Junior Achievement of Albania was represented by the country's young entrepreneurs at GEN-E 2026, Europe's largest entrepreneurship festival, held this year in Riga, Latvia. Albania's national champion, Biocel, a student company from Qemal Stafa High School, competed among the continent's top young ventures with its innovative solution for biodegradable plastic bags.
After an intense few days on the European stage, Biocel earned a nomination for one of GEN-E's Signature Awards and went on to win the Public Choice Award, given to the company that receives the most votes from audiences across Europe.
The win is a proud moment for JA Albania and a powerful reminder of what Albanian youth are capable of when given the tools to think boldly and build real solutions. From a classroom in Tirana to a stage in Riga, Biocel's journey shows that a good idea, and the courage to pursue it, can travel further than anyone expects.