In May, the Our Companies project day continued at four secondary schools in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Our mentors visited the Secondary School of Teleinformatics in Ostrava, the Secondary School of Technical Fields in Havířov-Šumbark, the Secondary Industrial School and Business Academy in Bruntál, and the Secondary School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics in Ostrava. Students participated in a full-day project program that introduced them to the world of entrepreneurship – and showed them that their ideas have real potential.
Today, young people think not only about what they want to do for a living, but also about how their ideas can influence the world around them. Whether it’s the environment, safety, modern technologies, or social issues, their perspectives are creative and often surprisingly practical. Some of their business concepts included developing vending machines for hot meals in schools to improve daytime meal access, and digital referee cards to modernize equipment for sports competitions.
Others tackled global problems – designing robots to detect landmines or devices to eliminate pests in agricultural fields. Some focused on ecology and sustainability – with ideas like solar-powered cars for everyday use and robots that clean water and simultaneously generate energy. There were also innovations in health and lifestyle – such as a robotic assistant for healthy living or technology to support astronauts exploring new planets with robotic help.
The Our Companies project day helps students understand the fundamentals of entrepreneurship – from formulating an idea and strategic planning, to role distribution and final presentation. Emphasis is placed on developing teamwork, financial literacy, communication, and argumentation skills. For many participants, it was their first experience stepping into the role of an entrepreneur – thinking about competitors, targeting a specific audience, or designing a financing plan for their product.
What’s the most valuable takeaway? Young people realize in just one day that entrepreneurship isn’t just about profit – it’s about the ability to respond to societal needs, find solutions, and create value. The program helps them clarify what they enjoy, where their strengths lie, and which direction they might want to pursue in the future – whether as employees or entrepreneurs.
