Junior Achievement (JA) Malta celebrates young innovators at its annual Finals and Awards Night, with winning teams set to represent Malta at Gen-E in Riga, Latvia.
Two student teams will travel to Riga, Latvia to represent Malta at Gen-E, Europe’s largest entrepreneurship festival for young people, following their victories at the JA Malta’s annual Finals and Awards Night held at Teatru Salesjan on 16 May 2026.
Xuga from Verdala International School took top honours in the Company Programme category, while KinetiHear claimed the StartUp Programme title. Both teams were evaluated by an independent panel of industry professionals and business leaders. At Gen-E, they will compete alongside student teams from across Europe and showcase Maltese entrepreneurial talent on an international stage.
The event brought together students, educators, business leaders, and partners to recognise the achievements of young people who developed and presented innovative business concepts throughout the academic year. Teams addressed real-world challenges through sustainable, technology-driven, and socially conscious ideas.
“Seeing students take an idea from concept to a fully pitched business — with a real product, a real team, and real judges — is exactly what JA Malta exists to create. This year’s cohort showed remarkable depth of thinking and resilience. We congratulate all participants and look forward to seeing our winners represent Malta at Gen-E.”
— Matthew Caruana, CEO, JA Malta
JA Malta has been delivering experiential learning programmes to Maltese youth since 1989, covering entrepreneurship, financial literacy, work readiness, and employability for students aged 7 to 30. The organisation is part of JA Worldwide, ranked among the four most impactful NGOs globally.
Company Programme Awards
- Deloitte Business Plan Award – Xuga
- HSBC Malta Foundation Green Entrepreneurship Award – BloomStick
- Farsons Ready for Work Award – Xuga
- EFQ Management Consultants Quality Excellence Award – Klarita
- Malta Digital Innovation Authority Use of Tech Award – UnDecided
- Atlas Insurance Digital Marketing Innovation Award – Klarita
- FinanceMalta Financial Statements Award – EasyGrip
- CPHCL Corporate Social Responsibility Award – Xuga
- Project Green Marketplace Green Practices Award – STEMstarz
- Hili Ventures Marketplace Award – Xuga
- Bolt Internationalisation Award – Klarita
StartUp Programme Awards
- HSBC Malta Foundation ESG Sustainability Award – EnergiSync
- Camilleri Preziosi Advocates Customer Focus Award – SpotMe
- mt Digital Innovation Award – KinetiHear
- Bolt Disruptive Excellence Award – IkelLink
- EY Market Appraisal Award – MKE
Special Awards
John Harper Award – Educator Nicola Schembri, Verdala International School, awarded for her outstanding contribution to entrepreneurship and financial literacy education.
Philip Bonnet Award for Perseverance – Luke Schembri, Junior College.
MBR Entrepreneurial Spirit Award: Connor Rounce, Emma June Grech, Juliana Davies Zamora, Ludovica Esposito, Samuel Tesi, Zack Tonna, Curtis Pullicino, Jasmine Azzopardi, Lorenzo Labichella.
