JA teaches the world’s youngest entrepreneurs . . . and has for over 100 years. Our entrepreneurship programs teach students real-world business skills so they’ll be ready to create the jobs of the future. Through the JA Company Program—our flagship entrepreneurship program—students work with business-savvy volunteers to launch businesses that deliver innovative products and services. Student teams then participate in JA Company of the Year competitions at local, national, and multi-national levels, demonstrating their products and services in trade fairs and presenting their businesses on-stage to esteemed judges.

The De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award recognizes outstanding JA entrepreneurs. The first-place team from each of our six annual regional JA company competitions (also known as Company of the Year, Generation E, Young Entrepreneurs Competition, and FutureBound) are automatically entered as finalists for the award. The winning team receives awards, plus US $15,000, educational opportunities, and more.

Watch the 2026 Award Ceremony

The De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award is back this March, bringing together JA student entrepreneurs from around the world for a global celebration of innovation, leadership, and impact. Join us on March 4, 2026, at 9amEST/3pmCET/10pmHKT for the live, virtual awards ceremony and see the finalists take the global stage. Watch the livestream from anywhere right here and on YouTube.

Meet the 2026 Finalists

Each year, the De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award recognizes the very best of JA young entrepreneurs. JA’s only global student award brings together winners of the six regional Company of the Year competitions to compete in a global showcase of innovation, resilience, and leadership. To be named a finalist is an extraordinary accomplishment: each team has risen above thousands of peers to represent their region on the world stage.

Learn about the 2026 finalists below.

Read about each regional competition below.

Who Selects the Winner?

Each student company presents their business venture via video recording and a one-page executive summary, highlighting their creativity, problem-solving skills, and resilience. An exclusive jury composed of JA board members, staff, alumni, and partners from around the world reviewed each company’s submissions and scored each according to a detailed rubric to determine the winner.

De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award Winners

Winning the De La Vega can change the course of a young entrepreneur’s life. Read about the 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 finalists and winners . . . and catch all the excitement of our global awards ceremony by watching the 2025 ceremony highlights at the end of this page.

In addition to winning first-place in their regional Company of the Year competitions, the De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award requires each of the six student companies to create promotional videos. Check out these videos from previous winners: