The Junior Chamber International of Luxembourg (JCI) has opened nominations for the 15th edition of its Creative Young Entrepreneur Luxembourg (CYEL) competition.
Photo: The CYEL Award 2020 was won by Tom Michels (on the right), CEO of Salonkee / Image credits: CYEL
The goal of the CYEL is to promote young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 40 and to reward their business creativity and innovative ideas. The JCI aims to give visibility to interesting projects and support entrepreneurship at the first stage, giving a concrete contribution for the development of the activity in its most challenging phases.
By adapting to major changes in the economy over the past 15 years, the JCI has managed to make its CYEL competition more relevant than ever. “The competition is well-known and respected in the country, it really has found a ‘raison d’être’ in Luxembourg’s ecosystem. When you reach 15 editions, it means that there is still added value in having such a contest”, says Namir Yeroham, board member and past president of JCI Luxembourg.
Notable winners
Notable past winners of the CYEL include the founders of Trendiction (now Talkwalker, 2012), Klin (2018) and Ziggu (2019). Some entrepreneurs and startups were totally unknown prior to pitching at the CYEL. “When the founders of F4A came and did their pitch, it was very impressive. Two years later, it’s amazing to see what they’ve accomplished.”
Last year’s edition was held in strict compliance with Covid protocols and has been won by Tom Michels, founder of Salonkee, an online reservation website for beauty services.
“The fact that we have survived last year in very difficult conditions shows that there is a will from the various stakeholders to hold the event. In particular, the sponsors have shown their will to continue to work together despite all the difficulties and cost-cutting. People want events that promote the local economy and where the whole ecosystem wins”, explains Yeroham.
A new feature of this 2021’s edition is that the winner will compete against other ‘national champions’ in a second round, organised on a European level.
CYEL 2021: Who can apply?
The competition is open to any young entrepreneur aged between 18 and 40, who works within or owns a company established in Luxembourg.
Important dates
The deadline to submit a nomination is November 1st, 2021. The subsequent award ceremony and gala will be held at the Chamber of Commerce on December 1st, 2021.
The award
Three finalists will be awarded as the most creative and outstanding entrepreneurs in Luxembourg. The Jury is composed of JCI members working in the startup sector, business angels and service providers. The final award will be a free consultation from JCI’s partners, a cash award, access to the international network of JCI, free press release and media exposure.
Find out more: CYEL 2021
