A junior enterprise is a local non-profit organization entirely managed by students. Related to their field of studies the students offer consulting services to the market; experiencing unique learning opportunities by doing professional project work on the one side and managing small- to medium sized enterprises on the other, by doing this the students add practical experience to their theoretical skills. Most Junior Enterprises are linked to universities or schools.
This is an opportunity for students to develop self confidence and experience entrepreneurship at an early stage in their careers, to add practical experience to the theoretical skills and to provide private business with state-of-the-art knowledge from universities.
Due to the particularity of the Junior Enterprise work, the students distinguish themselves for example by their soft skills such as entrepreneurial spirit, team-working, creativity, presentation skills, public speaking, networking and intercultural understanding, work experience, and project management.
1988: Foundation of JEME Bocconi, the first Junior Enterprise in Italy, based in Milano.
1992: Foundation of JADE Italia, the Italian Confederation of Junior Enterprises, in order to link the National Confederations. It is based in Milan.
1992: Foundation of JADE, the European Confederation of Junior Enterprises, in order to link the National Confederations. It is based in Brussels.
1993: Foundation of CJA/UFES, Consultores Juniores Associados, the first junior enterprise from the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil.
1997: Foundation of ETH juniors - Junior Enterprise of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, called "ETH Zurich". Most successful Junior Enterprise revenue-wise in Switzerland, among Top 5 in Europe.
2003: Foundation of Brasil Junior, the Brazilian Confederation of Junior Enterprises, based in Brasilia.
2004: Foundation of EHL Junior Enterprise - Junior Enterprise of the École hôtelière de Lausanne. First Junior Enterprise worldwide within the hospitality industry.
2007: JADESwitzerland comprises 10 Junior Enterprises (JEF University of Fribourg, JEG University of Geneva, JEHEC University of Lausanne, EHL Junior Enterprise École hôtelière de Lausanne, Junior Entreprise EPFL, JEUNE Consulting University of Neuchatel, ESPRIT St. Gallen University of St. Gallen, Brainstart University of Winterthur, ETH Juniors Zürich)
2007: Foundation of JuniorES, The Federation of Junior Enterprises of Espirito Santo, based inside UFES
JADE
In the meantime this network counts 20.000 student members in thirteen countries, organised in around 225 Junior Enterprises. JADE coordinates Junior Initiatives all over Europe and fosters their development. Together with Brasil Junior, the affiliated Junior Enterprise Network in Brazil, JADE is one of the largest student networks in the world.
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