The De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award recognizes outstanding young entrepreneurs within the JA network and raises the profile of the JA Company Program.  Each winning team from the regional Company of the Year competitions (Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, MENA, United States) is automatically entered for the award. Each team then submits a video and executive summary, which will be used to choose the winner of the 2025 De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award. Your submission is due February 28, 2025, and should be submitted through the form, below.

Video requirements:

  • Up to five minutes long (but no longer).

  • Strong preference for submission in English; if that is not possible, subtitles are mandatory. 

  • Use the video to creatively tell your company’s story and make your team stand out. Specifically, tell us how you worked together.

  • Tell the story of your team and what kind of adversity you faced. What did you overcome . . . and how? Did the adversity affect your product or business? How did you pivot? How are you (as individuals) and the company different, based on the challenges you faced?

We purposefully set only a few limits on what the video “should” look like. We hope this encourages your team to tell its story in a way that reflects your journey.

Executive summary requirements:

In addition to the video, submit an executive summary (ideally, one page, but it can be up to two sides of a page) that includes:

  • A brief version of your team’s business plan

  • Your marketing goals

  • The challenges you faced

  • The successes you achieved

  • A financial report

Judging criteria:

Members from the JA Worldwide Global Board of Governors, JA Global Council, and global business leaders will select the winning team. They will use this criteria, which should guide your team as you create the video and executive summary.

Prize details:

We’re please to announce the following prize details:

  • Cash prizes:

    • $15,000 to be split among the winning team (usually 5 to 10 team members)

    • $5,000 for the winning JA member, JA subnational, or JA local area

    • $5,000 for the winning JA region

  • Announcement of winning team:

    • The winning team will be announced LIVE at the award ceremony on March 11, 2025 at 9:00amEST. The link to the livestream will be shared closer to the date.

Questions?

Email Sarah Rapp, Director Youth Advocacy & People.

Submit your information: