JA Social Innovation Challenge - USA

Highlights

• Students will gain many valuable experiences:
• Engage with innovation, business, and entrepreneurship experts
• Professional development seminars
• Entrepreneurship Expo on Capitol Hill
• JA Social Innovation Challenge team presentation and interview with judges’ panel
• National recognition of finalists and winners
• Exposure to a national network of teen entrepreneurs

Awards and Prizes

JA student startups compete for national honors, prizes, and college scholarships.

The top three teams will be recognized and receive awards.

 

Competition Timeline

• April 22-May 3 Submissions Accepted
• May 10 Finalists Announced
• May 17 Finalists Complete Event Registration
• June 9-13 JA National Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C.

 

How It Works

The Summit is Junior Achievement’s opportunity to celebrate the achievements of students from across the United States. This pinnacle event brings the top 15 JA Company Program teams and the top 10 JA Social Innovation Challenge teams to Washington, D.C. for three days of high impact JA experiences. Students will demonstrate their business acumen, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking in a competitive environment—showcasing their companies to Members of Congress and business leaders. In addition to the competition, students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops led by national experts in innovation, entrepreneurship, and business.

JA student companies appear before a panel of independent judges who measure the company’s performance against competition criteria and each other.

 

Eligibility and Submission Process

• All submissions must be received no later than Friday, May 3, 2024
• Competitors must have participated in JA Be Entrepreneurial or JA Entrepreneurial Mindset or JA Company Program during the 2023-2024 school year.
• Only JA Area staff may register student companies for consideration. JA Companies wishing to be considered must provide their local JA Area with their JA Social Innovation Challenge deck and commercial/video.
• If selected as a finalist, a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 students are allowed to represent their team at the JA National Student Leadership Summit.
• For complete competition requirements and criteria, view the 2024 Competition Guidelines and Criteria: JA Social Innovation Challenge.

Questions?
Please contact Meg Chapman at meg.chapman@ja.org.

 

 

Submit for Social Innovation Challenge

JA Entrepreneurial Mindset

For more information about the JA Entrepreneurial Mindset program, visit the JA Entrepreneurial Mindset program page.

JA Be Entrepreneurial (Creative Problem Solving)

For more information about the JA Be Entrepreneurial (Creative Problem Solving) program, visit the JA Be Entrepreneurial (Creative Problem Solving) program page.

JA Be Entrepreneurial (Rapid Business Planning)

For more information about the JA Be Entrepreneurial (Rapid Business Planning) program, visit the JA Be Entrepreneurial (Rapid Business Planning) program page.

JA Be Entrepreneurial (Think Like an Entrepreneur)

For more information about the JA Be Entrepreneurial (Think Like an Entrepreneur) program, visit the JA Be Entrepreneurial (Think Like an Entrepreneur) program page.

JA Company Program

For more information about the JA Company Program program, visit the JA Company Program program page.

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