www.ja-ye.org
2008
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Contents
JA-YE Young Entrepreneurs of the Year - an Entrepreneurial Journey to an Exciting Future......................1 Letter from Mr. Jørgen Clausen, President and CEO of Danfoss A/S.............................................................2 JA-YE Young Entrepreneurs By The Numbers..................................................................................................3 JA-YE Young Entrepreneurs Profiles.................................................................................................................4
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JA-YE Young Entrepreneur of the Year An Entrepreneurial Journey to an Exciting Future
E
urope’s economy is catching up. Entrepreneurs are a driving force of economic prosperity, creating jobs all over Europe. The 37 young entrepreneurs presented in this booklet together contributed to Europe’s economy with 335 created jobs and they generated a revenue of 7,500,000 EUR in 2007. This booklet presents the best young entrepreneurs in Europe who started up their business after having participated in JA-YE programmes.Their entrepreneurial talent encompasses a wide range of activity such as innovative products to foster environmental awareness or to increase safety in traffic, a recruitment agency, a language academy, events organisers, consultancies for public relations and graphic design as well as freelancers dedicated to their artistic and cultural profession. JA-YE Europe launched the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Competition for the first time this year. We were looking for the success stories of young entrepreneurs among our Alumni – where are these young people who
set up their own business after having participated in a JA-YE programme such as the Company Programme in secondary school or the Graduate Programme at university? What influence did their participation in a JA-YE programme have in the decision to set up their own business? How did their business develop since it was set up? It also shows the impact JA-YE has on young students. Some of the young entrepreneurs have been successfully leading their businesses for several years, expanding and employing people. Other young entrepreneurs just started up their business and show a great potential for becoming successful entrepreneurs. Their success stories are featured in this booklet.
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FOREWORD
Jørgen Clausen
CEO, Danfoss
JA-YE Young Entrepreneurs
By The Numbers
Distribution of Industries
Environmental Products and Services 8% Educational Services 5% 3% Consumer Goods and Retail 19% 24% 14% Food Arts, Tourism and Recreation
I
come from a family of entrepreneurs, and Danfoss is still a family-owned business today. It is this heritage which has stemmed my big interest and passion for entrepreneurship education. I feel we have an obligation to educate and inspire young people and give them as many opportunities as possible to see the fantastic world of entrepreneurship. To this end, I am a member of the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences and a board member for Young Enterprise Denmark and Junior Achievement – Young Enterprise Europe. Organizations like JA-YE are making a considerable contribution to increasing the number of people who choose to become entrepreneurs. The young people in this book are outstanding examples of the impact such
educational initiatives can have. I have a dream that entrepreneurship will flourish in Europe so that we can compete with the many new economies and be able to create workplaces and new industries for many years to come. I hope that the young entrepreneurs of the coming years will find the same love and happiness in innovation and the development of new ideas, products and solutions that have made my own life so rich. The world of creation is by far the most rewarding you can possibly embrace – I hope for all of you that this world will also be yours! Nothing beats the feeling you get when you have made a real difference to the world and to other people!
Business Products and Services
Danfoss is headquartered in Denmark and manufactures and sells products and solutions within the cooling and air conditioning industry with a turnover of 2.2 billion Euro in 2007. Danfoss is a global company with more than 22.000 employees and more than 70 factories worldwide that was started by an entrepreneur—Jørgen Clausen’s father—75 years ago in a room on top of the family farmhouse. Ages Oldest: 31 Youngest: 19 Gender Male: 35 Female: 11
27%
Technical Products and Services
Finance Total Revenue: 7,510,000 EUR Highest Revenue: 1,300,000 EUR Lowest Revenue: 1,600 EUR Average Revenue: 258,900 EUR
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Per Kristian Aasen, CEO
Gaula Adventure AS www.gaulaadventure.no NORWAY Norwegian outdoors tours, such as river safaris, paintballing, climbing, airboards, skiing, Nordic snowshoeing etc. Year Founded: 2007 Age: 21 Employees: 2 full time and 7 part time Per Kristian graduated from the JA-YE Company Programme in 2005, and is a member of the Alumni organization. He established his first company, Active Events in 2005. In May 2007 with the help of external investors he started Gaula Adventure AS. Gaula Adventure organises river safaris, paintballing, climbing, airboarding, skiing, Nordic snowshoeing etc. They also offer real-life salmon-safaries with diving equipment in the river Gaula and they developed a culture festival for locals and tourists which welcomed about 3000 guests in 2006. Furthermore, Per Kristian holds seminars and courses in self-development, leadership, teamwork and business.
