JA Europe's Gen-E Inspires in Italy
July 5, 2024
This week, JA Europe held its annual Gen-E festival in Catania, Italy. Hosted by JA Italy, this celebration of entrepreneurship and European student achievements brought together young entrepreneurs ages 15 and up to showcase their cutting-edge business ideas and compete for the titles of JA Europe Start-Up of the Year and JA Europe Company of the Year.
JA Company Program Student Companies
JA Albania: Eco Empathy specializes in producing eco-friendly paper made from grass, an innovative alternative to traditional wood-pulp paper.
JA Austria: Treberei combats food waste by turning spent brewers’ grains into nutritious, organic-certified pasta.
JA Belgium FL: Peace Of Art organizes auctions that sells art made by students, children in hospitals, and patients in mental health insinuations. The proceeds go directly to charities that support mental wellbeing.
JA Belgium FR: Plantech sells the Smart Plant, a plant pot combines nature and technology for hassle-free care.
JA Bulgaria: Green Filters tackles cigarette waste by repurposing cigarette butts into high-quality activated carbon, a versatile material with various applications.
JA Cyprus: miguard combats school bullying and violence through its innovative mobile app, which monitors and analyzes audio in real time. The app acts as a preventive tool and deploys help when activated.
JA Czech Republic: Dystopia Clo creates and sells membership-only streetwear clothing through its Dystopia Private Club. Members vote on designs, building a sense of ownership and exclusivity not found in other streetwear brands.
JA Denmark: 99Robotics combines biology, technology, AI, and agricultural engineering to reduce CO2 emissions and leaching of nitrate into water bodies, as well as to reduce topsoil degradation through cover crops.
JA Estonia: ZeroBath brings the transformative power of cold-water therapy to your home. ZeroBath helps relieve stress, boost energy and alertness, enhance circulation, reduce muscle soreness, and strengthens the immune system.
JA Finland: Honey Fellows sells ultra-local Nordic honey and offers beehive-adoption programs, pollination services, and biological pest control.
JA France: Renewtaste offers an innovative approach to food waste by transforming ingredients that are often thrown away or neglected into delicious and enjoyable dishes.
JA Georgia: DIDOSTATY offers a bionic hand, enabling amputees to regain self-esteem and full engage in daily activities.
JA Germany: blackbaytoys reimagined chess by turning well-known European icons into game pieces.
JA Greece: LET'S GO creates games and jewelry from recycled Lego bricks for visually impaired people.
JA Hungary: PlantIT fuses nature with technology through its micro-controller-based sensor and application, which sends notifications to a phone if a plant's conditions aren’t ideal.
JA Iceland: Netaprent turns used fishing nets HDPE filament for 3D printing.
JA Ireland: Glan Go Glas offers premium cleaning products that prioritize environmental responsibility by using biodegradable and non-toxic ingredients.
JA Isle of Man: Creed created the SensoGuard smart glove, a wearable device for visually impaired people that helps them avoid hazards by detecting obstacles and assisting with navigation.
JA Israel: The Creative Corner created Lifecare, a fall detection device worn on the head rather than around the neck.
JA Italy: HitLocator designs and produces construction safety systems that prevent accidents on construction sites.
JA Latvia: Fortfull Group sells electronics for visual- and memory-impaired people. In particular, Fortfull offers a wristwatch with GPS/GSM tracking and an SOS button, among other features.
JA Lithuania: AirBuddy monitors air systems for CO2, temperature, and humidity in real time and uses the data collected to create safet, healthier, and more productive school and work environments.
JA Luxembourg: Letz Guess created a free educational online game about Luxembourg and the European Union available in Luxembourgish, French , German , and English.
JA Malta: ReMind created Tiftakards, an innovative 3-in-1 card game designed to entertain and engage players while fostering cultural appreciation and supporting cognitive health.
JA Moldova: WoodDesign creates laser-cut wooden door signs for schools and businesses to help facilitate students’ and customers’ orientation with their surroundings.
JA Montenegro: EDUMedic built a social and educational game that educates people about first aid.
JA Netherlands: FreshActive developed an anti-odor bag for sports gear. The bag absorb foul odors and improve the smell of items in the bag.
JA North Macedonia: Choco Probio produces a delicious, easy, and simple probiotic made from dark chocolate and enriched with vitamin C.
JA Norway: Pungdom UB aims to save the Oslo Fjord and Europe’s coastal waters by encouraging the cultivation of sea squirts and other species that filter and regenerate fjord through the sale of sea squirt hotels.
JA Poland: STRIVE sells a variety of LED lamps that allow consumers to change the color or mode of the lighting as desired.
JA Portugal: Bfore developed the the Bfore sponge, a disposable bath sponge made of 100% recyclable plastic, embedded with a removable pressure sensor that detects breast cancer early by analyzing the pressure of the breast tissue.
