This study investigates the influence of personality traits, extracurricular entrepreneurship education and own business in the family on students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Grounded in the Big Five personality theory, the research examines how traits such as openness to new experiences (ABEX), extroversion (EX), conscientiousness (CON), and neuroticism (NEU) affect entrepreneurial intentions (INEM). Additionally, extracurricular entrepreneurship education (EDU) and family-owned businesses (NEGPRO) are also investigated in this relationship. Using a quantitative approach, using PLS-SEM, data were collected from a sample of 340 students, in Brazil, revealing significant positive relationships between ABEX, EX, and CON with INEM. Conversely, NEU exhibited no significant impact. Additionally, the presence of NEGPRO significantly influenced students’ EI. The findings underscore no significant impact of EDU, highlighting the critical relevance of tailoring extracurricular entrepreneurial programmes to foster these key personality traits, ultimately enhancing students’ likelihood of pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of entrepreneurship while providing practical implications for educators and policymakers aiming to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets among students. Future studies are recommended to explore additional factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions in diverse contexts. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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