Profiles
Therese Albrechtson, Managing Director
Albrechtson Holding Ltd., Bodyguard Security Products Ltd., Greyzone Ltd., Iboards Ltd www.theresealbrechtson.se, www.bodyguard.se, www.greyzone.se, www.iboards.se SWEDEN Albrecht Holding is an event company and furthermore incorporates Bodyguard (production of self-defence spray) and Greyzone (fashion web shop). Iboards develops a software for interactive whiteboards. Year founded: 2004 Age: 22 Employees: 6
Therese is the owner of Albrechtson Holding Ltd. which is the parent company of two subsidiaries Bodyguard and Greyzone Ltd and she is also owner of 50% of the company Iboards. Albrechtson Holding Ltd is a consulting firm with speaking events, seminars, investments etc., for example for the Swedish government about achieving more start-ups. Bodyguard was the first company that Therese started after a YE project during the last year in the upper secondary school. Bodyguard paid back the loans of 50,000 Euro after half a year. Bodyguard’s main product is a legal selfdefence spray where the perpetrator will be temporarily blinded for five minutes and have red eyes for one week. All products are produced in Sweden. There are now 3,000 Bodyguard dealers, selling in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Spain and Brazil. Greyzone Ltd design and develop clothes, jewellery and other fashion products. Sales are mostly through a web shop and by home parties around Sweden. Iboards was founded by a former Ericsson employee who developed a software of interactive whiteboards together with two companions. Therese holds 50 % of Iboard’s shares, is the Managing Director and is involved in marketing and sales. All companies have been featured on television and radio in Sweden.
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Tomass Barilo, Managing Director
Working Day www.workingday.lv LATVIA Internet-based recruitment agency, offering professional assessment, testing and interviewing of candidates. Year Founded: 1998 Age: 31 Employees: 30 (plus 50 employees in the temporary work agency who are located at Working Day’s clients) Tomass participated in the JA-YE Company Programme in Ventspils in 1995 when his student company was involved in market research for the banking sector (at the time of the Latvian banking crisis) as well as for copying machines. In 1998 Tomass started up Working Day, a recruitment agency that operates via the internet. On the portal companies can find appropriate employees. Since companies do not have the time to search for employees via the web, Working Day moved towards direct recruitment services. They do a professional assessment of the candidates, testing and interviewing of candidates and maintain an online database where candidate’s CVs are stored. Jobseekers are also sent suitable vacancies via e-mail. Working Day is now the biggest recruitment agency in Riga. Working Day’s website reaches ca. 90,000 visitors per month.
Christina Christensen and Mette Lehmann Nielsen, Directors
Prinsessen & Soldaten.dk www.prinsessenogsoldaten.dk DENMARK Birthday party planner and event company. Year Founded: 2008 Age: 22 and 25 Employees: 2 (Christina and Mette) Christina and Mette both attended the Tietgen Business College in Odense where they participated in the Graduate Programme and founded Princessen & Soldaten. After the JA-YE programme ended, Prinsessen & Soldaten was officially set up in 2008. It is an event company which plans children’s birthday parties. Their vision is to give their customers a healthy alternative regarding the organisation of events. They create a link between decorations (colours, theme etc. ), to ecological and healthy lunch and dessert choices and entertainment. Each party is adapted to the customer’s requirements, from a range of theme parties which are fun for children (pirates, superman, etc.) and include games and animation.
Stefan Collins, Managing Director
Endrone Internet Media www.endrone.com BELGIUM Internet media communication tools and viral marketing (game development). Year Founded: 2004 Age: 25 Employees: 7 full-time employees (including himself) Stefan participated in the Small Business Project in 2004 at the College in Kortrijk from where he graduated in 2004 in multi-media and communication technology. After his graduation he worked as a freelancer and gradually grew his business. Endrone gives advice to their customers regarding communication strategies, website design and online campaigns. This includes concepts for website surfaces, online games for marketing purposes such as quiz questions where a prize can be won; or interactive games like walking through a labyrinth and fulfilling tasks on the way, as well as e-mail campaigns and the creation of micro-websites for specific purposes. Endrone’s mission is to optimise the communication strategy of their customers and to determine a more fun way of communication. Several major Belgian newspapers are among Endrone’s clients.
Iwona Braun, Owner, Managing Director
Eklektika Academy of Business English www.eklektika.pl POLAND Academy for Business English, providing English courses directly in the companies (95 % of the courses), language tests . Year Founded: 2005 Age: 27 Employees: 20 full-time teachers (around 20 hours of teaching per week), 20 part-time teachers and 10 translators (freelancers)
Iwona participated in two programmes from 1998-2000 (JA Economics and Company Programme). In her JA-YE company BEST-IA they produced hats for graduations and Christmas stockings (to hang by the fireplace). They won the national competition for the best product. Iwona graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics in 2004 in Marketing and Management and afterwards founded Ekektika – Academy for Business English in January 2005. They provide English courses for business people (95 % of the classes take place in companies, the rest is taught in Eklektika’s own classrooms). Ekektika also manages a system to evaluate the language knowledge of the participants by language tests to monitor the level and progress of the participants. Eklektika cooperates with schools in England, Wales, Malta and Germany and organises student exchanges. Exchanges of teachers are planned for the future. Further services provided by Eklektika are translations and proofreading in Polish, English and German.
