? 16 teams of 100 high school students will meet at Kinepolis Kirchberg on 8 June for the mini-enterprise final. This is an annual programme organised by Jonk Entrepreneuren Luxembourg. 800 pupils grouped into 90 projects took part in the 2023 edition. 70 groups then chose to enter the competition, and 16 of them were selected. Here they are.

AquaCycle

Their product: “A tray 20cm in diameter and 17cm high”, placed on a “custom-made colander,” as the founders describe it. The aim is to recover water instead of wasting it, when cleaning vegetables for example. All made from “sustainable and environmentally friendly materials,” they promise.

Beachtime

The students behind Beachtime are aiming for the “perfect beach towel.” Made from microfibres, it comes with a pouch that can also be used to carry it, an inflatable cushion and pegs to secure it in the sand. Two towels can also be attached using press studs to create a larger surface area.

Beeluxe

Beeluxe is a lip balm that is “100% Luxembourgish, made from honey, beeswax and rapeseed oil.” The packaging is made of wood, “with glass inside” for conservation.

Bëssen Wëssen

A card game to facilitate integration. “Discover the Luxembourg language and culture with our self-painted cards on monuments, traditions, gastronomy and Luxembourg characters.” The team also organises workshops with refugees and people who have recently settled in the country to play with them. Part of their profits are donated to the Care Luxembourg charity.

de Muppesnack

The de Muppesnack mini-enterprise offers dog treats made from six ingredients sourced in Luxembourg and produced by the residents of the Ligue HMC home, which supports people with mental disabilities.

HappyPets

HappyPets offers collars for dogs and halters with knots for horses. They are made with “integrated and interchangeable stones” for lithotherapy enthusiasts. These hand-woven products can be customised in colour and size.

Holzkäpp

Earrings and wine bottle holders made from waste wood.

HolzTriwweler

The HolzTriwweler team makes lamps from waste wood.

Ltbelo

To make their lip balm, the Lbtelo students opted for coconut oil, jojoba oil and beeswax “from a local producer” plus “seven different essential oils, chosen by our customers.” The products are packaged in “biodegradable and recyclable paper.”

LuxLight

A product that “absorbs daylight and emits light with a longer standby time at night,” for use both indoors and outdoors.

Luxtopia

A “protein cereal bar made from flour and crickets” produced in Luxembourg using “local, regional and natural ingredients.”

Melly’s

Red fruit-flavoured vegan sweets in the shape of the “Roude Léiw,” concocted by the Bären Company in Germany.

Muppstery

Muppstery are “mystery boxes for dogs.” Each one is made from cardboard and contains “recycled shredded paper, which protects the products during transport.” Customers can mention their dog’s size and allergies so that the contents of the box can be adapted.

Snout & Paws

Dog kennels and bowls are among the products sold by Snout & Paws. In addition to “simple collars and collars with a small pocket for inserting a tracker.” All “handmade.”

Spray Away

“Our intention was to develop a spray that would allow you to keep your garden in great shape in a sustainable way and protect it from weeds and all sorts of insects. Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to obtain approval for our product and are therefore not authorised to sell it,” write the project’s initiators in their presentation. “However, we continue to believe in our concept of sustainable plant protection.”

VisionWood

In collaboration with a carpenter’s workshop, VisionWood produces boxes for transporting and charging connected pens or “Apple Pencil.” This is done in a station where customers can also leave “their wallet, phone and everyday accessories.”

Open voting for the public’s choice

A panel of 12 professionals from the world of work and education will be tasked with choosing the overall winner on the evening of Thursday 8 June. They had already selected the 16 finalists on the basis of their applications and pitches.

The mini-enterprise of the year will qualify to represent Luxembourg at the Gen-E international competition.

From 1 June until midday on 8 June, the public can also vote for their favourite team (Public’s Choice Award) at , as well as discover discover the young people’s projects at the Mini-Enterprise Fair at the Kirchberg Shopping Centre ahead of the ceremony, on Thursday between 10am and 2.30pm.

In 2022, Citygum was voted mini-company of the year thanks to its made-in-Luxembourg chewing gum. The 2020 winners have just launched their real estate platform, . 

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.