JA Americas Celebrates 13th Company of the Year Competition
December 9, 2021
JA Americas capped off its three-day 2021 Company of the Year Competition today with an exciting closing ceremony. In total, 21 student companies from 11 countries around the region competed, demonstrating their accomplishments from their time in the JA Company Program this year.
On Day 1, student companies were treated to an exciting opening ceremony via Virtual Venue—and immersive online platform that allows users to interact through customizable avatars—featuring host Iliana Jimenez and speakers Leonardo Martellotto, President of JA Americas; Rakesh Shalia, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at FedEx Express Latin America and Caribbean Division and JA Americas Board Member; Asheesh Advani, CEO of JA Worldwide.
Meet the Teams
Argentina – Alev produces and sells candlerpots, aromatic soy candles in reusable wooden bowls that double as flowerpots.
Argentina – Kaizen created a multiuse notebook that can also be used as a coast, board, sheath, and mousepad.
Argentina – Mínimamente offers single-use soaps in refillable containers and bioegradable bags.
Bahamas – BTC GLITCH’s Bahamian Educational Playing Cards provide family fun and education with a game focused on Bahamian history.
Brazil – Naturalía produces and sells sustainable, reusable make-up remover discs.
Canada – Elevate created the Foot Hammock, an adjustable footrest that hangs from underneath a desk or table.
Canada – MarketAngelo offers an interactive learning platform that aims to educate users about the relationship between sustainable investing and pursuing profits.
Canada – YOÜ is a clothing brand that incorporates innovative and thought invoking designs to merchandise meant to spark conversations about mental health.
Colombia – KIDAVA SWEET sells customizable churros made with potatoes and bananas and a choice of blackberry or chocolate sauce.
Costa Rica – FAPREN created ASYST, a system that optimizes times and results during the user study process that performs individual analysis and provides recommendations based on collected data.
Guatemala – Powdelthy sells a nutritional powder made with soja and chickpea to provide people with more protein in their diets.
Jamaica – Produstry is committed to creating a better life for farmers by applying advanced technology to meet consumer demand with TK star animal tracker for livestock.
Mexico – FORINAT provides 100% natural products that help prevent disease by strengthening the immune system and preventing digestive problems.
Mexico – MEXAFILTRO works to improve the quality of life for all people with a water filtration water system that helps prevent economic and health problems related to flooding.
Peru – Eunoia strengthens young people’s interpersonal skills with a daily guide that provides them with strategies and didactic and reflective tools to improve mental health and ultimately quality of life.
Peru – Jayani aims to reduce the indiscriminate felling of trees through the sale of eco-friendly notebook that contains sheets of stone paper made without trees or water.
Peru – Maluhia’s plantable scented candle Multi-Vela is made of soy wax and an ecological cotton wick.
Peru – Misi launched a website that provides resources and therapies to aid in the cognitive behavioral development of autistic children.
Peru – Yatix promotes the development of and potential for agritourism in agricultural areas.
Uruguay – Cool Bike provides shopping and delivery services to residents of San Jacinto, Canelones, Uruguay.
Uruguay – Karte upcycles used denim clothes to create fashionable bags, pencil cases, and fanny packs.
JA Americas staff worked throughout the Company of the Year competition with COY Influencer Diego Chavez. Diego, a COY alumnus himself from JA Venezuela, supported the regional team by covering the competition on social media.
After the opening, students participated in the FedEx Global Possibilities Seminar, led by Isaac Clawson, Managing Director, Marketing for FedEx Express in Latin America and the Caribbean. FedEx has sponsored JA competitions in all six regions since 2007, including regional Company of the Year competitions, the FedEx Junior Business Challenge in the U.S., the International Trade Challenge in Asia Pacific, and the JA Alumni Accelerator Award. For the 2021 JA Americas Company of the Year competition, student companies must participate in the FedEx Global Possibilities seminar to be eligible for the signature award of the same name.
On Day 2, students presented their companies to the judges in a virtual trade fair:
Meet the Judges
On Day 3, students gathered one last time in the virtual auditorium for the awards ceremony. Under the guidance of host Iliana Jimenez, students heard from Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States; Luciano Macagno, Managing Director Latin America, Caribbean & South Florida at Delta Air Lines and Board Chair of JA Americas; Rakesh Shalia, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at FedEx Express Latin America and Caribbean Division and JA Americas Board Member; and Caroline Jenner, COO of JA Worldwide.
Meet the Winners
People’s Choice Award: MEXAFILTRO, JA Mexico
Business Idea Award: Maluhia, JA Peru
FedEx Global Possibilities Award: Cool Bike, JA Uruguay
Third Place: Elevate, JA Canada
Second Place: Karte, JA Uruguay
First Place: MarketAngelo, JA Canada
As first-place winners, MarketAngelo will join the top teams from JA Asia Pacific, JA Europe, JA USA, INJAZ Al-Arab JA MENA, and JA Africa in the second-annual de la Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award competition in early 2022, the first global award for JA Company Program student companies.
Congratulations to all the incredible student teams!