In the context of global socioeconomic transformations and the digitalization of all spheres of life, the key challenge for the education system is developing competencies in the new generation that ensure not only adaptation but also active creation of the future. Generation Z (centennials), with a unique digital and cognitive profile, demonstrates a demand for practical learning and autonomy, which actualizes the development of entrepreneurial culture as the basis for innovative behavior. The purpose of this article is to theoretically conceptualize the role of critical thinking as a system-forming catalyst for the development of entrepreneurial culture in Generation Z and, on this basis, to construct a pedagogical framework, including an algorithm for developing an integrative theoretical model of critical thinking as the transformational core of the entrepreneurial culture of Generation Z for its implementation in the modern educational environment. Methodology and research methods. This interdisciplinary theoretical study, aimed at constructing a conceptual model, draws on principles of a systems approach to identify the interrelations of components and a constructive research tradition to create a new conceptual tool, drawing on a systematic review of the scientific literature using the PRISMA-ScR model. The methods of analysis and synthesis included thematic analysis to identify and systematize key themes, concepts, and contradictions in the philosophical, pedagogical, and psychological literature on critical thinking and entrepreneurial culture; conceptual analysis to clarify definitions and the evolution of the concepts of “critical thinking” and “youth entrepreneurial culture”; and a theoretical modeling method with a specific description of the stages. The article presents the procedure for constructing the model with a detailed description of its algorithm. Research results. The article substantiates the proposition that critical thinking is the core of entrepreneurial culture, fulfilling not simply an accompanying but a catalytic and system-forming function. An interdisciplinary analysis demonstrated that critical thinking, understood as the metacognitive process of analyzing, evaluating, and reconstructing information in the face of uncertainty, is the key mechanism for transforming young people’s potential activity into meaningful, responsible, and effective entrepreneurial action. Conclusion. Our study concludes that the key to developing an entrepreneurial culture in Generation Z lies not in the spontaneous encouragement of business activity, but in the targeted cultivation of “critical entrepreneurial thinking” through the design of a special educational and social environment. This environment should transform external challenges into meaningful personal projects, and individual successes into new cultural norms.