Cyprus’ young people excelling at ‘doing business’

Young people in Cyprus are excelling at “doing business”, Junior Achievement said, noting that over 300 students participated in the recent 10th trade fair of the student enterprise programme.

There, young entrepreneurs represented 53 student companies from 29 schools, who presented and shared their innovative products and services with the public.

The design of the JA programmes aligns with the general objective of the education ministry “which is to equip students with all the necessary knowledge and skills that will make them competent and competitive citizens and professionals in the wider European area, ready to face social and economic challenges,” director of Secondary Education at the ministry Dr Louis Kyprianou said.

Congratulating the students for their “smart, useful and green ideas”, Environment Commissioner Maria Panayiotou said “with you, this country can and will move forward”.

An expert jury visited the companies’ trade stands and evaluated their business ideas.

A ‘Best Commercial Pavilion’ award was presented to the team with the best looking stand.

The prize was awarded to the Golden Grains teams from Olympion Lyceum with students Maria Patsali, Ioanna Demetriou, Ioanna Antoniou and Panayiota Agapiou and teacher Maria Efthiotiou.

Golden Grains has found a way to reuse old coffee beans turning them into a delightful scrub that will rejuvenate your skin by exfoliating and cleansing it of impurities.

The second team was Treenergy from the private Forum School with Haris Hatzithomas, Marita Hatzithomas, Nicolas Louka, George Hatzithomas and teacher Stella Ioannou. Their product is a ‘tree’ equipped with multi-directional solar panels that provide no-cost energy for solar-powered phone charging points.

The ten highest scoring businesses that will present their business ideas live at the final phase of the Business of the Year 2023 Competition on April 28 at the Royal Hall Nicosia are Chroma (GC School of Careers), Freshies (GC School of Careers), Green & Glad (Lefkara lyceum), Husk Musk (Foley’s School), Mountivescape (Mitsis – Lemithos Commercial School), Repillo (IMS Private School), Sight Hopping (Lanitio lyceum), Smellow (Ayios Georgios lyceum Lakatamia) and Swirls (Kykkos B lyceum).