The JA Expo sales fair in the Harfa Gallery will present products from top student companies

This year, 351 new student companies were created at Czech secondary schools. The best ones will be presented as part of the JA Expo sales fair on Wednesday, April 10, in the Harfa Gallery. Customers can purchase original gifts, natural cosmetics, home snacks or home accessories at “people’s” prices here from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A total of 45 new sales stands will be built in Galeria Harfa. High school students who have been learning entrepreneurship in the JA Student Company educational program since September will offer their products. In addition to popular textiles and decorative items, there will be products made from non-functional LPs or discarded banners, underarm pads with sweat retention properties, several games, wooden diaries with engraved motifs and much more.

“Of the thousands of students who have joined the JA Student Company program, dozens of young businessmen make it to the JA Expo every year. Under the guidance of their teachers, they experienced all the realities of a real business, from the initial idea to the establishment of a company, the division of functions, the creation of a visual identity, promotion, production, business channels and financial management. Students invest their own capital in the company, but it is common for them to donate part of the profits to charity. With an emphasis on manual and sustainable production, the products are of high quality at relatively low prices. But most companies will disappear again at the end of the school year,” described for the organizers of the event Martin Smrždirector of the non-governmental organization for the development of education Junior Achievement (JA Czech).

This year, the 29th year of the JA Expo spring fair is about to take place. And traditionally, for the registered student teams, it will also be a qualification for the national finals of the JA Student Company of the Year 2023/2024 competition. The chairman of the PČR Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, once again took over the patronage of both events.

In addition to the sale itself, student companies will also present themselves on stage in the Harfa Gallery throughout the day, in front of the lay public and an expert jury made up of company managers. The ceremonial announcement of the winners in nine competition categories (of the main ones, let’s name the Best Financial Management, Best Presentation, Best Marketing, Best Exhibitor, JA Alumni Team Spirit Award) will take place from 4 p.m.

The best teams in the individual categories will then compete for the JA Student Company of the Year title in the national final on May 14 in Prague. The absolute winner will represent the Czech Republic in the summer European final of JA GEN-E student companies in Sicily, Italy.

Photo: JA Czech