JA Romania: Motion Charge sells tiles and an accompanying mechanical system that generates electricity from pressure exerted when people walk on them.
JA Serbia: OutMark crafts personalized bracelets made from resilient paracord rope, tailored for nature enthusiasts.
JA Slovakia: Devecol created Ecolect an interactive app that mobilizes people to collect waste from nature.
JA Spain: Send by Bus uses luggage compartments on busses to deliver packages, allowing customers to receive e-commerce orders at the nearest bus stop.
JA Sweden: Gralg grows and dries microalgae fertilizer for the agricultural sector.
JA Türkiye: COover produces a single ventilation system that operates based on to level of carbon dioxide in poorly ventilated areas.
JA Ukraine: Feel Touch developed and manufactures a computer mouse that does not require a solid surface beneath it for use with computers, phones, and tablets.
Young Enterprise Switzerland: Whitable sells a portable stain remover that eliminates stains with just a little water.
Young Enterprise UK: Llanw created and sells Sbarion, a recipe book that tackles the growing problem of food waste and celebrates Welsh heritage.
JA Europe Start-up Programme Companies
JA Albania: Bubi developed a mobile gaming app and pioneering educational platform that will revolutionize the way children learn the Albanian language.
JA Belgium FL: SmartStream saves valuable clean but cold water from showers by diverting it into a home cistern from the shower head, returning to the shower when it reaches the desired temperature.
JA Belgium FR: ColorVital measure the pH in an animal’s wound and changes color accordingly, signaling the presence of a potential infection.
JA Bulgaria: Futura created an anti-tremor glove that controlling hand tremors, enabling the wearer to perform daily tasks with greater ease and confidence to protect those at greater risk.
JA Czech Republic: DIVEIN offers travel itineraries made by other travelers. DIVEIN helps travelers to discover hidden gems in popular destinations with itineraries tailored to user preferences.
JA Denmark: Oculare developed a cutting-edge rescue robot designed to eliminate drowning accidents in harbors, canals, and lakes.
JA Luxembourg: Check and Mate matches employers to temporary support staff through an app targeted toward students in search of short-term work.
JA Malta: Littleroot enables people living in small spaces to grow their own food through a compact, self-watering, and self-lit indoor garden.
JA Montenegro: DataBite offers AI-driven data analytics solutions for food business operators and food testing laboratories.
JA Norway: BotaniQ developed an automated, modular system to harvest kelp .
JA Portugal: InCare produced an attachment for grocery trolleys that guides visually impaired customers through the supermarket.
JA Romania: RoBlue Engineers created a fully autonomous solar-powered robot equipped with lidar for mapping and infrared cameras for obstacle detection to clean up litter on beaches.
JA Spain: Solaris Vita developed organic photovoltaic cells that can be installed on crops and in greenhouses to capture solar energy and generate electricity.
Young Enterprise UK: Therma Tread Elite designed an athletic thermal grip sock aimed for football players and other athletes to reduce foot and ankle injuries, especially in cold weather.
Gen-E 2024 Day by Day
Day 1 kicked off with stage rehearsals in the stunning San Nicolò Church, followed by a light lunch at the historic Monastero dei Benedettini. JA students then dove into the seminar, Mastering Market Access with FedEx, while educators attended the AI in Entrepreneurship Education with Intel workshop.
On Day 2, Gen-E held its official opening ceremony at the San Nicolò Church, followed by stage presentations for the JA Company Program student companies and the JA Europe Start-up Programme student enterprises. Students also set up their booths for the trade fair the next day.
Day 3 began with a seminar for students and alumni with the Italian National Youth Agency, followed by the opening of the trade fair, where JA students presented their businesses to judges and the public. The day ended with the awards gala, livestreamed online for a global audience.
Speaking at the Gen-E Awards Ceremony, Italian Minister of Sport and Youth, Mr. Andrea Abodi stated, "Investing in education, training, and guidance for young people is fundamental for the growth and improvement of our Nation. I am pleased to see Italy playing a leading role in mobilizing stakeholders in youth entrepreneurship across Europe, and I thank all of you for believing in these young talents and for supporting them with your experience and offering them opportunities. I renew my commitment before you to work with all my colleagues in the Italian government and European Ministers to provide tools and opportunities that encourage the active participation of young people in productive life, enhance their capacity to contribute, combat the effects of discomfort in all its forms, and contribute to the consolidation of the economic and social value chain. These are essential conditions to ensure that young generations have the prospects we all need to face the challenges of this complex and controversial time with confidence."
