Mini-enterprise finalists 2025; Credit: JEL

Sixteen mini-businesses participated in the national finals 2025 of the "Mini-Businesses" programme organised by the Jonk Entrepreneuren Luxembourg non-profit organisation; they presented their projects at Kinepolis Kirchberg on Thursday 22 May 2025, following a total of 117 teams from 29 high schools which had registered for the programme at the beginning of the school year.

The national mini-enterprise finals began with a public sale at the Kirchberg Shopping Centre.

Starting at 10:00, the sixteen finalist teams offered their products and services to shoppers. The young entrepreneurs were able to attract the attention of passers-by and generate enthusiasm for their innovative creations. The jury took this opportunity to visit each stand, assessing not only the quality of the offerings, but also the teams' sales skills, communication and ability to convince a real audience. In the afternoon, starting at 15:00, more than 200 people gathered at Kinepolis Kirchberg to attend the official presentations of the mini-enterprises. Each team shared their entrepreneurial journey, their learnings and the challenges they overcame throughout their adventure. The event, energetically hosted by Loïc Juchem, was opened by inspiring speeches from Patrick Wies, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Sven Baltes, Director of Jonk Entrepreneuren Luxembourg, emphasising the importance of initiative and innovation among young people.

In a video message to the young participants of the "Mini-Entreprises" programme, Lex Delles, Luxembourg's Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, praised the motivation, perseverance and commitment of the young people. He expressed his enthusiasm for the strong participation of secondary schools in this initiative each year and emphasised the importance of cultivating entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation among young people: "A programme like Mini-Entreprise raises awareness among young people about entrepreneurship and encourages them to seek new, innovative ideas." He concluded his message by reaffirming the Ministry of the Economy's commitment to all those who wish, one day, to realize their entrepreneurial dream and start a business. The winners of the "Best Mini-Company 2025" award will have the honour of representing Luxembourg at the European GEN-E competition, which will take place in Athens in Greecein early July. As part of the competition, the mini-companies were evaluated by a jury composed of professionals from the labour market and representatives from the education sector.

During the awards ceremony at Hitch, Minister Georges Mischo announced the winner of the Social Entrepreneurship Award, sponsored by the Ministry of Labour. In addition, Minister Martine Hansen had the honour of presenting the two awards sponsored by the Consumer Protection Department. 

Signature Awards: Several teams from Luxembourg secondary schools were recognised for their creativity, community engagement and entrepreneurial spirit. 

Social Entrepreneurship Award: VolunTeens – Lycée Michel-Rodange Luxembourg (Award presented by the Ministry of Labour)

Consumer Protection Award: LeftLovers – Lycée Aline Mayrisch Luxembourg (Award presented by the Department of Consumer Protection)

Responsible Consumption Award: Sorbäh – Maacher Lycée Grevenmacher (Award presented by the Department of Consumer Protection)

Financial Management Award: Feel It – Lycée Classique de Diekirch (Award presented by Investas)

Business Plan Award: Feel It – Lycée Classique de Diekirch (Award presented by ArcelorMittal)

Marketing Strategy and Campaign Award: Rescue-Rush – Lycée des Arts et Métiers (Award presented by Cactus)

Innovation and Value Creation Award: Elegantly Safe – School of Business and Management (Award presented by the Federation of Young Business Leaders of Luxembourg)

Public Choice Award: Sorbäh – Maacher Lycée Grevenmacher (Prize awarded by Post)

The podium

1st prize for "Best Mini-Company 2025" was awarded by Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (BIL) to Feel It from the Lycée Classique de Diekirch.

2nd prize was awarded by the Chamber of Commerce to Elegantly Safe from the School of Business and Management.

3rd prize was awarded by the Chamber of Trades to LeftLovers from the Lycée Aline Mayrisch.

Feel It was voted Best Mini-Company of the Year.

The Winners

"Feel It": a mini-enterprise composed of three students from the Lycée Classique de Diekirch. With this victory, the team will proudly represent Luxembourg at the prestigious Gen-E competition, which will be held in Athens, Greece, from 1 to 3 July 2025. Feel It has designed a truly inclusive board game, born from the personal experience of Noémie, a team member who is blind. The concept is based on a strong objective: to enable blind and sighted people to play together as equals. Much more than just a game, Feel It is a true sensory and social experience. It consists of tactile wooden letters, relief cards, an hourglass accompanied by a digital version adapted for visually impaired people, as well as bags made from recycled jeans. The result: a fun, accessible, sustainable and locally produced game that combines inclusion with innovation. The Feel It team is composed of Noémie Caravalho Pereira, Chloé Vegers and Max Kirsch. Professor Pitt Schneider and mentor Clémentine Offner supported the team throughout the year. 

"Elegantly Safe": the team is from the School of Business and Management. This mini-enterprise developed an elegant bracelet made of stainless steel, gold-plated or silver-plated, incorporating a discreet compartment for concealing drug detection strips. These strips allow one to quickly and easily test a drink for the presence of hazardous substances. Combining aesthetics and functionality, this innovative piece of jewellery aims to enhance personal safety, especially during nights out. It is aimed specifically at women aged 16 to 35 who frequent bars and clubs, offering them a discreet but effective tool to prevent the risks associated with spiked drinks.
The mini-enterprise is composed of Alicia Hamadou, Eléonore Pereira, Félicie Hanon, and Luisa Jazzar. The students were accompanied in their adventure by teachers Jana Morbach and Jean-Claude Miller.

"LeftLovers": the team is from the Aline Mayrisch High School. Made up of five committed young people, the team has a strong mission: to fight food waste while reducing social inequality in Luxembourg. Their solution? An innovative online platform that allows local retailers to offer their unsold, still perfectly edible goods at a discounted price in the form of "surprise bags." Consumers can order in just a few clicks, pick up their bag in-store, and discover new products while making a tangible contribution to the environment – ​​and to their wallets. This win-win model benefits everyone: Retailers get value from their unsold products, customers save money while expanding their consumption habits, and the planet breathes a little easier thanks to a reduction in food waste. The team members are Liam Bahbout, Elie Bertrand, Benjamin Biesdorf, Gabriele Madullo, and Raphaël Wilwertz. Their teacher, Sandra Thibeau, supported the team throughout the school year. 

Three Leadership Awards

On the occasion of this 24th edition, the Jonk Entrepreneuren Luxembourg Alumni committee highlighted the commitment of young leaders

Throughout the event, committee members conducted interviews with the leaders of the finalist mini-enterprises to better understand their vision, background and leadership style. At the end of this process, the Leadership Award was presented to three students who particularly distinguished themselves through their ability to motivate their team, manage challenges, and embody the entrepreneurial spirit: Camille Page (Lucillin) Luisa Jazzar (Elegantly Safe) Tom Bausch (LetzLearn).

In recognition of their efforts and impact, the Federation of Young Business Leaders (FJD) awarded them a financial reward. 

About the Program Jonk Entrepreneuren 

Luxembourg's Mini-Enterprises programme offers students aged 16 to 19 the opportunity to learn how to take a business idea from concept to reality. By challenging high school students to solve a problem in their community through a business venture, the program unleashes their entrepreneurial spirit and helps them discover their talents, passions and interests. While students experience running their own businesses, they are supported by a teacher and a business coach. Thus, the mini-business program breaks with the traditional image of classrooms: typically passive receivers, students become active participants in their projects throughout the school year. At the same time, students interact with several volunteers from the business world, who share their experiences and serve as mentors. This allows students to gain insight into the world of work and the skills required in the job market.