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P.J. (John) Dorst, Interim Manager invention Company (www.gpipdesign.com) and a project lighting company (www.maashagoort.nl) currently studying NIMA-B and MBA-business economics
Dorst Communicatie Groep www.dorstcommunicatie.nl NETHERLANDS Dorst Communicatie Groep is based on three components : innovation, integrity and initiative. It aims to provide organisations with a total solution to increase efficiency in terms of communications. Year Founded: 2008 Age: 19 Employees: 1 (himself) At the age of 15, John started his first company Soluzione marketing & design and helped organisations with communications solutions. He worked for some companies during his studies. In 2007, John started a student company at the Hoornbeeck College with the name Simenzo c.c., with 9 other students; they created a social-awareness company (Stichting Tegen Zinloos Geweld / Open Doors). After this successful experience John started the company E&C Advisors and worked for customers such as a big bank as well as smaller companies by supporting them with efficient communications solutions. At the moment John is studying and building the company to help make organisations more efficient and profitable by replanning their business.
David Garbera, Managing Director
KH Smilers Limited http://www.khsmilers.co.uk UNITED KINGDOM Sale of bedding plants, hanging baskets, garden tubs and table decorations. Year Founded: 2004 Age: 19 Employees: 1 (himself)
David entered the Company Programme in the UK with KH Smilers in 2003 and reached the National Finals of the competition. They grew and sold 2,500 bedding plants and produced hanging baskets and table decorations for both local customers and organisations. Since their business was well known and viable, a decision was made to continue the business as a limited company, alongside studies. Since then, they have built up a large customer base and are producing around 50,000 bedding plants per year and 110 hanging baskets. KH Smilers have found a niche market with their personal service, especially with elderly householders. Their unique selling point is delivery free of charge at a time convenient to the customer. The average price per unit is £3 GBP. Since 2003, they have doubled their turnover annually. They currently own three greenhouses and a 20-foot polytunnel.
Erik Fjellborg, Owner & CEO
Calnet AB www.calnet.se SWEDEN HR software application (QuinTime) for the scheduling of part-time employees via a mutually accessible online programme. Year Founded: 2005 Age: 21 Employees: 6 full-time
Sivan Goldberg, CEO
Cascada Clothing www.cascada-clothing.com SWITZERLAND Sale of individually designed clothing through a shop and online. Year Founded: 2006 Age: 19 Employees: 6 (all students working alongside their studies) Sivan founded a student company while following the Company Programme in 2006 with the name “YES!” and then changed it to Cascada Clothing.
Erik participated in the JA-YE Company Programme in 2004/2005 in a technical high school. When he was a student, Erik worked part-time at McDonalds; there he discovered the difficulties of managing parttime staff schedules. During this time his student company developed a system where employers and employees could log in and book schedules via the internet. Erik set up Calnet in 2005. Calnet develops and markets QuinTime, a web based software application for organisations that rely on the services provided by a casual or part-time work force such as restaurants, fast food chains and the retail industry. The QuinTime community portal provides collaborative work scheduling by store managers and employees. Calnet hosts and maintains the applications. Ca. 1,450 stores currently use QuinTime. Calnet has started to expand into other European countries, namely in the UK and Denmark. Furthermore, Erik is member of the Board of Young Enterprise Sweden.
Cascada clothing is constantly designing and producing new and unique clothes and is based on personal ideas combined with current trends. Each garment is coded and the purchaser can register himself on the web-based “my-cascada community” chatroom and Private-Messaging System (PMSS) enabling direct contact with other members. Currently production covers T-shirts, sweaters, hoodies and business shirts. They plan to expand into caps and accessories in the near future.
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Stephan Graeske, Owner
GRAESKE AUDIOSERVICE www.graeske-audioservice.de GERMANY Professional sound reinforcement, technical and engineering services for events, conferences, meetings and shows. Year Founded: 1997 Age: 28 Employees: Stephan Graeske and about 10 free-lance co-workers Stephan participated in the Junior Germany “Company Programme” in the year 1996. In 1997, Stephan founded his own company Graeske Audioservice which offers technical and engineering services for events such as conferences and shows. His business concept is based partly on his JA-YE company, i.e. the audio-technique, providing appropriate integrated podium-loudspeakers, special-effect lights etc. for events. Stephan gives advice on acoustics planning and how to use multi-media for successful commercial displays. The audio service includes the provision of all equipment, the installation/de-installation and support during the events. Audioservice has become a reputable partner of big companies in Germany for conferences and events. In 2005, after successfully graduating in Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Stephan founded Graeske Engineering as a further specialisation to Graeske Audioservice in terms of media techniques and acoustics. Stephan continuously remained in contact with Junior Germany, supported their competitions and belonged to “JENZ” - the Junior alumni network.
