.03910 |
| Need for autonomy | 83.60217 | 85.11727 | 84.04052 | 84.92705 |
| Need to achieve | 82.89931 | 83.61982 | 81.31457 | 82.86004 |
| Opportunity assessment | 84.19350 | 82.37281 | 84.06671 | 83.27817 |
| Opportunity recognition | 87.45063 | 84.93874 | 86.58407 | 85.60187 |
| Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 30.82060 | 30.65037 | 31.97642 | 34.36150 |
| Resilience | 88.77187 | 88.19114 | 87.61426 | 88.08204 |
| Resourcefulness | 88.80287 | 86.39545 | 88.30673 | 87.52554 |
| Self-efficacy | 88.32597 | 87.57007 | 87.91795 | 88.07197 |
| Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 63.37481 | 61.60608 | 40.11325 | 38.87663 |
| Taking action and initiative | 72.58377 | 67.37770 | 74.75599 | 71.17484 |
| Values Driven | 60.03164 | 68.16290 | 67.00313 | 68.90377 |
| Working with others | 89.57873 | 88.21429 | 89.20874 | 88.87102 |
| Mean Scores Across KE5 & KE6 (Baseline vs Endline) - Repeat Players Only | ||||
| KE5 Post: Endline | KE5 Pre: Baseline | KE6 Post: Endline | KE6 Pre: Baseline | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 38.10831 | 39.45890 | 40.25269 | 39.35261 |
| Entrepreneurial experience | 78.12412 | 71.53482 | 78.98539 | 75.74225 |
| Innovative problem-solving | 88.64738 | 86.03023 | 88.11198 | 87.07679 |
| Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 46.46617 | 47.55315 | 49.43461 | 40.64687 |
| Mobilising others | 90.17873 | 89.04901 | 89.42023 | 89.51140 |
| Money sense | 87.14716 | 86.39148 | 87.23956 | 87.01238 |
| Need for autonomy | 83.73697 | 85.24210 | 84.16981 | 85.20468 |
| Need to achieve | 82.79216 | 83.62087 | 81.27727 | 83.02362 |
| Opportunity assessment | 84.36257 | 82.59173 | 84.10951 | 83.34921 |
| Opportunity recognition | 87.50601 | 84.98519 | 86.59276 | 85.53867 |
| Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 30.96481 | 30.65214 | 32.20242 | 34.72351 |
| Resilience | 88.74839 | 88.25473 | 87.59678 | 88.11616 |
| Resourcefulness | 88.84940 | 86.47427 | 88.34664 | 87.54521 |
| Self-efficacy | 88.33827 | 87.65601 | 87.97455 | 88.16436 |
| Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 63.30852 | 61.55161 | 40.35451 | 38.93794 |
| Taking action and initiative | 72.81289 | 67.64229 | 74.86853 | 71.33149 |
| Values Driven | 60.23772 | 68.35270 | 67.66284 | 69.94814 |
| Working with others | 89.65140 | 88.27726 | 89.25597 | 88.91430 |
Pre-Post Analysis of Repeat Learners
Using Baseline Data from Previous Edition
Pre-post test analysis of repeat learners: Using Baseline Data from Previous Edition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 79.8 (19.6) | 70.6 (21.6) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 38.8 (17.9) | 40.2 (16.0) | 0.024 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 47.8 (24.5) | 47.4 (23.0) | 0.7 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 30.0 (19.0) | 30.6 (14.6) | 0.3 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 38.0 (20.2) | 61.9 (25.4) | <0.001 |
Need to achieve | 81.6 (22.0) | 83.6 (22.6) | 0.029 |
Need for autonomy | 82.9 (18.7) | 84.5 (19.6) | 0.035 |
Resilience | 87.8 (17.2) | 87.9 (18.0) | 0.9 |
Values Driven | 61.2 (28.6) | 67.2 (28.1) | <0.001 |
Taking action and initiative | 73.8 (21.2) | 66.0 (21.6) | <0.001 |
Self-efficacy | 87.4 (15.0) | 87.1 (14.9) | 0.6 |
Opportunity recognition | 86.5 (15.1) | 84.7 (15.1) | 0.001 |
Opportunity assessment | 83.7 (16.2) | 81.2 (16.9) | <0.001 |
Innovative problem-solving | 87.8 (14.0) | 85.6 (14.5) | <0.001 |
Resourcefulness | 88.0 (14.1) | 86.0 (14.3) | <0.001 |
Mobilising others | 88.9 (13.9) | 88.7 (13.4) | 0.7 |
Working with others | 88.8 (13.7) | 87.9 (13.4) | 0.079 |
Money sense | 87.3 (16.4) | 86.2 (16.8) | 0.11 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Improved (significant, correct direction)
- Entrepreneurial experience (70.6 → 79.8, p < .001)
