JA Malta Company Programme – Ages 15-17
Use your mind. Take an original idea, own it, and work with other 6th form students to make it real.
no experience required – that’s the whole point
Vol.38
Why should you care
For one academic year, the decisions, deadlines, money, mistakes and wins belong to you.
You and your team will register a mini-company, raise your own share capital, create something worth selling, and take it from the first plan to the final pitch.
Along the way, you’ll work with mentors, meet professionals, take part in workshops and learn how to pitch, budget, market, solve problems and keep going when the original plan falls apart.
By the end, you won’t only have something to add to your CV, but the proof that you can start with nothing but an idea, and make something happen!
One programme. One year. A lot can happen.
“I gained a lot more confidence in myself… My teammates pushed me to do things on my own, and this made me see that I have really good leadership qualities. It even made me consider different career directions.”
Team – String Theory, 2026 cohort
what you’ll actually get to do
Phase 1
All you need is a team and the beginning of an idea. You’ll shape it, name it and build a brand around something that started in your heads.
Phase 2
Then comes the real test: Customers. Pitch your product, answer their questions and watch something you created make its first sale.
Phase 3
Stand behind your idea and speak up for it. Step on stage, pitch to judges and professionals and learn how to speak so people listen.
Your interests don’t have to fit inside a business portfolio just yet.
Bring your creativity, tech skills, sporting mindset, eye for design or obsession with numbers.
Whatever your thing is, it has business here.
Grow your skills and learn new ones!
the year, at a glance
Plenty happens in between. These are some of the dates to circle.
October
Teams form, ideas collide, share capital gets collected. Your mini-company officially exists.
01
December
Launch your product or service, meet your first customers and make your first sales.
02
December
Industry judges ask the questions and show you what is working and what still needs some work.
03
March
Reach a bigger audience, test your sales skills and move your stock.
04
May
Companies compete for signature awards and the title of JA Malta Company of the Year.
05
Previously, in company programme
Products developed, branded and sold by previous student companies.
I learnt how to start a company from scratch, and got better at communicating, speaking to people and stepping out of my comfort zone.
Team – Easy Grip, 2026 cohort
National winners represent the country at GEN-E, Europe’s largest entrepreneurship festival
Take steps towards developing your business into an officially registered one
Add experience in teamwork, leadership, product development sales and public speaking to your CV
What do i need to know?
Eligibility
6th form students
Runs
OCTober – MAY
Team size
3 to 7
Registration
One off €45
Time
Few hours / week
Leverage it
SOK / CAS project
Surely! Most students who join don’t call themselves entrepreneurs.
Teams need designers, organisers, people great with numbers, product makers, and all the tech savviness you can find.
There is a one off registration donation of €45 per student. You or your guardian receive a secure online payment link as part of enrolment.
Your team separately raises its own share capital to fund the mini-company.
Plan for a few hours a week, plus workshops and event dates given to you in advance. The programme is deliberately self led so your team decides when to meet up to work on the business. Support and guidance is offered by JA Malta, the schools’ Link Teacher and the Business Mentor assigned to the team.
Every company must have at least 3 team members so the work and responsibilities can be shared properly. A team of 5 is ideal and aligns with the European competition format, while teams of up to 7 members are accepted. Circumstances may be considered by JA Malta on a case-by-case basis.
At the end of the programme, the National Company of the Year is announced, together with the 2nd and 3rd placed teams. But recognition does not stop with the top 3. Teams can also compete for around 10 Signature Awards, celebrating achievements across areas such as innovation, marketing, sustainability, leadership and financial management.
You will run the company, but you will not be left to figure everything out alone. The JA Malta team will be available throughout the year, and your school’s link teacher will support you within 6th form. Your team will also be matched with a dedicated business mentor during a matching event.
You will have access to the JA Malta portal, where you can find key dates, programme guidelines, cheat sheets, guiding videos and all the materials from workshops delivered by industry experts.
Mind your business – company programme 2026/2027 edition
Maybe they’ll be about you.
Take 2 minutes to reserve your spot!