Mads Hemdorff Petersen and Kristian Rye Veedfald, Partners and Members of the Board
Health Equipment Denmark www.he-dk.com DENMARK HED develops and distributes medical devices. Year Founded: 2003 Age: 23 and 24 Employees: 2 (Mads and Kristian) Kristian and Mads followed the Company Programme in Viby, Denmark, in 2002/2003, subsequently founding Health Equipment Denmark. They worked on solving the problem of fixating medical tubes during dialysis treatments. Kristian’s father, Henning Veedfald, who was a dialysis patient for many years, mentioned that many problems were caused simply by the lack of a safe and secure mean of fixation for the tubes. Today HEDclip is currently helping almost every Danish dialysis patient and a great number of patients in Holland and Sweden in their everyday lives. Mads and Kristian have visited all the Danish dialysis wards and sold the HEDclip personally. Today they manage the distribution and service to over 80 percent of the Danish market and an increasing share of the Swedish market. HED plans to start to collaborate with international companies in order to expand the marketplace of HEDclip.
Karoli Hindriks, Owner
GOODMOOD www.goodmood.ee ESTONIA Reflectors and reflecting hats promoting safety in traffic. Year Founded: 2002 Age: 24 Employees: 3 full-time Karoli participated in the JA Economics and Company Programme in 1999/2000. Her JA-YE company developed the idea of soft reflectors for traffic safety and won the national competition. In 2002 she founded Goodmood, selling reflectors and soft reflecting hats mainly to companies who are using them as give-aways for their clients with the company logo on the product. 90 % are sold to companies and ca. 10 % to retailers. The products are targeted at youngsters and all have a funny design. Karoli plans to extend the product range, e.g. by selling pens with company logos on it. The products are currently produced in a factory in Estonia, however cooperation with a plant in China is envisaged. Apart from working with Goodmood, Karoli is the country manager for MTV in Estonia.
Bastian Grubert, CEO
TEC-SAS IT-Service www.tec-sas.de GERMANY Computer retailer with full technical customer service. Year Founded: 2000 Age: 26 Employees: 8 full-time, 4 part-time Bastian participated in the Company Programme in 2000. Directly afterwards he founded his company TEC-SAS IT Service. First he was a “part-time entrepreneur” but then he , gradually grew his business and has 12 employees. TEC-SAS sells computers and related accessories in its store and assists companies and individuals regarding all questions about information technology by providing top-level support. They offer a 24-hour telephone hotline to their customers. Since 2007 his company holds a license to train apprentices. Bastian is furthermore active within the German Alumni network JENZ, as a business volunteer for the Company Programme and was a member of a competition jury. A portrait of Bastian and his company was moreover featured in the book “The Entrepreneur Code” by Rainer Nahrendorf in 2008.
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Bilyana Hristova and Boris Kolev, Managing Partner (Bilyana), General Manager (Boris)
JT International Ltd. www.jtint.org BULGARIA Year Founded: 2007 Age: 19 and 21 Employees: 15 employees in various projects of the company and 9 employees engaged in the main activities
Alexander Kjølstad, CEO
Smart Media www.smart-media.no NORWAY Innovative web-solutions, main product: Content Management System (CMS). Year Founded: 2005 Age: 22 Employees: 5 When Alexander was 17 years old, he started his first company at school with a JA-YE programme. Today his company Smart Media develops a Content Management System (CMS), a system which makes it possible for their customers to update their own webpage through a web-based interface and a WYSIWYG editor (What You See Is What You Get). They are offering standard solutions on the one hand, but can also be a partner in developing new software and adapting it to their customers’ requirements. Alexander was the main initiator establishing JA-YE alumni in North-Trøndelag and is also a member of the board of JA-YE Norway. Furthermore since 2006 he is the leader of Young Initiative, an organisation which support youngsters between the ages of 13-26 and also established a new company in this period, which is called “Team Nord-Trøndelag” .
Bilyana and Boris both separately attended JA Economics, Business Ethics, MESE and Manager for a Day programs. Bilyana later became Marketing Manager and Board Member of JA Bulgaria Alumni Club and became a business volunteer for JA Bulgaria. After attending the JA programs, Boris set up Junior Team (now JT) together with some other students and the company ran for 3 years; after finishing school Boris continued on his own. Bilyana and Boris met at the JA Bulgaria Alumni club and further developed the JT idea together. JT International has 5 branches: JT Inventis is the ‘workshop’ of JT - innovative products or services that are either invented, or developed by the company’s team; the brand that creates ‘ideas for the future’ . JT Design takes care of design solutions that the firm offers to its clients. Starting with web design, passing through graphic design to reach broadcast and illustration services. JT Creative provides to company’s clients various services that can give them a competitive advantage by promoting their brand or event with the most appropriate campaign. JT Communications is a combination of various PR solutions. Corporate clients can entrust to professional advisors not only their external but also internal communications, as well as showing Corporate Social Responsibility. JT Models is a new style of fashion and model agency, now developing the first comprehensive Fashion Academy in Bulgaria.
