Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 (GEW 2025) brought a dynamic, energetic, and inspiring atmosphere for young people across Albania, and Junior Achievement of Albania was at the heart of it with a rich lineup of activities across Tirana and several other cities. The week opened at the Pyramid of Tirana, where JA Albania officially launched the Junior UP 5.0 incubation program, emphasizing that any young person aged 18–29 with a business idea can find guidance, mentorship, financial education, and support to turn that idea into a real venture. In parallel, the JA Albania team carried out an outreach tour across universities, with stops at Aleksandër Xhuvani University (Elbasan), POLIS University, and Tirana Business University, where students learned about the application process, program structure, and the chance to access grants of up to USD 10,000, while openly discussing the early challenges of entrepreneurship and the importance of a supportive startup community.
Financial education also stood out as one of the key pillars of the week, through three Finance Camps held in Elbasan, Vlora, and Lezha. A total of 123 students from 13 schools took part in budgeting simulations, financial decision-making exercises, and discussions about how today’s choices shape their future opportunities. In Elbasan, the camp included a mentoring session from the startup Switch Technologies, while in Vlora, students worked in mixed teams taking on the roles of planners, decision-makers, and problem-solvers. In Lezha, the focus shifted toward building responsible financial behavior and setting clear personal and professional goals.
The entrepreneurial spirit of GEW 2025 was further strengthened through two editions of Innovation Day at the Pyramid, where students from “Ali Demi” and “Osman Myderizi” schools explored the innovation ecosystem inside the Pyramid, including TUMO Tirana, Plug and Play, École 42, and the JA Albania spaces. These visits naturally evolved into conversations about future skills, curiosity, and the courage to experiment with new ideas. At the same time, career exploration took center stage during two Career Days organized in Rrëshen and at “Avni Rustemi” school in Tirana, gathering around 150 students who interacted directly with professionals from different industries and reflected on their personal interests and aspirations.
Another highlight of the week was JA Albania’s media appearance on Radio Wave, where the discussion focused on the impact of JA programs on entrepreneurship education in Albania, the role of Junior UP 5.0, and the organization’s broader mission of empowering youth. The message was clear: JA Albania stands beside young people every day, helping them develop the skills and confidence needed for the modern world of work and entrepreneurship.
To close the week, JA Albania also highlighted new features introduced by LookUp, the startup awarded in Junior UP 3.0, which continues to grow and evolve thanks to the ongoing collaboration with the JA community and the opportunities generated by the program.
GEW 2025 concluded with JA Albania participating as a partner in the FEUT Startup Idea Competition at the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana, where young innovators pitched their ideas and received valuable feedback from professionals and ecosystem leaders.
JA Albania remains committed to providing every young person in Albania with a space where ideas are heard, nurtured, and transformed into success stories not only during GEW, but every day of the year.