Junior Achievement of Albania held a series of informative sessions this week across four cities: Lezhë, Tirana, Korçë, and Berat, aiming to introduce young people to the opportunities entrepreneurship and innovation can offer. The activities were organized within the framework of the Skill Alb program, focusing on raising students’ awareness of the importance of digital, professional, and entrepreneurial skills in today’s evolving labor market. Through Skill Alb, participants gain practical skills that help connect education with employment and adapt to the demands of a rapidly changing job market.
During the sessions, JA representatives presented how young people can transform a simple idea into a structured and sustainable project, highlighting the role of creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Students actively participated in discussions and expressed strong interest in understanding the process of developing a business idea and the opportunities available to further advance their concepts.
Junior UP 5.0 - guiding young innovators from idea to growth
At the heart of the info sessions was the introduction of Junior UP 5.0, the incubation program designed to support young people in building their startups. The program was presented as a complete entrepreneurial journey, guiding participants through the ideation phase, the development of a minimum viable product (MVP), and the creation of a sustainable growth strategy.
Junior UP 5.0 offers young entrepreneurs:
Training and mentoring from field experts
Financial support of up to 10,000 UUR for high-potential startups
International exposure, including participation in the GEN-E 2025 European Entrepreneurship Festival
Ongoing support in structuring their business plan and further strengthening their project
Participants were introduced to all key stages of the program, from the application process to the Selection Bootcamp and finally Demo Day, where startups present their ideas to professionals and supporting partners.
The presentation highlighted concrete evidence of the program’s impact over the years. To date, Junior UP has:
financially supported 13 startups,
included 36 teams in the incubation process,
received 106 applications from young innovators across Albania,
provided 124,000 USD in entrepreneurship grants.
Collectively, participating startups have generated over 700,000 euros in revenue, marking a significant annual growth of 48%. These achievements reaffirm JA’s vital role in fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and encouraging young people to build initiatives with long-term impact.
Participating schools in the info tour
In Lezhë, on December 9, students from “Shën Jozefi Punëtor” School in Rrëshen, “Ndre Mjeda” School in Bushat, and “Kolin Gjoka” School in Lezhë took part in discussions on entrepreneurship and the opportunities offered through Junior UP 5.0.
The second day of the tour, on December 10 in Tirana, welcomed students from the “Charles Telford Erikson” Professional School in Golem, the Professional Training Center No. 1, and the Professional Training Center No. 4 as well as students of the Canadian Institute of Technology (CIT), who showed great enthusiasm for JA programs and for learning how to develop sustainable business ideas.
On December 11, in Korçë, the tour continued with the participation of the Technical Professional School and the Services Professional School. Students there had the opportunity to learn more closely about the incubation process and the support Junior UP offers throughout the development of a startup.
The final stop, on December 12 in Berat, included students from the “Murialdo Social” Center in Fier, as well as “Kristo Isak” School and “Stiliano Bandilli” School in Berat. Young participants engaged with particular interest in discussions on entrepreneurship and the opportunities presented by the Startup Competition 2026.
Junior Achievement of Albania remains committed to supporting young people across the country, helping them develop the skills, ideas, and initiatives that can turn into inspiring success stories.