Student Entrepreneurs Demonstrate the Powerful Impact of Entrepreneurship to Create Jobs, Drive Economic Growth and Improve Society
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
- Over 15,000 students participated in the Start-Up Programme in 16 European countries
- The best 16 projects participated in the Finals, which was hosted by JA Macedonia in Skopje under the patronage of the President of Republic of Macedonia Dr Gjorge Ivanov
- The Intel award winners compete at the Intel® Business Challenge Europe
Skopje ? Intel Corporation today announced the winner of the Intel Innovation Award - team "Teaching Building" from Alfonso X El Sabio University, Madrid, Spain. The Spanish start-up company invented a building system with prefabricated concrete pieces using load-bearing walls as a structural element.
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According to the United Nations (UN), 2.5 billion people, of a total of 7 billion of the Earth's population, do not live in a proper home. We at "Teaching Building" have found a solution to this problem. We provide a service so that our client can obtain low-cost homes as quickly as possible," said Tomás Sánchez Colomer in his pitch to the jury.
The award recognizes visionary JA-YE Start-Up companies who are leading the charge in exploiting information management's latest capabilities in innovative new ways. The winner was chosen among investment proposals of participating student companies and evaluated by criteria spanning from usage of innovations for improvement of efficiency, increasing marketability, cost savings, environmentally friendly approach and improvement of market position.
"Education transformation towards 21st century skills and fostering entrepreneurial behaviour both in schools and at the universities are crucial for reducing youth unemployment rates in Europe and success of our economies," says Michael Dzoga, Intel Corporate Affairs Manager in CEE Region.
The competitors for the Intel Innovation Award were Europe's best 16 student companies who participated in the JA-YE Europe Enterprise Challenge, which was held in Skopje, July 4-7, 2012. The students formed their companies as part of the JA-YE Start-Up Programme at their university or college and received the support of their professors as well as guidance from mentors from the business world. Each group has developed a real product and/or service and they have all successfully dealt with the challenges of setting up and running a business..
The President of Republic of Macedonia Dr Gjorge Ivanov had the opportunity to get to know each of the finalist teams and their projects, showing once again his commitment to the promotion and development of entrepreneurship among our youth today, the future professionals of tomorrow.
"Students trying to enter today's highly competitive labor market need to improve their talent for innovation, as well as their entrepreneurial skills. Programs like Junior Achievement give young people a taste of their own potential and motivate them to pursue their ideas. We are now witnessing the fruits of their success," said the President of Republic of Macedonia Dr Gjorge Ivanov in his opening speech.
"In order to encourage Europe's young people to see entrepreneurship as a great option, we need to do more to provide them with the right tools, trained teachers, expert coaching and inspiration through events like this. Each of these contestants has created real value thanks to this experience and now they have what it takes to continue to do so in the future. That's what all our communities need," said Caroline Jenner, CEO of JA-YE Europe.
Notes to Editors
JA-YE Europe (www.ja-ye.org) is Europe's largest provider of entrepreneurship education programmes, reaching 3.1 million students in 37 countries in 2011. Funded by businesses, institutions, foundations and individuals, JA-YE brings the public and private sectors together to provide young people in primary and secondary schools and early university with high-quality education programmes to teach them about enterprise, entrepreneurship, business and economics in a practical way. The JA-YE Company Programme is recognised by the European Commission Enterprise Directorate General as a ?Best Practice in Entrepreneurship Education'. JA-YE Europe is the European headquarters for JA Worldwide.
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com. To learn more about Intel in education, visit www.intel.com/education and the CSR@Intel blog at blogs.intel.com/csr. To join Intel's community of people sharing their stories with the hope of becoming a catalyst for action and a voice for change in global education, visit www.inspiredbyeducation.com
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