The JA Europe Company of the Year Competition is not simply a business competition for young people. We attempt to balance the business achievements of each team as a whole with their members’ individual personal development. Therefore, for a team to win this award, it is not sufficient just to run a financially successful Mini-company or to have created an exciting product or service. Mini-company members must also demonstrate that they understand how and why the Mini-company performed as it did and understand the differences and similarities between their mini-companies and the real companies on their markets.
The Judges will assess how the Companies succeeded in demonstrating the outcomes of the JA Company Programme. They will look for evidence that the mini-companies experienced the whole life cycle of a mini-company during the Programme year and learned from each phase of it as opposed to completing a business planning exercise only or achieving only a research and development stage of their project.
Judges will also look for evidence of innovation and the successful exploitation of new ideas in all aspects of running a Company. They will look for understanding that continuous improvement through innovation is essential to the success of a business.