JA Europe

In 11th grade, Kristians Lancmanis co-founded a Junior Achievement student company that placed second in the European finals. More than a decade later, that business, Lancman Bags, is still running.

Today, Kristiāns is Founder and CEO of Adsmom, a tech startup backed by 500 Global. The path wasn't linear: he left a full-time job to pursue the idea, weathered a difficult early stage, then secured angel and institutional funding. Adsmom is now growing more than 50% month-over-month and closing its next financing round.

Kristiāns says JA showed him the beauty of being an entrepreneur, and opened one of the most meaningful chapters of his life. He's part of the 2026 FERD's List cohort, honoured at Gen-E 2026.

Like Kristiāns in 11th grade, what's a small idea you could start on today? Tell us in the comments.

Explore the full cohort: https://jaeurope.org/learning-experiences/portfolio/ferds-list/

Junior Achievement Latvia

Area 2 has been live on JA Compass for nearly a week — and we want to hear from you.

Three episodes in the storyline cover some of the most practical entrepreneurship lessons a young person can learn: what it means to legally exist as a business, how to choose the right structure, and how to protect your ideas from copycats.

Have you or your learners played through them? We're actively collecting qualitative feedback: short impressions, usability insights, anything that helps us understand how the content lands.

And if you're just starting out, Area 1 is still fully available. Both Areas are free to play. 🌿

🌱 Play and share your experience, visit jacompass.com

📢 We're hiring: New Business Development Senior Associate
Are you energised by opening doors, building a strong pipeline, and turning conversations into partnerships that create real impact for young people across Europe?

JA Europe is looking for a proactive, mission-driven New Business Development Senior Associate to join our Development Team. You'll help identify new funding opportunities, build prospect lists, craft compelling proposals, and contribute to sales and fundraising for Gen-E, Europe's largest entrepreneurship festival, all while helping us grow the resources that prepare young people for employment, entrepreneurship, and financial success.

📍 Location: Europe (remote)
🕐 Availability: Immediate
📅 Deadline to apply: August 20

Ready to help us open doors for young people across Europe? Find out more and apply here: https://jaeurope.org/vacancies/business-development-senior-associate/

Submit your CV/Resume to [email protected]

🍎🎶 What if coding lessons included music, movement and even fruit?

That's exactly what students at Primary School "Ratko Pavlović Ćićko" in Serbia explored during EU Code Week.

From creating the Tutti Frutti Band with micro devices, fruit and their own voices to discovering how algorithms exist all around us, students learned that coding is about much more than computers. It's about creativity, collaboration and solving real-world challenges together.

It's inspiring to see young people building digital skills while learning through curiosity, experimentation and fun.

📖 Read the full story: https://codeweek.eu/blog/how-coding-comes-to-life-through-music-and-movement/

🏆The August Monthly Challenge has begun!

Every month is a new opportunity to put your entrepreneurial mindset to the test with JA Compass.

If you're between 15 and 19 years old, register, complete the game, and aim for the top of the leaderboard.
The Top 3 players at the end of the challenge will each receive a prize.

Whether you're joining for the first time or coming back for another round, now's the perfect moment to play, learn, and compete.

🌱 Start your journey for free: jacompass.com

Area 2 is live on JA Compass today. 🎉

The new storyline — is now available for free on the platform. Three episodes, three real entrepreneurial crises:

Episode 4 — The Paper-Thin Catwalk: going viral without a legal identity.
Episode 5 — The Safety Net: choosing a business structure under a 48-hour deadline.
Episode 6 — The Copycat Crisis: defending your design with copyright, trademark, and authentic storytelling.

Whether you're a first-time player or coming back from Area 1, now is the perfect moment to jump in. is still live and waiting!

JA Compass is free, gamified, and built for young people aged 15–19 — developed under the EU-funded Game4Change project.

🌱 Play both Areas now: jacompass.com

The JA Compass Game Competition has ended — and we have our winners! 🏆

Congratulations to the top 3 players on the leaderboard: Sandro, Stefania, and Stef! Your prize is on its way.

A big thank you to everyone who played, registered, and competed. The enthusiasm around the platform has been incredible to see.

JA Compass remains free and open: Area 1 — — is live for anyone who wants to start or continue their entrepreneurial learning journey.

And there's more to come. Stay tuned. 👀

🌱 Keep playing: jacompass.com

🚀 The Space Station Innovation Challenge 2026 has launched.

200 students. 11 schools across Flanders. 5 STEM challenges. One Moon base to design, build, and pitch live in Brussels this November to a jury of Boeing engineers and members of the European Parliament.

JA Europe, Boeing, and Vlaamse Jonge Ondernemingen vzw (Vlajo) are bringing together young people from across Belgium to tackle five of the hardest engineering problems in space exploration: transport, energy, radiation and pressure, communication, and water and nutrition.

These students will 3D-print their solutions and defend every design decision in front of experts in November.

As JA Europe CEO Salvatore Nigro put it: "These students are working on problems that real space agencies are still solving, and they are doing it in the classroom, in teams, with the rigour and creativity that will define their generation's contribution to Europe."

Read the full story at the link below. Follow along as the mission unfolds. 👇

🔗 https://jaeurope.org/ja-europe-boeing-and-vlajo-launch-the-space-station-innovation-challenge-2026-200-belgian-students-to-design-and-build-a-space-station/

💙 Innovation starts with understanding people's needs.

At JA Europe, we're inspired by young people who use their skills to create solutions that make a real difference. One great example is FlexiSOS, an assistive device developed by students from Vukovar Gymnasium.

Designed to help older adults and people with disabilities communicate more easily, FlexiSOS uses large buttons, Braille labels and LTE connectivity to send both everyday and emergency messages—making technology more accessible when it matters most.

Projects like this show how digital skills, creativity and empathy can come together to build a more inclusive future.

📖 Read the full story behind this inspiring EU Code Week project: https://codeweek.eu/blog/coding-for-accessibility-flexisos/