JA Company of the Year
Competition
About
The three - day competition is JA Asia Pacific’s annual celebration of the achievements of JA Company Program students in the region. JA Asia Pacific, the Regional Operating Center of JA Worldwide, organizes the competition in the region, supported by the JA host country. The host country and venue rotate each year.
The competition is not simply a business competition for young people. The goal is to balance the business achievements of each company as a whole with the personal development of each individual member.
For a company to win this award, it is not sufficient to simply run a financially successful JA company or to have created an exciting product or service. JA company members must also demonstrate that they understand how and why the company performed as it did.
Judges look for innovation and new ideas in all aspects of running the company. They also look for teams to demonstrate a deep understanding of the importance of ongoing innovation.
Judging
There are four stages to the competition:
01
Company report
The company report is an opportunity to summarize the company’s business operations and reports. It is an important record of what was learned and achieved.
02
Business presentation
The business presentation should summarise the key experiences and achievements of the company. Try to bring to life and include the accomplishments and challenges of your business’ endeavor for the audience. What you have learned from your mistakes and subsequent solutions is as important as your achievements.
03
Interview with judges
This is a very important aspect of the competition because the judges can ask any question about the company. Judges likely will prove company members on their understanding of how and why the company performed as it did, the general lessons they gained from the experience and how these lessons might be applied in a new business context.
04
Trade fair
The booth should display the company’s product and/or demonstration of service. This is your company’s direct encounter with the members of the judging panel in a marketplace environment. Keep this in mind when preparing for this stage of the competition.
Eligibility
Only JA members may register student companies for consideration. JA Companies are to register through their local JA member.
JA Companies must have been active in the local JA Company Program during the current or preceding school year.
The local JA Company Program should be a Secondary / High School program, and not a Graduate / University program.
Students representing their companies in the competition must be at least 15 years old and no more than 19 years old as of December 31st in the year of the Asia Pacific JA COY competition.
The maximum number of participants per company is four.
2025 Asia Pacific Finals
COY 2025
In conjunction with JA Japan’s 30th year anniversary, the JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year (COY) Competition will be held in-person from 10th-14th March 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. The 15th edition of this JA COY Competition brings together 12 JA Members from the Asia Pacific region, represented by 21 Student Companies.
Past events
List of winners from past years
COY 2024
The 14th edition of the 2024 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year (COY) Competition will be held in-person from 11th-15th March 2024 in Kuala Lumpur. Hosted by JA Malaysia, this event is supported by the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF). A total of 12 markets in the region will be represented by 21 Student Companies at this event.
COY 2023
After the long pandemic travel restriction, the 13th JA Company of the Year (COY) 2023 Asia Pacific Finals was held once again in-person and the reception was warm and welcoming. Graciously hosted by The Global Education & Leadership Foundation (tGELF)/JA India and supported by Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF), the event was held from May 29 - June 2, 2023. Seven Asia Pacific locations were represented by their student companies. Products and services were showcased by teams from India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
COY 2022
2022 marks the 12th edition of the Company of the Year Competition in the Asia Pacific region. JA Indonesia and JA Asia Pacific had successfully organized the Competition with the participation of 10 JA members, namely China, Guam, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. The 2022 COYC was held virtually from November 8th - 10th, 2022. In total, 60 students formed 16 exciting companies that competed at the regional level.
COY 2021
The 11th edition of COY was successfully held from November 8th - 9th by our member JA Philippines. COY 2021 involves 11 countries across Asia Pacific: China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand with 18 JA teams competing.
The inaugural 2020 JA AP COY virtual competition
The 10th edition of JA AP COY was held successfully online from August 24–26, 2020.
More than 70 young entrepreneurs from around the Asia Pacific region gathered virtually to compete for the title of JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year 2020.
In addition to the title, the 1st place JA AP COY winning team will get to compete with winning teams from other regions for the inaugural De La Vega Entrepreneurship Award.
Please click on the button below to view highlights from the event!
2019 JA AP COY Special Feature
The 2019 JA AP COY marked the centennial celebration of JA and the JA Company Program. Coincidentally, the 2019 JA Asia Pacific COY event host - JA Philippines was also celebrating a milestone - JA Philippines’ 50th anniversary!
Held in Manila, Philippines from 10-14 March 2019, 20 student companies from 13 Asia Pacific locations took part. Teams from Australia, Brunei, China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand showcased their products and services at this annual event.
Click here https://www.facebook.com/jaasiapacific/posts/1148168082040217 to view photos of the 20 teams representing 13 Asia Pacific locations.
