Junior Achiever IOM

Each year Student companies from Schools across the Isle of Man compete in the Junior Achievement Company Programme. Each team set up and run their company over the course of one academic year. They raise share capital, develop, market and finance a product or service of their choice. Students gain experience of the real world, taking responsibility and being accountable to their shareholders for the running of the business. At the end of the programme companies from all over the Island have the opportunity to compete in the National Finals to select the company that will represent the Isle of Man at the European Company of the Year Competition.

Flux – A team of budding entrepreneurs from QEII School in Peel visited Strix recently. They were developing a portable wireless charger (containing a battery and magnetic charging coil) and needed Strix help: to understand the standards to which their product would need to conform, to assess the possibility of self-assembly and to create contacts with companies locally who could manufacture their product's casing and/or assembly. The team met with Liam Collister and James Howitt from our SRON facility to review their design and gain a better understanding of industry.

We are delighted to announce that they were 3rd overall in the Boston Group Student Company of the Year award and won the JA Alumni Best Social Media and Marketing Award and ELS Best Use of Technology Award.

Following on from this they have also made it to the final of ‘Pitch it’ to be held on 16 May at the Villa Marina, as part of ISLEXPO. They will join five other finalists to pitch their ideas to a panel of investors and entrepreneurs ...  The winning team will receive a business mentorship from Bridge Angel Network, a £1,000 cash prize and 2 months free membership to the Eagle Labs co-working space from Barclays.

If you would like to learn more about the Company Programme or the work of Junior Achievement in schools visit www.jaiom.im