XM Group and Junior Achievement Cyprus join forces to strengthen agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship
New Agriculture Innovation Award within the Company Programme 2026–2027
With the aim of encouraging the younger generation to explore innovative entrepreneurial solutions for the agricultural sector, XM Group and Junior Achievement Cyprus (JA Cyprus) announce their collaboration for the 2026–2027 academic year, with a central focus on strengthening agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.
The main focus of the collaboration is the creation of the new Agriculture Innovation Award, a special award within the Company Programme, which will give students the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial ideas that harness innovation to address challenges and seize opportunities in the agricultural sector. This special category will run throughout the year, and the award will be presented at the Company Programme Final.
The initiative aims to bring young people closer to a sector of particular importance to the economy and society, encouraging them to view agriculture not only as a traditional industry, but also as a field of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation.
XM Group joins the Company Programme 2026–2027 as a Partner, supporting JA Cyprus’ mission to promote entrepreneurship education, financial literacy and employability skills among young people. At the same time, the collaboration creates a new link between youth entrepreneurship, agriculture and innovation, giving the younger generation the space to propose new ideas and solutions.
Ria Argyridou, Senior Corporate Social Responsibility Executive at XM Group, stated: “At XM Group, we believe in the power of young people to create, innovate and shape the future. Through our collaboration with Junior Achievement Cyprus and the creation of the Agriculture Innovation Award, we want to encourage students to explore agriculture as a sector full of opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation. We are particularly pleased to support an initiative that develops skills, strengthens creative thinking and gives the younger generation the opportunity to turn their ideas into solutions with meaningful impact.”
Antigoni Komodiki, Chief Executive Officer of JA Cyprus, stated: “Entrepreneurship has real value when it helps young people observe the world around them, identify real challenges and create solutions. Through our collaboration with XM Group and the creation of the Agriculture Innovation Award, we want to direct students’ attention towards the agricultural sector as well, highlighting the opportunities it offers for innovation and new entrepreneurship. The agriculture of the future needs new ideas, new technologies and young people who dare to think differently. We are particularly pleased that, together with XM Group, we can create another space through which young people in Cyprus will have the opportunity to experiment, create and turn their ideas into action.”
During the 2026–2027 academic year, student companies will go through all stages of developing a business idea and will present their work through the activities of the Company Programme, including the Trade Fair and the Company of the Year Finale, where the winner of the Agriculture Innovation Award will also be announced. The national winning team of the Company Programme will then have the opportunity to represent Cyprus at GEN-E 2027, Europe’s largest youth entrepreneurship festival, in Luxembourg.
Through this new collaboration, XM Group and Junior Achievement Cyprus are investing in the younger generation and in its ability to contribute to the future of agriculture, creating space for new ideas, entrepreneurial approaches and innovative solutions.
JA Cyprus is a member of JA Worldwide, the world’s largest non-profit organisation dedicated to educating students in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial health through specialised experiential learning programmes.
For further information, please contact Junior Achievement Cyprus at info@jacyprus.org.
