A Greek student startup from Thessaloniki has achieved major European recognition, with ENALION from the Experimental High School of the University of Macedonia securing second place at the JA Europe Gen-E 2026 Student and Youth Entrepreneurship Competition in Latvia.
After winning first prize at the Junior Achievement Greece National Student Virtual Enterprises Competition, the ENALION team represented Greece at the European final held in Riga under the auspices of the European Commission and with the support of leading businesses and organisations.
ENALION claimed second place in the JA Europe Company of the Year 2026 competition and also received the Best Application of Project Management Award.
The team achieved further individual distinctions, with student Vasilis Papavasiliou, ENALION’s CEO, winning the Leadership Award, while student Myrto Gounopoulou, the company’s Deputy Director, received the award for the Best Elevator Pitch.
The Greek team included Vasilis Papavasiliou, Myrto Gounopoulou, Fani Peistikou, Evangelos Tsilikakis and Evangelia Dermitzaki, with guidance from teachers Anna Matsiori, Kyriaki Vasilou and Nikos Terpsiades.
According to the results published by the GEN-E Festival, Slovakia’s LIPIGO won first place with a child-safe edible glue made from food ingredients, while Cyprus-based HERSHIELD finished third with a discreet drink-testing safety device designed to help protect women during evening outings.
More than 800 students, university students, educators, business leaders and European officials gathered in Riga to celebrate youth innovation and recognise the best student enterprises of the year.
Redesigning Salt Without Losing Taste
ENALION’s innovation focuses on transforming salt by using Greek ulva seaweed, Messolonghi salt flakes and natural ingredients to reduce sodium levels without compromising flavour.
The students developed products that can be used like traditional salt while offering a natural solution for healthier eating habits.
“One year ago, we were collecting seaweed from Greek shores, trying to understand its value while searching for an innovative business idea,” the students said before travelling to the competition.
They explained that their journey taught them that entrepreneurship involves more than sales, numbers and business plans. They highlighted the importance of identifying problems, collaborating with people from different fields, adapting to challenges and continuing to pursue solutions.
From early laboratory experiments to local markets in Thessaloniki, and from collaborations with scientists, universities and businesses to hundreds of sales and repeated sell-outs, the students described every stage as a valuable life lesson.
A Journey Filled with Awards
Before securing second place in Europe, ENALION had already collected numerous awards for its innovative product.
The student enterprise has also received:
- Product Promotion Award – JA Greece Trade Fair 2026
- 1st Odysseas Kyriakopoulos Award – JA Greece Company of the Year 2026
- 1st Prize – 7th Educational Symposium of Phycology
- 2nd Prize – NextGen Innovators Competition 2026
- Gold Award – Specialist Awards 2026