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Top Young Entrepreneurs Recognized in the Student Company of the Year 2026 Competition

The Trading Floor of the Warsaw Stock Exchange became the venue for a two‑day competition for the title of “Student Company of the Year 2026,” during which high school students from across Poland presented their projects and ran their own student businesses. The best teams were awarded during the final organized by the Foundation for Youth Entrepreneurship under the patronage of the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

The national final of the Student Company of the Year 2026 competition took place on May 21–22, 2026, at the headquarters of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, highlighting the event’s importance as one of the leading educational initiatives supporting the development of entrepreneurship among young people. The competition is organized by the Foundation for Youth Entrepreneurship, while the Warsaw Stock Exchange serves as both patron and host. On behalf of the Exchange, the final day of the competition was officially opened by Tomasz Bardziłowski, President of the Management Board of the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

This year’s edition brought together more than 2,700 secondary school students from across Poland, who ran their own student companies throughout the school year. Twenty top teams advanced to the final, selected through a multi-stage evaluation process.

– I am very impressed by this initiative, and above all by the commitment and hard work of the young participants. For many of them, this is just the beginning – their first step in business – but I hope there will be many more steps ahead, and that one day this journey may also lead them to debut on the Stock Exchange. Looking at this year’s finalists, I am confident that there will be no shortage of new, innovative and exciting companies on the Polish capital market – in fact, there will be even more of them – said Tomasz Bardziłowski, President of the Management Board of the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

During the final presentations, young entrepreneurs showcased their innovative projects to a jury composed of business professionals, presenting their results, development strategies, and the outcomes of their teamwork. The competition provided participants with an opportunity to confront their ideas and skills with real market conditions and receive expert evaluation.

Winners of the Student Company of the Year 2026 Competition:

• 1st place: Eco.tina – 1st General Secondary School named after the Kuyavian Land in Włocławek
• 2nd place: NEWEAR – CXXII General Secondary School named after Ignacy Domeyko in Warsaw
• 3rd place: Calmoria – 2nd General Secondary School named after Stefan Żeromski in Tomaszów Mazowiecki

Other awards and distinctions:

• JA Alumni Excellence Awards: Wstążkove, ATEfagia, Calmoria, Taggiezz
• FedEx Award: TasteNOwaste – 1st General Secondary School in Włocławek
• Euroclear Award: Calmoria – 2nd General Secondary School in Tomaszów Mazowiecki
• WSE Foundation Team Spirit Award: ATEfagia – 2nd General Secondary School in Tomaszów Mazowiecki
• Best Promotional Video Award: ETERNA – 1st General Secondary School in Włocławek

The Grand Prix winner of the national final will represent Poland at the European GEN‑E Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 in Riga.

The cooperation between the Warsaw Stock Exchange and the Foundation for Youth Entrepreneurship has continued uninterrupted since 1999 and includes both organizational support and the involvement of capital market experts in evaluating participants’ projects. This year, an additional “Team Spirit Award,” funded by the WSE Foundation, was introduced to highlight the importance of collaboration, engagement, and teamwork as key elements of running a successful business.

– This year’s edition demonstrated a very high level of projects, with young participants showing innovation, a responsible approach to finance, and strong business awareness. The additional award for teamwork underlined the importance of soft skills in running a business. This is an experience that is difficult to obtain in traditional classroom education, yet it effectively prepares young people for entering the job market and adult life. Importantly, participants showed no shortage of business ideas or enthusiasm – quite the opposite, their ambition and entrepreneurial spirit clearly grow year by year – emphasized Alina Bączar, President of the WSE Foundation.

The Student Company of the Year competition is part of the “Student Company” educational program run by the Foundation for Youth Entrepreneurship since 1994. The program is aimed at secondary school students and involves creating and running real businesses. Participants gain practical business experience – from developing ideas and business plans, through marketing and sales activities, to preparing financial statements. Over more than three decades, more than 60,000 young people have taken part in the program and over 7,800 student companies have been established.

The competition is organized with the support of business partners and representatives of the economic community, who share their knowledge and experience with participants. The Ministry of Development and Technology serves as the honorary patron of the initiative, while the Warsaw Stock Exchange is the official patron of the competition. Supporting partners include Avanade, Centrum Giełdowe, Euroclear Foundation, FedEx Express, WSE Foundation, the Central Securities Depository of Poland, Schneider Electric, and UBS.