10 high school students from Hidalgo, in the municipality of Tepeapulco, Mexico, created waterproofing products made from prickly pear (nopal) juice.
They did it thinking about the consequences of the rainy season—specifically, water leaks and humidity in homes that affected people in the region who lacked the resources to manage the problem.
NOPALIFE was named the best company in the region in 2022, standing out not only for the economic results of their project, but also for the community impact their product generated.
What have we learned? A lot: teamwork, decision-making, problem-solving, and the development and execution of business plans.
Team Nopalife
A group of students from a secondary school in a small agricultural town in the interior of Buenos Aires province created MANIK, a company dedicated to producing healthy alfajores made with rice cookies, peanut butter, and a chocolate coating.
They sold 3,000 alfajores with very high net profitability. To reduce their environmental impact, they implemented paper-saving measures, recycling practices, and energy efficiency goals.
In 2024, they were chosen as the Regional Company of the Year.
The media coverage was so significant that they were contacted by Argentina’s most famous alfajor company and invited to visit their production plants and meet the executives.
Junior Achievement marked a turning point in our lives. It showed us our true potential and inspired us to believe in ourselves.
Team Manik
After participating and winning an award in the JA Company Program in 2019, a group of students from Porto Alegre, Brazil, earned first place in the JA Brazil Startup Competition.
They developed Menteor, an online platform to connect mentors with mentees, and decided to keep growing the business and start seeking funding.
They were so persuasive that João Kepler, a well-known investor, invested in the company.
Today, the group carries their entrepreneurial spirit into new ventures and businesses.
We overcame obstacles, celebrated victories, pivoted, made sales, and met incredible people who left a mark on our journey. Everything we learned continues to inspire new entrepreneurs. Grateful to Junior Achievement and everyone who supported us.
Team Menteor
A team of 34 young people from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, stood out in the national competition and made it to Montevideo to showcase ACHEI at the regional competition.
They launched a location tag paired with an app that helps quickly track everyday items via Bluetooth.
They became the Best Company in 2024 and will compete in March against the top companies from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States.
The most important thing is to believe. Brazil has many mini-companies. But we made it back to the top and were recognized as the best mini-company in the Americas. We are incredibly proud.
Team ACHEI
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