Kristoffer Kumar, Manager
Kumar-Media www.smart-media.no NORWAY Delivering services of journalism. Production of video, images and text. Year Founded: 2005 Age: 21 Employees: : 1 (himself) After following a student company programme with Young Enterprise Norway at high school, he started his own company. Over the past three years he has been working successfully as a freelancer delivering video productions and text of various genres and sizes. Kumar-Media has been working for everything from the biggest television network in Norway to small independent magazines. The main goal has been to provide creative solutions, and he has been doing promo videos, music videos, short fictional films, action sports documentaries and news for bands, groups, city councils, large companies etc. For the past two years he has also been working through Kumar-Media as chief editor for www.tacky.no, the largest board sports web magazine in Europe. In this position he has been dealing with promotion, internal management, budgets and administration of freelancers.
Eduard and Richard Kacik, Directors
Lightech Ltd www.lightech.sk SLOVAKIA Installation of interior and exterior lighting with quality service Year Founded: 2000 Age: 26 Employees: 8 full-time, 4 part-time
Richard and Eduard participated in the Graduate Programme at high school. Furthermore, they both studied electrical engineering which induced them to set up Lightech. Lightech provides quality service for lighting systems, beginning from the specification of primary requirements, selection of technical needs, design of financially-suitable solutions such as a complete delivery of luminaires, sources of light, facilities and professional installation for example for offices, conference rooms, business centers, factories, tunnels and airports. Architectural illumination and illumination of monuments also belong to their area of activity. They work together with architects, constructors and designers of illuminated space.
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Jacob Lauesen, Managing Director
AdnVance Travel Marketing www.adnvance.com DENMARK IProducts for tourists coming to China, tackling language problems. Year Founded: 2007 Age: 28 Employees: Jacob plus freelancers for website development and translations
Camilla Ljunggren, Owner
Pluring www.pluringdesign.com SWEDEN Hooks for hanging up items that do not have loops Year Founded: 2001 Age: 21 Employees: 1 Camilla participated in the Company Programme in Stockholm in 2000/2001. There her company already developed the Pluring concept. Camilla then started up her own business Pluring in 2001. Pluring is a hook that is used to hang up things that do not have loops e.g. towels; the towel is pushed into the Pluring, is fixed and can be dragged out later on. Now Pluring disposes of its own machines to produce 4 different sorts of Plurings; in addition to the standard Pluring, a larger Pluring to hang up jackets, a more luxurious model in golden design and a Pluring with hooks on two sides to hang up dish cloths and a pot brush. They also produce other plastic products and produce prototypes for other companies (e.g. boxes to put bananas in). Furthermore, Camilla founded Bumblebee, an advisory service for corporate development and executives. An expansion into advisory services in the field of social entrepreneurship is being prepared at the moment. Apart from being the owner of Pluring and Bumblebee, Camilla is the managing director of SIFE in Sweden. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Jacob participated in the Graduate Programme at the University in Arhus. He is a student of Marketing and Economics and is doing an internship in his own company in Shanghai at the moment (since January 2008). Jacob is still working with the same product which is a tool for tourists in China to tackle language problems. In China many people do not speak English such as taxi drivers; and menus in restaurants are often only available in Chinese. Jacob’s product is a cardboard wheel that is equipped with standard phrases that are useful for tourists, related to accommodation, food, transportation; by turning the wheel the tourist will get the Chinese translation which he can then show to the taxi driver, waiter etc. The product is offered free to the tourists, financed by sponsors who are featured on the wheel. Jacob has established contacts with foreign companies in Shanghai who are interested in working with him and is now developing the distribution strategy. He is going to hotels in order to offer his product to them so that they can give them to their guests. He plans to extend his activity to Beijing soon. Jacob’s aim is to promote marketing as a tool that will benefit both the companies and the customer. Advertising is often perceived as an annoyance by the people; Jacob therefore developed a product that is very useful for the customers. Jacob’s aim is to show that marketing can have a positive impact on people’s lives. Jacob plans to increase his range of products and already has several ideas.