Laurence Morvan, Chair of JA Europe, declared, “Inspiration is the start of any entrepreneurial journey, and this is why Gen-E European Entrepreneurship Festival is so important in instilling a sense of curiosity, creativity, and entrepreneurial mindset among the next generation of Europeans. All along the school year, our JA network across 40 countries in Europe empowers the youth to acquire the necessary skillset to succeed in the world of work and to set up and run successful businesses. Through Gen-E, JA Europe gives them an international platform to showcase, compete, and celebrate with talented peers from all over Europe. It is a unique experience for the youth, for the partners, and for educators involved.”
Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe, added, “Gen-E 2024 represents a pivotal moment when we can combine past excellence with future opportunity and ensure that young talents everywhere in Europe get the opportunity to unleash their full potential. We call upon policymakers, business leaders, and education experts to act now for a concrete impact on the Europe of our youth.”
Awards
JA Start-Up Competition Awards
The Avanade Digital Innovation Award recognizes young entrepreneurs who best use their digital skills to conceive an innovative business idea or concept.
Winner: LeakTrack.ai, Türkiye
The BNY Resilient Futures Award celebrates forward thinking social enterprise start-ups that demonstrate resilience and innovation in shaping future systems. This award recognizes ideas and endeavors that not only address current societal challenges but also anticipate and adapt to future trends, ensuring sustainability and fostering growth in an ever-changing landscape.
Winner: LeakTrack.ai, Türkiye
The Euroclear Financial Award recognizes the JA Student Start-up that exhibits most potential for financial viability and robustness, and a strong financial model.
Winner: ColorVital, Belgium FR
The EY Gen-E Young Women Leaders Award recognizes three female JA students who demonstrated outstanding inclusive leadership attributes and entrepreneurial leadership skills throughout the JA Europe Start Up Programme.
Winners:
Anna Maria Demetriou, PREVENTA, Cyprus
Andrea Milacic, DataBite Food Consulting, Montenegro
Mara-Ioana Hutart, RoBlue Engineers, Romania
JA Company Program Awards
The Delta Air Lines Sustainable Innovation Award recognizes JA student companies that have demonstrated innovative and sustainable business ideas, with potential for scalability and international growth.
Winner: Plantech, Belgium FR
The HSBC Climate Resilience Award recognizes the JA student company that demonstrates innovative efforts to address climate change through innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement but also serves as a catalyst for fostering a generation of climate-conscious leaders committed to creating a more resilient and sustainable future for all.
Winner: 99Robotics, Denmark
The ManpowerGroup Ready for Work Award recognizes JA student companies that have best built work-readiness skills during the competition.
Winner: Whitable, Switzerland
The PMIEF Best Application of Project Management Award recognizes the JA student companies that have learned and demonstrated their ability to apply project management throughout the lifecycle of their project. It recognizes excellence in project management practices including superior planning, organization, innovation, execution and positive impacts on society.
Winner: Blockbaytoys, Germany
The UniCredit “Re-Power Your Future” Award recognizes the JA student company that either developed solutions aspiring to support social mobility of the next generation of youth or to elevate the communities they target through social engagement.
Winner: Devecol, Slovakia
The FedEx Public Choice Award, given based on votes from the public after visiting the virtual expo, went to LET’S GO, Greece.
Signature Awards for Both Competitions
The FedEx Access Award emphasized the importance of global access in an interconnected world. FedEx aims to empower the next generation of Europe’s entrepreneurs to embrace global opportunities and to seek partners and customers beyond the national borders.
JA Company Program winner: Bfore, Portugal
JA Europe Start-up Programme winner: Hulpey, Netherlands
The Alumni Leadership Award, sponsored by Nestle, is given to individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills that have impacted their JA student companies at GEN-E.
High School Winners:
Giulio Pellino, Germany
Julian Zefferer, Austria
Miltos Provatakis, Ilse of Man
Melina Papageorgiou, Cyprus
Nela Dafydd, UK
University Winners
Andrea Milacic, Montenegro
Pawel Piotr Janiszewski, Norway
Caspar Mooij, Netherlands
The Main Awards
JA Europe Innovation of the Year honors the JA student company that best demonstrated groundbreaking innovation through its business.
JA Company Program winner (high school): 99Robotics, Denmark
JA Europe Start-up Programme winner (University): Oculare, Denmark
The JA Europe Start-Up of the Year award recognizes the most viable and sustainable business with an emphasis on the value (financial, social, or cultural) already created in the real market, and its potential to scale further.
First place: LeakTrack.ai, Türkiye
The JA Europe Company of the Year Award recognizes the JA student companies that best demonstrated business acumen and the spirit of entrepreneurship throughout the JA Company Program.
First place: Treberei, Austria
As JA Europe Company of the Year, Treberei will join regional champions FlameGuard from Junior Achievement USA and O’BGE from JA Asia Pacific to compete for the 2025 De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award with three other regional champions (Africa, Americas, and MENA) that will be named later this year.