JA Asia Pacific 2022 Company of the Year Brings Together JA Students from Around the Region

November 8, 2022

Today, JA Asia Pacific kicked off its annual celebration of young entrepreneurs in the region with the 2022 Company of the Year competition. Hosted by JA Indonesia (Prestasi Junior Indonesia or PJI), this year’s virtual competition brings together 16 JA student companies from eight JA locations across the region.

Meet the Student Companies

China – Cheng Yi Lu Company offers courses on animation and interactive games for students with the goal of making China’s intangible cultural heritage more accessible. Through a series of innovative activities, young people can explore this heritage and immerse themselves in learning.

Guam – Fouha Crafts honors one of Guam’s most enduring legends, Fouha Rock, the “cradle of creation.” Emphasizing the importance of respecting and preserving the island nation’s natural resources, Fouha Crafts capture the natural beauty found around Guam through the products it sells.

Guam – The Movement Guam sells Key Change, an on-the-go sanitizing product that helps people adjust to the new normal of this post-COVID world without forgetting the importance of personal hygiene and sanitation.

Hong Kong SAR–China – Passioneiter promotes mental health awareness and strives to create a culture of gratitude among teenagers by enabling users to express their feelings and escape from negativity through a gratitude journal. The journal’s sections include a diary, gratitude trackers, thinking traps, and guiding questions.

Hong Kong SAR–China – Vixere advocates for habitat and species conservation through wearable items that tell a story of creating effective change for the planet. These stylish and affordable fashion items for teenagers also serve as a means of self-expression.

India – Tyron Pvt. Ltd. created and sells footwear that uses upcycled waste from discarded rubber tires for the sole. Tyron partnered with shoemakers to help execute the product vision and compensate local cobblers who build the shoes.

India – Banalala Ltd.’s founders noticed considerable waste generated from banana production and wanted to do something about it. The solution? Tote bags made from banana fiber.

Indonesia – Qreate SC aims to improve quality education by providing students with engaging learning tools focusing on science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM).

Indonesia – MICO SC is design and printing services that translates a child’s original artwork onto a printed puzzle and t-shirt for parents and loved ones.

Japan – Emiry—a combination of two words, "hohoEMI" which means smile in Japanese, and "memory" in English—aims to evoke happiness and good memories through the products it sells: handcrafted housewares and fashion items made from recycled and discarded clothing.

Malaysia – Prochance Enterprise provides authentic, traditional Malaysian products to the world, including a batik tote bag.

Singapore – Green Domino supports children’s learning journeys about the environment and sustainability through a board game that promotes green innovation, ecological awareness, and social inclusiveness.

Singapore – ReadCycle raises awareness about the environmental consequences of irresponsible paper use through handmade bookmarks that feature 20 different designs.

Thailand – Aruna advocates for mental health and gender equality through its functional jewelry, which serve as tools for sensory stimulation in times of high stress. The unisex design and use of a male model aims to break stereotypes about gender and fashion in society.

Thailand – KEEP Co.Ltd developed a simple, elegant, and efficient folder to make life more organized and convenient. Available in four neutral colors, the folders are made of vegan leather.

Vietnam – BLEVN COMPANY provides dental health care products for Vietnamese youth called TX Green Nano mouthwash. The product quickly and easily cleans teeth, while also reducing the problems associated with dental and oral diseases.

Day 1

The first day of the competition kicked off with an opening ceremony, featuring remarks from JA Asia Pacific CEO Maziar Sabet; Ashley Dalton Forsyth, Educational Director of the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF); Siddharta Moersjid, Chairman of the PJI National Board; and Nadiem Anwar Makarim, Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.

While the opening ceremony was public, the rest of the day was exclusively for students.

After the opening, students participated in a conversation with JA alumni Eliana Illy (JA Germany alumna), Aya Yousseff (INJAZ Lebanon alumna), and Rizky Wijayanti (PJI alumnus) moderated by JA Asia Pacific Alumni President Samantha Vun. Next, they networked in a meet-and-greet session with the other JA student companies, followed by a mentoring with Melvin Goo, CEO of DJE Indonesia.

Get more information about the activities, the student companies, and the competition in the virtual brochure from JA Asia Pacific and PJI.

Day 2

On the second day of the competition, students participated in the Youngpreneur Talk, a two-part lecture about project management. The first session, led by PJI’s Program Manager Utami Anita Herwati, focused on those who are new to project management, while the second session, led by Kruthika Mehar from Cushman and Wakefield, India, and entrepreneur, social influencer, and journalist Rory Asyari, was all about mastering project management. Both sessions were open to the public and live-streamed, but if you weren’t able to watch them live, you can still watch the recording.

Day 3

Students spent the morning of the third and final day with the judges for the final pitches and interviews. During these sessions, judges selected winners for the three signature awards and the top three Company of the Year awards, which were given during the awards ceremony later that afternoon.