More than 4,800 Young Entrepreneurs Came Together in Belo Horizonte for Junior Enterprises World Conference 2026

Five-day global gathering brought together more than 40 nationalities and marked a moment of international exchange and unity for the Junior Enterprise Movement

BELO HORIZONTE, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL, September 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- More than 4,800 Junior Entrepreneurs representing over 40 nationalities came together in Belo Horizonte this week for the Junior Enterprises World Conference 2026 (JEWC26), held from 26 to 30 August at the Felipe Drummond Stadium, locally known as “Mineirinho”.

Hosted by Junior Enterprises Global, the international umbrella organisation of the Junior Enterprise Movement, in collaboration with Brasil Júnior and the State Federation FEJEMG, the five-day conference brought together students who already manage organisations, lead teams and deliver professional projects for external clients while completing their university studies.

The Junior Enterprises World Conference (JEWC) is the international gathering of the Junior Enterprise Movement and has brought Junior Entrepreneurs from different countries and regions together for professional development, exchange and international collaboration since 2004. The programme in Belo Horizonte included plenary sessions, workshops, professional development activities and opportunities for participants from Junior Enterprises and national networks across several continents to exchange experiences and build new connections.

Beyond its programme, JEWC26 became a rare moment in which thousands of members of a Movement that normally operates across different countries, languages and regions were able to meet in one place. Throughout the five days, delegations shared their experiences, celebrated their different cultures and strengthened a common sense of belonging to the international Junior Enterprise Movement.

A Junior Enterprise (JE) is a student-led organisation connected to a higher-education institution in which students develop professional skills by managing the organisation and delivering projects for external clients. Junior Entrepreneurs take responsibility for areas including project delivery, business development, finance, marketing, human resources and organisational management alongside their studies, developing entrepreneurial and professional skills through practical experience.

“JEWC is one of the rare moments when you can physically see the scale of what young people are already capable of building,” said Gaia Scuratti, Vice-President of Junior Enterprises Global. “Our participants are already running successful organisations and delivering real-life solutions. Bringing almost 5,000 of them together from across the world creates an extraordinary environment for learning, collaboration and even greater ambition.”
The atmosphere of the conference was also shaped by its return to Brazil and by the energy of thousands of participants meeting one another throughout the week.

“There was an incredible energy throughout the conference, both inside the venue and in every interaction between participants. You could feel how open people were to meeting one another, exchanging ideas and celebrating what we have in common as Junior Entrepreneurs,” said a participant from Germany.

For Junior Enterprises Global, the conference provided an opportunity to bring together parts of a network that normally work across different countries and regions. JE Global represents and connects the Junior Enterprise Movement internationally, supports cooperation between national networks and works on the development and international representation of Junior Enterprises.

The impact of World Conferences can extend far beyond the event itself. Ivan Butron Sossa, who participated in JEWC 2023 in Florence, Italy and later worked to establish the first Junior Enterprise in his hometown in Bolivia, described the role the event played in his own experience:
“I loved JEWC 2023 because I discovered Junior Enterprises from around the world, and the experience inspired me to change my life,” Ivan said. “I met students from many countries who later supported me by exchanging ideas and experiences as I worked to build the first Junior Enterprise in my hometown in Bolivia.”
As JEWC26 concluded on Sunday 30th August 2026, participants began returning to their Junior Enterprises and national networks around the world. The conference closed not only five days of activities in Belo Horizonte, but also a moment of unity for a Movement whose members usually work thousands of kilometres apart.
The conversations, professional connections and friendships formed in Brazil will now continue across the international network, carrying the experience of Belo Horizonte into the work of Junior Enterprises throughout the coming year.

About Junior Enterprises Global
Junior Enterprises Global is the international organisation representing and connecting the Junior Enterprise Movement worldwide. It supports cooperation between national networks, strengthens the development of Junior Enterprises and represents the Movement towards international institutions, partners and stakeholders.
The Junior Enterprise model enables university students to complement their academic studies with practical entrepreneurial and professional experience by managing student-led organisations and delivering projects for external clients.

Suzana Pereira
Junior Enterprises Global
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