At the Uskalla Yrittää (Dare to Try) national final held in Helsinki on 28–29 April 2026, two outstanding student companies were named Finland’s best student companies and will represent the country at the European #Gen_E competition in Riga in July 2026.
JA Company of the year (upper secondary and basic education): Shroomies NYT – Etu-Töölö Upper Secondary School, Helsinki
Shroomies NYT produces air-dried mushroom jerky enriched with protein. The product is positioned as a nutritious, lightweight, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional dried products, with strong potential for both domestic and international markets.
The jury highlighted the team’s well-developed concept, strong commitment, and the product’s innovative and sustainable value proposition, noting clear scalability and growth potential.
JA Startup of the year (higher education): Vaara Coaching NYT – University of Jyväskylä
Vaara Coaching NYT provides experiential coaching services to help teams manage stress and workload. Their approach combines research-based knowledge, guided challenges and reflection, creating practical skills that can be directly applied in everyday work.
According to the jury, the team addresses a highly relevant topic with strong expertise and a concrete, competitive strategy, offering significant potential for product development and growth.
