Italy Starts 2025 Announces Winning Teams 

On February 10, Italy Starts selected the winners of the 2025 edition of the program. Participants had to present an entrepreneurial idea to resolve a challenge to the environment. Teams of four to six high school students (mentees) worked under the guidance of an undergraduate student (mentor) to solve real business problems or develop business models for their business or social venture idea during the eight-week program. To foster cohesive teamwork, mentees met online to form their teams two weeks before the program officially began.

This year, 82 students from eight high schools in six cities across Italy registered for the program. After two weeks of onboarding sessions, 61 students became Italy Starts 2025 mentees. They were separated into 10 teams. Each team was guided by one of the 12 mentors from John Cabot University and one of our partner universities around the world, the American University in Armenia. All of the 10 teams presented a final project on February 10. Teams competed for prizes (1st Place: 500 Euros, 2nd Place: 300 Euros, and 3rd Place: 100 Euros) based on the quality of their business or social venture idea and the final presentation. The panel of judges was composed of professional entrepreneurs.

At the Kick-Off Event on November 18, Professor Luigi Nasta, director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship, welcomed all participants to this demanding program with words of encouragement about the challenges students face. He told students, “Being able to work effectively in a team, especially remotely, and overcome the challenges of presenting a final project are essential skills that will serve you throughout your life.”

The session for the final presentations was opened by Gina Marie Spinelli, executive coordinator of JCU’s Programs for High Schools. She commended all participants who succeeded in reaching the final stage of the competition with a viable business proposal.

Angela Balasanyan, study abroad advisor at the American University of Armenia, joined the session in support of the impressive work done by the mentors and mentees to complete their projects. “Students from the American University of Armenia have continued to contribute to the success of the program in recent editions,” said Gina Spinelli. “It is a pleasure to welcome them and to cultivate this international element of JCU’s Programs for High Schools.”

Italy Starts and its Mission

Italy Starts encourages cross-cultural learning through remote and in-person teamwork. Developing the skills necessary to achieve team objectives in an intercultural context are key outcomes of the program. Students learn first-hand the importance of effective communication and collaboration. Teams formulate proposals for solutions to problems regarding the environment and compete for the best idea in an eight-minute presentation. Final presentations are evaluated on the idea and the effectiveness of the illustration of the value proposition, financials, and marketing.

Italy Starts 2025 Winners

FIRST PRIZE
The 500 euro prize, in the form of gift vouchers, is awarded to team Wild Wonders: Collectibles and Adventure, a startup idea for educational resources to promote environmental awareness, such as interactive games and collectible items. The team was composed of students from Class 3B at IIS Luigi Einaudi, Rome and Class IV at Istituto Scuola San Giuseppe al Casaletto, Rome. Their mentor was from the American University of Armenia.

SECOND PRIZE
The 300 euro prize, in the form of gift vouchers, is awarded to team Hawaiki Rising Studios, a startup idea for an online action-adventure game that explores the devastating impacts of climate change on Pacific Island communities. This game aims to educate through immersive gameplay and combat. The team also created a website for their project. The team was composed of students from Class 3BE at Liceo Classico Europeo Marco Foscarini, Venice; Class 4 at Istituto Scuola San Giuseppe al Casaletto, Rome; and Class 5L at Liceo Classico Giosuè Carducci, Milan. Their mentors were from the American University of Armenia and John Cabot University. 

THIRD PRIZE
The 100 euro prize, in the form of gift vouchers, is awarded to Bravo+, an app designed to make managing daily tasks while adopting greener habits easier. Using an integrated AI chatbot and partnerships with sustainable brands, users benefit from suggestions and an award system. The team that developed the app was composed of students from Class 4C and 4H at Liceo Classico Statale Giosuè Carducci, Milan; Class 3D at Liceo Statale Mazzini, Naples; and Liceo Scientifico Statale Marie Curie of Pinerolo, Turin. Their mentor was from the American University of Armenia.

Special Mention

• Urban Improvement: Team Smart Sort Collective.

• New Product Development: Team “Wild Wonders: Collectibles and Adventure,” which was also awarded the 1st-place prize. 

• Responsible Consumption: Team Bravo+, which was also awarded a 3rd-place prize.

SPECIAL MENTION
Special Mention for Urban Improvement goes to team Smart Sort Collective, which developed a startup idea for an innovative waste-management system that utilizes a high-resolution LED screen display and sensors to monitor collection bins and reduce overfill and subsequent disarray of urban waste. The team was composed of students from Class 3L and 4F at Liceo Blaise Pascal, Pomezia; Class 3 and 4 at Istituto Scuola San Giuseppe al Casaletto, Rome and from Class 3R at IIS Luigi Einaudi, Rome. Their mentor was from John Cabot University.

Congratulations to all those who reached the end of this challenging program and earned 40 hours toward their Work-Related Activities Requirement (Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e per l’Orientamento – PCTO).

Find out more about all Programs for High Schools and Professional Development for Teachers. All programs are certifiable for Work-Related Activities Requirement (Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e per l’Orientamento – PCTO) and are offered to Italian high schools in English, online, and free of charge.