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A Regional Showcase of Youth Enterprise Signals the Future of Work

In classrooms, community halls and coworking spaces across the Asia Pacific, something unexpected is taking hold. Teenagers and young adults are no longer just learning about business in textbooks. They are building companies, pitching to real judges and refining products and services they have developed from scratch. This is the reality of the Junior Achievement (JA) Company Program, a flagship experiential entrepreneurship education initiative.

The Company Program is not a simulation. For more than a century, JA has helped students conceive, launch and operate real student-led companies under the guidance of volunteers from the local business community. Over 12 weeks to as long as eight months, participants identify opportunities, form teams, articulate value propositions, manage finances, and market their offerings, all while building competencies employers value most: creativity, collaboration, financial literacy and work readiness.

This intensive, hands-on journey has tangible results. At the end of each cycle, teams compete in national or local-level Company of the Year competitions. Winners earn the right to represent their countries at multi-national and regional finals. The apex of this cycle in the Asia Pacific region is the JA Company of the Year Competition organized by JA Asia Pacific, the Regional Operating Centre of JA Worldwide. At this annual event, impressive young teams from multiple markets present comprehensive company reports, deliver business pitches, respond to judge interviews, and operate trade-fair booths in a marketplace-style environment. Judges evaluate not only financial performance but also personal development, strategic thinking and innovation.

Recent regional activity illustrates the energy built from this flagship JA learning experience. On February 4, 2026, more than 600 JA Company Program students from eight markets across the region participated in the “World of Opportunity Virtual Networking Session”, hosted by JA Hong Kong. The atmosphere was described as energetic and disarmingly candid. Students exchanged business strategies, compared market realities and spoke openly about the challenges of leading peer-run enterprises.


JA Hong Kong Alumni facilitated discussions at the JA Company Program virtual networking session recently held
JA Hong Kong Alumni facilitated discussions at the JA Company Program virtual networking session recently held

The virtual networking event launched in 2024 by JA Hong Kong attracted more than 1,100 student entrepreneurs from China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have convened virtually to share ideas and forge international connections. The objective is straightforward yet powerful. Provide a platform where students can connect beyond their home markets. Encourage them to build friendships across cultures. Expose them to different business environments and consumer behaviors. Inspire them by the creativity and entrepreneurial mindset of peers from other economies. In a region defined by diversity and rapid growth, the ability to collaborate across borders may prove as valuable as any financial metric.

JA Pakistan Company of the Year Competition winners, from Aitchison College, showcasing their business through interactive exhibition booths, presenting their products, services, and brand stories to judges and visitors
JA Pakistan Company of the Year Competition winners, from Aitchison College, showcasing their business through interactive exhibition booths, presenting their products, services, and brand stories to judges and visitors

The momentum extends beyond established markets. In Pakistan, JA Pakistan recently hosted its first ever Company of the Year Competition on January 17, 2026, at Rashid Latif Khan University. This milestone marks an important step for JA as it builds capacity in a nation with one of the world’s largest youth populations. Young teams set up booths, presented business pitches refined over months, and received awards for innovation and business excellence. Speakers highlighted how experiential learning like JA programs prepares youth to thrive in an economy that increasingly values adaptability and entrepreneurial thinking.

Watch JA Pakistan Company of the Year Competition 2026 recap here:



For corporations seeking measurable impact, the JA Company Program and its regional showcase offer a compelling entry point. Engagement can take multiple forms: mentoring student teams, providing expert judges for competitions, sponsoring program delivery, or backing regional finals and networking forums. Partners not only elevate their corporate citizenship profile but also help close the global skills gap by equipping youth with the capabilities employers demand now and in the future.

This year’s JA Company of the Year Competition organized by JA Asia Pacific, will be held in Seoul, hosted by JA Korea from March 9 to March 12, 2026. The event promises to be a celebration of young innovators poised to lead in the new economy.

Corporate leaders interested in tapping into this pipeline of talent and innovation are encouraged to connect with their local JA Member to explore how the JA Company Program can advance national youth employability and entrepreneurship priorities.


 
 
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