- Business preparation (EI1) [rev] (40.2 → 38.8, p = .024, lower is improvement)
- Structured tasks & following others’ rules (EM2) [rev] (61.9 → 38.0, p < .001, lower is improvement)
- Taking action & initiative (66.0 → 73.8, p < .001)
- Opportunity recognition (84.7 → 86.5, p = .001)
- Opportunity assessment (81.2 → 83.7, p < .001)
- Innovative problem-solving (85.6 → 87.8, p < .001)
- Resourcefulness (86.0 → 88.0, p < .001)
Worsened (significant, wrong direction)
- Need to achieve (83.6 → 81.6, p = .029)
- Need for autonomy (84.5 → 82.9, p = .035)
- Values Driven (67.2 → 61.2, p < .001)
Unchanged (not significant)
- Positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1) [rev] (30.6 → 30.0, p = .3)
- Intend to start-up (EI2) [rev] (47.4 → 47.8, p = .7)
- Resilience (87.9 → 87.8, p = .9)
- Self-efficacy (87.1 → 87.4, p = .6)
- Mobilising others (88.7 → 88.9, p = .7)
- Working with others (87.9 → 88.8, p = .079)
- Money sense (86.2 → 87.3, p = .11)
Summary:
- Improved: 8 factors
- Worsened: 3 factors
- Unchanged: 7 factors
Pre-Post Analysis of First Time Players
In this dataset we have removed repeat players
Pre-post test analysis of First Time Players | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Period |
| |
Variable | Post: Endline | Pre: Baseline | p-value2 |
Entrepreneurial experience | 79.0 (20.6) | 75.7 (21.5) | <0.001 |
Business preparation (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 1) | 40.3 (19.8) | 39.4 (17.9) | <0.001 |
Intend to start-up (Entrepreneurial intention – EI 2) | 49.4 (25.8) | 40.6 (25.4) | <0.001 |
Positive entrepreneurial mindset (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 1) | 32.2 (21.6) | 34.7 (17.6) | <0.001 |
Structured tasks and following others’ rules (Entrepreneurial mindset – EM 2) | 40.4 (22.3) | 38.9 (20.2) | <0.001 |
Need to achieve | 81.3 (22.8) | 83.0 (22.0) | <0.001 |
Need for autonomy | 84.2 (18.9) | 85.2 (18.4) | <0.001 |
Resilience | 87.6 (17.2) | 88.1 (16.8) | 0.019 |
Values Driven | 67.7 (27.0) | 69.9 (26.3) | <0.001 |
Taking action and initiative | 74.9 (21.7) | 71.3 (21.7) | <0.001 |
Self-efficacy | 88.0 (14.3) | 88.2 (13.3) | 0.3 |
Opportunity recognition | 86.6 (14.3) | 85.5 (14.3) | <0.001 |
Opportunity assessment | 84.1 (15.7) | 83.3 (15.7) | <0.001 |
Innovative problem-solving | 88.1 (13.6) | 87.1 (13.4) | <0.001 |
Resourcefulness | 88.3 (13.3) | 87.5 (13.1) | <0.001 |
Mobilising others | 89.4 (12.9) | 89.5 (12.1) | 0.5 |
Working with others | 89.3 (12.9) | 88.9 (12.4) | 0.025 |
Money sense | 87.2 (15.6) | 87.0 (15.5) | 0.2 |
1Mean (SD) | |||
2Paired t-test | |||
Improved (significant, in the correct direction)
- Entrepreneurial experience (75.7 → 79.0, p < .001)
- Positive entrepreneurial mindset (EM1) [rev] (34.7 → 32.2, p < .001 → lower is better)
- Taking action & initiative (71.3 → 74.9, p < .001)
- Opportunity recognition (85.5 → 86.6, p < .001)
- Opportunity assessment (83.3 → 84.1, p < .001)
- Innovative problem-solving (87.1 → 88.1, p < .001)
- Resourcefulness (87.5 → 88.3, p < .001)
- Working with others (88.9 → 89.3, p = .025)
Worsened (significant, in the wrong direction)
- Business preparation (EI1) [rev] (39.4 → 40.3, p < .001 → higher is worse)
- Intend to start-up (EI2) [rev] (40.6 → 49.4, p < .001 → higher is worse)
- Structured tasks & following others’ rules (EM2) [rev] (38.9 → 40.4, p < .001 → higher is worse)
- Need to achieve (83.0 → 81.3, p < .001)
- Need for autonomy (85.2 → 84.2, p < .001)
- Resilience (88.1 → 87.6, p = .019)
- Values Driven (69.9 → 67.7, p < .001)
Unchanged (not statistically significant)
- Self-efficacy (p = 0.3)
- Mobilising others (p = 0.5)
- Money sense (p = 0.2)
Summary:
- 8 factors improved.
- 7 factors worsened (largely reverse-coded intentions or already strong baseline factors).
- 3 remained unchanged.