Marius Juhl Klausen, Roy Lambrecht Lemminger and Søren Aamand, Marius (R&D Manager), Roy (QA Manager), Søren (Director of Sales & Marketing)
Sentiv ApS www.sentiv.dk DENMARK Sentiv has developed an idea for a perfume patch that offers perfume allergy sufferers the opportunity to wear perfume without skin irritation... Year Founded: 2006 Age: 19 resp. 20 Employees: cooperation of six people (incl. themselves)
Roel Moonen, General Manager
Artisjok www.artisjok.net NETHERLANDS Biologically degradable interior design objects made out of corn granules. Year Founded: 2006 Age: 22 Employees: 8 part-time (all students) Artisjok consists of 8 students who, from the beginning, committed themselves to the Cradle to Cradle philosophy. Every member of staff has the core task of design and visual communication and above this, a specific team task which results in a special approach as a “designer collective” They participated in the Graduate Programme at the Academy of Fine Arts in Maastricht, Netherlands, . and continued to run the company afterwards. Artisjok beliefs that everything can be designed to be a Cradle to Cradle product , using a line of biologically degradable interior design objects made out of corn granules. The material used is a compostable plastic called PLA which is a polymerised form of lactic acid that originates from maize. Waste from the PLA production industry is collected and recycled into a useable granulate material.
Marius, Roy and Soren are studying at the Vejle Technical College, Denmark, where they participated in the JA-YE company programme. There they developed their idea of a perfume patch and won a technical fair competition and participated in the national Trade Fair and in the Danish championship of the Young Enterprise Company Programme. Sentiv’s business idea is based on the conviction that in a world where smelling good is taken as a sign of personal hygiene, the inability to wear perfume can be a serious embarrassment. The perfume patch is also suitable for people who need to take a precautionary approach to wearing perfume. Sentiv has applied for a patent. They aim to produce the patch and to introduce it onto the market and to bring the company to a stage of selling the perfume patch to a global company under a license agreement.
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Camilla Mussland, Owner/Manager
NOVIANTI AS www.novianti.no NORWAY Unique women’s quality accessories. Year Founded: 2007 Age: 28 Employees: 1 + 1 assistant In 2006 Camilla participated in the Graduate Programme of JA-YE Norway and was chosen to become a student at the RHABPILOT AS. Entrepreneurship in rehabilitation builds on “Young Entrepreneurship” concept of student business at the Akershus Academy. With a successful businessman for a father, Camilla wanted to follow in his footsteps, and founded NOVIANTI - an accessories store. Camilla imports products from China to Norway – bags, jewellery, belts and other accessories; high quality products at a reasonable price. Camilla aims to offer her customers something extraordinary and unique with only one or two samples of each product that cannot be obtained elsewhere. Customers can purchase a bag, for example, and be assured that they will not see anyone else with the same bag anywhere in Europe.
Anders Riedel Thoegersen, Morten Timm Cramer and Christoffer Munck, Partners
2proceed.com ApS www.2proceed.com DENMARK E-commerce platform with an internet software for electronic subscription shopping. Year Founded: 2003 Age: 29-31 Employees: 3 full-time and 10 part time employees Anders, Christoffer and Morten started a JA-YE company in 1996 together. They planned, produced, marketed and sold a clip for holding socks together during wash, making them easy to find afterwards. They won the national competition in Denmark and the European competition in Israel. The company was continued until the beginning of 2008, when Anders, Christoffer and Morten set up 2proceed.com with offices in Copenhagen and Shanghai which will start its operations at the end of 2008. It introduces a non-traditional way of doing business online via a subscription model in collaboration with various Internet channels, thus giving the consumer an easier way to shop for staple goods online. Products include - among many others - clothing, dental hygiene, health and beauty products, all delivered directly to the customer’s front door. Only one product is displayed per site, making it easier to identify for online search engines and giving the consumer a more dedicated service while still connecting all the users in a single back-end platform for a lean customer management as well as stock management, marketing and logistics.All online shops are available in 10 different languages and they are aiming for 1.1 billion potential users online.
Gerjan Neele, Jo-Ex
Jo-Ex www.jo-ex.nl / www.stopdewaterverspilling.nl NETHERLANDS Energy-saving products. Year Founded: 2007 Age: 19 Employees: 3 part-time In 2006 Gerjan founded a College company with 10 other students. They were one of the two Best Companies of the Year. Jo-Ex’ product is a plastic ring which is put inside the water tap so that it restricts the flow of outcoming water in order to reduce water consumption. 50 % can be saved like this. The device functions independently from the water pressure and allows an outflow of 6.7 liters per minute. PromoVisique. Promovisique is an all-round promotion company that works with specific partners like text writers, website developers etc. The company has grown from € 80.000 total net sale in 2004 to € 460.000 in 2007 and further increases are expected. Furthermore, Arjan is a member of Young Business Talents (JA-YE Netherlands Alumni association).
Arjan Roosenburg, Manager Design
www.promovisique.nl www.promovisique.nl NETHERLANDS Corporate design & promotion (corporate identity, websites, brochures, flyers) and marketing advice. Year Founded: 2002 Age: 27 Employees: 3 full-time In the year 2001/2002 Arjan started a college company with 12 students within the Company Programme. In the year 2002 Arjan started the design company
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Sten Saar, CEO; Member of Board
Realister OÜ www.realister.ee / www.formulanotebook.com ESTONIA Realister OÜ produces and develops new and innovating study means and e-study materials. Furthermore, the company creates media channels for young people aged 7-25. Realister operates in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. Their slogan is “Learning is Cool” . Year Founded: 2004 Age: 22 Employees: 4 full-time employees, 12 part-time Employees in Estonia; 2 full-time employees, 4 part-time Employees in Latvia; 1 full-time employee, 4 part-time Employees in Lithuania; 1 full-time in Finland
Morton Støbakk, Sales Consultant
Fisk og Skalldyrsspesialisten Røa Fisk A/S (fish and seafood specialist Røa Fish AS) NORWAY Sale of fish and other seafood. Year Founded: 2007 Age: 22 Employees: 3 full time and 2 part time Morton participated in the Graduate Programme Gladlaksen Graduate Company in 2004 and won the JA-YE European finals in 2004. In 2007, he started his own company with two partners, trading in seafood. They see a big potential and market for quality seafood and plan to expand their company with self-production, catering and cooking courses.
Sten started attending the Youth Business School in 1999 and founded a student company called 4Sons in 2004. 4Sons’ produced notebooks with formulas and won the 2nd prize in the Estonian Best Student Company Competition in 2004. After the Company Programme was finished, Sten founded Realister OÜ (still in 2004), continuing with his idea to produce notebooks with formulas printed on the inside cover. The notebooks all have a young and fashionable design. Realister’s business model is to make products for youngsters by young people and aims to make learning fun, entertaining and enjoyable. Realister OÜ has spread to other countries and now exists in Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, too. The company won the title „Tallinn’s Young Entrepreneur 2007” in 2008 because of innovative ideas and rapid growth. Sten is furthermore involved as a business volunteer for JA Estonia as well as in the Alumni network. In 2006, Sten organised the conference „From pupils to entrepreneurs” which received a good response from youngsters and has in the meantime grown into a bigger event all over Estonia.
Edda Stubbrud, Owner
FRIG www.frig.no NORWAY Production of tailor-made beanies. Year Founded: 2003 Age: 22 Employees: Herself + 2 part-time Edda participated in the JA-YE Norway one-week summerschool in 2004 in Gudbrandsdalen where Edda’s mother is also involved in Young Enterprise as a teacher. Edda gained a lot of entrepreneurial know-how also from her mother. Edda founded FRIG in 2003 and is since then has been producing beanies that are tailor-made for the customers according to the customer’s needs and liking. Edda sells the beanies via the internet. During the winter, Edda lives in Brazil where she works as a surf-instructor on the one hand and where she also sells the beanies to the surf company where they are given as a welcome present to the surfers.
Pieter Snelder, Sales Director
Via3 marketing & media www.via3.nl NETHERLANDS Consultancy agency for marketing projects; development of new marketing concepts and marketing communication projects. Year Founded: 2007 Age: 22 Employees: 3 full-time Pieter set up a student company at the Dutch “HAN university (Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen)” in 2004. After a year working in the student company, Pieter turned it into a real business together with a companion. They started with corporate gifts, but then turned it into a consultancy agency for all kinds of technical business projects. After graduation from business school in 2007 on marketing and entrepreneurship, Pieter realised that being offered several projects, it was possible to keep continuing his own business Via3 marketing and media on a full time basis and was mainly focusing on marketing. In 2007 Pieter met his current business partner, who was running a marketing communication and PR company. They decided to integrate their companies into a new business, which provides a complete service for all kind of marketing activities. At the moment they are the marketing partner for several national and multinational industrial companies, based in the Netherlands with the aim to expand.
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JA-YE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
JA-YE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
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Ignas Vaitkunskas, Co-Owner/ Business Development Director
AdCopy www.adcopy.lt LITHUANIA/ LATVIA Providing copying machines for students in universities which are free of charge due to sponsorship (advertisement of sponsors is printed on the back side of the copy). Year Founded: 2007 (September) Age: 22 Employees: 3 full-time, 3 part-time Ignas participated in the JA-YE Company Programme in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2003. He was providing universities with copiers that could be used by the students after creating a user account (a system that was still underdeveloped at that time). Ignas is now a student of the “Stockholm School of Economics in Riga” Latvia. He founded AdCopy together with , 3 other students. AdCopy provides copiers that are free of charge to use for students. They first started in 14 universities in Latvia (covering 60 % of all Latvian students) and since January 2008 in 20 universities in Lithuania (covering 70 % of the Lithuanian students). An expansion into Estonia is being launched soon. AdCopy finances its activity through sponsors who place their advertisement on the back side of the copy paper. Apart from local companies such as banks and mobile operators, AdCopy also works with international companies like Ernst & Young and Procter & Gamble. AdCopy organises the printing of the paper and the distribution to the copying machines in the universities.
