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Junior Achievement Cyprus Launches 2026–2027 Company Programme For Student Entrepreneurs

Overview

Junior Achievement Cyprus has launched its Company Programme for the 2026–2027 academic year, giving students the opportunity to design, launch and run their own real-world companies from the ground up.

The programme challenges student teams to develop a business idea, build a working company structure, manage a budget and bring a real product or service to market within a single academic year. Participants take on roles such as Managing Director, Finance Director and Marketing Director, gaining hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, teamwork and financial literacy.

Benefits

Throughout the year, participants will receive mentorship from local business professionals, who will guide them through the competition. The programme is designed to build essential skills in leadership, financial management and innovation, while giving students a taste of running a business.

Last year’s programme brought together 91 student companies from 51 schools across Cyprus. Cyprus’s national winning team, HerShield, went on to place third in the JA Europe Company of the Year competition. Junior Achievement Cyprus says this year’s aim is to extend the opportunity to even more schools and young people.

Who Can Participate

The programme is aimed at students who will work in teams to create and operate their own companies during the academic year. An introductory online session for secondary teachers will take place on 29 September.

Partners

The Company Programme is supported by PwC Cyprus and the Youth Board of Cyprus as strategic partners. Its partners are XM and Coffee Island, while supporters include the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Amdocs, Coca-Cola HBC Cyprus and the Research and Innovation Foundation. The institutional partner is the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth.

How To Register

Registrations are available through the Junior Achievement Cyprus website. For more information, interested participants can contact Programme Coordinator Marios Kakouris at marios.kakouris@jacyprus.org or info@jacyprus.org, or call 99 203701.

About Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement is one of the world’s largest organisations dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship. Through experiential programmes in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, work readiness and active citizenship, JA helps young people build the skills and confidence to shape their futures. Operating in more than 100 countries, JA connects education with the world of work through collaboration with schools, educators, volunteers and businesses.

The League Opens Free Cyprus Basecamp For Young People To Build Agentic AI Systems

Overview

The League is opening applications for its first Agentic AI Basecamp, a free, in-person programme in Cyprus for participants aged 16 and over. The Basecamp offers 15 seats, and its eight-Saturday sprint will run at Space307 from 3rd October to 21st November 2026, every Saturday from 09:00 to 12:00. Applications open on 10 September and close on 25 September 2026.

The programme is the entry point into The League, a year-round educational ecosystem designed to bridge the gap between school and professional life. It is built around real company projects, expert mentorship, and continuous evidence-building, with participants joining independent programmes one at a time.

The wider Agentic AI Basecamp entry point is listed as running from October to December 2026 and includes the first Saturday sprint, eight Saturdays, plus a December Hackathon.

What Makes It Different

The League is neither a school, nor a university, nor a one-off camp. Its model is based on the idea that young people need proof of how they work, specifically how they break down unclear tasks, take ownership, collaborate, recover from setbacks, and deliver visible results.

The programme responds to a gap seen on both sides of the talent pipeline. Companies often struggle to identify young talent that can execute, collaborate, and take ownership, while teenagers are often pushed to choose a career direction without real exposure to industries, constraints, teams, or feedback.

What Participants Will Build

The Agentic AI Basecamp is an eight-Saturday sprint focused on building one real system from scratch. Sessions take place at Space307, described by the organisers as a working technology company environment rather than a classroom.

The first two weeks will cover what today’s AI can and cannot do, Python, and the use of git and GitHub in a real team context. Weeks three and four focus on building an agent loop, including an AI system that takes real actions and the use of a third-party AI API.

In weeks five and six, participants will develop their own agentic system around a real problem of their choice, wrap it in their own API, and work with Linux and real servers. The final two weeks cover Docker and deployment, including health checks, logs, testing against an evaluation set, and a final Demo Day.

Benefits

By the end of the Basecamp, every participant is expected to leave with a working agentic AI system they designed, built, and published online. They will also have a development record showing how the project evolved and what they personally contributed.

Participants will also complete an independent technical defence at Demo Day, receive written feedback from a professional mentor and join The League alumni community. Together, these outcomes are intended to give participants evidence they can show to a university or first employer.

The wider aim is not only technical output, but professional development. The programme is designed to build independence, ownership, teamwork, communication, resilience, judgement and career direction through real experience.

Who Can Apply

The Basecamp is open to people aged 16+. There are 15 seats available, and the first Basecamp starts on 3rd October 2026.

The programme is especially relevant for teenagers and young people who want early exposure to real technology work, AI systems, team-based problem-solving and professional mentorship before choosing or committing to a future study or career path.

How Selection Works

Applicants must complete an application form. The process also includes a short interview, described as a conversation rather than an exam. Fifteen offers will then be made for the first Basecamp.

The Wider League Ecosystem

The Agentic AI Basecamp is the first programme currently open for applications, but The League is designed as a wider year-round ecosystem. Planned programmes include an MIT MISTI Bootcamp in January 2027, a GameDev & Interactive Tech Sprint from late January to March 2027, a JASS Bootcamp at the end of March 2027, a Software & Product Sprint from April to June 2027, and a Talent Showcase in June 2027.

Each programme has its own application, interview, age range, and calendar. Completing the Basecamp brings participants into The League, but does not automatically secure a place in later programmes such as MIT MISTI or JASS.

How To Apply

Applications for the Agentic AI Basecamp open on 10 September and close on 25 September 2026. The programme is free, offers 15 seats, and will take place at Space307 in Cyprus.

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