A student-run company from Quito wins the world’s top youth entrepreneurship award

Sacky JA, a company created by students from ISM Quito in collaboration with Junior Achievement Ecuador, was named global champion of the De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award 2026, the competition that recognizes the best Junior Achievement student companies worldwide.

The Ecuadorian team competed against regional champions from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, standing out for its innovation, sustainability focus, and ability to turn an idea into a real solution.

This marks the first time in history that a company from Junior Achievement Americas has received this global recognition, setting a milestone for Ecuador and the entire region.

The student company developed reusable lunch bags made from recycled plastic bottles, illustrated with Ecuadorian wildlife to promote healthy habits and environmental awareness among children and families.

The project combines design, sustainability, and environmental education, and was fully created by the students as part of Junior Achievement’s Company Program, one of the most recognized youth entrepreneurship experiences in the world.

“Many believe that because we are young, we lack experience. But what we have is initiative, creativity, and above all, hope. At Sacky, we proved that age does not define impact. When passion meets sustainability, impact becomes real and measurable. Junior Achievement is not just a school project: it is inspiration and hope for us… and for the world,” the Sacky JA team shared during the global final.

The De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award annually recognizes the top student companies created within the Junior Achievement network worldwide.

Teams reach this stage after competing in local, national, and regional rounds of the Company Program, which last year crowned Sacky in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, among entrepreneurial teams from across the region.

The award is named after Ralph de la Vega, former CEO of AT&T Mobility and one of the most influential business leaders in the United States, recognized for his support of entrepreneurship education.

In addition to global recognition, the winning team receives USD 15,000 in prizes and international educational opportunities.

For Junior Achievement Ecuador, this recognition reflects the talent of the country’s youth and the impact of providing opportunities to learn by doing. “This achievement demonstrates something we see every day in classrooms: when young people are given tools, confidence, and space to create, they can develop extraordinary solutions. Sacky JA represents the talent, creativity, and commitment of a new generation of Ecuadorian entrepreneurs,” said Luis Salazar, Executive Director of Junior Achievement Ecuador.

The project was developed within the Company Program, an educational experience where high school students create and manage real businesses with the support of teachers and business volunteers.

Throughout the program, students develop a business idea, design a product, produce, sell, manage finances, and present their company to judges.

The initiative is part of Junior Achievement’s global mission, an organization with more than 100 years of experience preparing young people for the workforce, entrepreneurship, and the digital economy.

“Stories like Sacky JA show the enormous potential young people have when they are given the opportunity to create, experiment, and lead. It’s not just about building entrepreneurs, but about shaping young people who can transform their communities,” said Noël Zemborain, President of Junior Achievement Americas.

Sacky JA’s victory places Ecuador at the center of the global youth entrepreneurship ecosystem and reinforces the impact of entrepreneurial education in shaping the next generation of innovators.

From Quito, a group of students proved that ideas born in the classroom can reach the global stage.

And they left a clear message: when young people are given the opportunity to create and lead, they don’t wait for the world to change. They start changing it.