Maikel van Heugten and Luc Prijt, Owners
Relation3 www.relation3.nl, www.money-tree.nl NETHERLANDS Plants as unique business gifts. Year Founded: 2006 Age: 19 and 22 Employees: Maikel and Luc (along their studies) Money Tree was founded in Sept 2006 as a student company as part of their Small Business & Retail Management studies. They developed and produced a new product after extensive research. They won both the title “Best Student Company of the Netherlands” as well as Best Student Company of Europe” . As the student company had to be liquidated after one year, they continued the business under the new name Relation3, expanding the gift range and selling through the website. See www.money-tree.nl/portfolio They run this company alongside their studies and are still involved with JA-YE, acting as mentors for new student companies developing their businesses.
Alice van Kralingen, Director
Comma Design www.commadesign.nl NETHERLANDS Advertising company specialized in corporate look-and-feel (logo’s/stationary/ websites), sales promotion and advertising. Year Founded: 2006 Age: 21 Employees: 1 part-time (Alice) Alice founded Comma Design while following the company programme in the Netherlands. At the moment Comma Design is run by Alice van Kralingen alone. Besides her study of Commercial Economics she is an enthusiastic net worker, capable of finding customers and suppliers as well as motivating the illustrators and web designers. Comma Design is an advertising company for recently established companies. Companies must be able to deliver the right message, to the right people, in the right place, at the right time. They deliver expertise in communication and art to help client’s brands and businesses grow, by supplying them with a logo, a website and stationary. Furthermore, Alice helps JA-YE Netherlands with presentations and photo- shoots for young entrepreneurs.
Iris van Heesch, Owner
Rolin’Art www.rolinart.nl NETHERLANDS Creative Photography. Year Founded: 2005 Age: 23 Employees: Iris plus some freelancers Iris participated in the College Company Programme of JA-YE in the Netherlands in 2004-2005. During the programme Iris realised that she enjoys running a company and decided to set up her own business in 2005. She designed roller beauty bags. Iris, who holds a diploma in graphic design, decided to direct her business towards photography and graphic design in September 2006. Working with several freelancers, Rolin’Arts’ vision is to meet the particular customer needs with a targeted style of photography. Besides running her business, Iris is currently studying philosophy at university and attending a photography academy.
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JA-YE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
JA-YE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
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Bart van Zele, Managing Director
VIA FUTURA www.viafutura.be BELGIUM VIA FUTURA is a company specialized in the development of websites, interactive applications and web consultancy. VIA FUTURA is also the designer of the concept and brand HALITO!®, a tool to create your own event websites. Year Founded: 2003 Age: 31 Employees: 4 full-time (incl. Bart) Bart participated in the Small Enterprises Programme at the Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in Antwerp, 1994-1995. With a Masters degree in Management, Bart started his own company, VIA FUTURA bvba, in 2003. His ambition was to start a business that could grow. VIA FUTURA is a internet consultancy that provides customers with tailor-made websites and develops online marketing and communication strategies for its clients. This includes the hosting and design of the websites as well as e-mail campaigns. They also offer an online helpdesk. In past years Bart has been a member of the jury for JA-YE Belgium and serves as a business volunteer in classrooms.
Daan Philippe Vos, Founder and Board member, responsible for Sales and Marketing
Play 4 Life, the gift that gives www.play4life.nl NETHERLANDS Marketing of golf balls with multiple logos (e.g. logo of the client’s company and logo of a charity organisation) Year Founded: 2007 Age: 26 Employees: 3 part-time (incl. Daan) Daan currently studies “Small Business & Retail Management” an education for future entrepreneurs and has , participated in the JA-YE programme. His company Play 4 Life arranges to print the client’s company logo together with the logo of a charity of its choice on a golf ball. By using this company “giveaway” the company is associated with a good cause and the gift , demonstrates its involvement with raising money for charity to their clients, relations and employees. Each golf ball ‘represents’ a fixed amount which will be donated to the chosen cause. They have an exclusive agreement with a foreign manufacturer who can technically manage multiple high-quality colour printing on a golf ball. At present they are planning to extend their concept to other products that fit their clients’ needs.
David Verbustel, CEO - founder
iStockCV www.istockcv.com BELGIUM iStockCV is a social recruiting website that aims to help young graduates and companies find each other. Year Founded: 2008 Age: 25 Employees: 3 full-time (incl. David) David started iStockCV to help SMEs to have easy access to talented graduates from any university and for potential candidates to find accurate information on any local or foreign companies. It comprises an innovative social recruiting website for young graduates and aims to be the first provider of “yuppies’” CVs. The web application provides a full range of social and user-friendly features from the latest web2.0 technology. iStockCV charges companies a monthly fee and offers it free for candidates. All business transactions take place via the website. The website will be launched in May 2008. David studied business management. Whilst in management school, he co-founded a non-profit organisation to promote entrepreneurship. Moreover, David was a member of the jury for a business plan competition Start Academy for Young Entrepreneurs.
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JA-YE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
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