Also present on the Jury was Salvatore D’Acunto, Head of Unit, Unit E.2, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission; Thomasine Kamerling, Executive Vice-President, Huhtamaki; and Jérôme Pero, Secretary General, Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry. The runners up to the award were Oslo Analytic from Norway and HelpUP from Spain.
Rewarding start-ups on the Single Market’s anniversary
On Wednesday, 7 June, Thibaut L’Ortye, Public Affairs Director, AmCham EU, organised in collaboration with Junior Achievement Europe. The first edition of the competition, held in celebration of the 30th anniversary of EUROPEN and the Single Market, recognises start-ups that maximise the opportunities presented by the Single Market. The winner, SEaNSOR from Greece, offers a solution to illegal fishing and locating waste through the use of sound sensors. SEaNSOR received a €1,000 prize and was invited to attend the Gen-E 2023 conference in Istanbul.

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Discussing transatlantic regulatory cooperation with SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda
On Wednesday, 10 June, AmCham EU hosted Mark Uyeda, Commissioner, US Securities and Exchange Commission, for a discussion on transatlantic regulatory cooperation. The exchange focused on developments shaping global capital markets. Topics included the Savings and Investment Union, ESG and climate-related disclosures, digital finance and stablecoin regulation as well as EU-US capital markets competitiveness. Participants discussed how proportionate regulation can support innovation, lower costs for investors and contribute to economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic. The meeting also highlighted the importance of continued engagement between EU and US regulators as the financial landscape evolves.
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Celebrating Gala 2026
On Thursday, 4 June AmCham EU held its annual Gala evening at the Africa Palace in Tervuren. The evening brought together guests for a celebration of the transatlantic community, and began with a cocktail reception followed by a seated dinner. Malte Lohan, CEO and Liam Benham (Boeing), Chair, AmCham EU opened the evening with welcome remarks, before Andrew Puzder, US Ambassador to the EU delivered a celebratory toast.
Guests then enjoyed a special performance from Ettore Pagano, First Prize laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition Cello 2026, who was accompanied on piano by Naoko Sonoda.
Capping off the evening was this year’s AmCham EU Youth Entrepreneurship Award, organised in collaboration with JA Europe. Eva Maydell, MEP (EPP, BG) introduced the finalists and presented the award to Elenya Spiteri, CEO, Medilert. The Maltese start-up was recognised for its smart medication management system designed to support older adults and caregivers. Learn more here.
A big thank you to our sponsors SAS, Amazon, ExxonMobil and Microsoft for making the event happen. See you next time!
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Maltese start-up Medilert wins AmCham EU Youth Entrepreneurship Award 2026
AmCham EU and Junior Achievement Europe (JA Europe) are delighted to announce that Medilert is the winner of the AmCham EU Youth Entrepreneurship Award 2026. Following the previous five editions, this year was again dedicated to women entrepreneurs. Elenya Spiteri, CEO, Medilert, won over the jury with a smart medication management system designed to support older adults and caregivers with greater peace of mind. Presenated at our Annual Gala by Eva Maydell (EPP, BG), Elenya will receive a prize of €10,000 and executive mentorship from top European CEOs of AmCham EU member companies.
Malte Lohan, CEO, AmCham EU said: ‘Medilert is a strong example of how young women entrepreneurs are bringing fresh thinking to Europe’s economy. Elenya has shown what is possible when a clear business idea is matched with the determination to bring it to market. We are pleased to recognise her achievement and the example she sets for women entrepreneurs across Europe.’
“The AmCham EU Youth Entrepreneurship Award embodies what we believe at JA Europe: that when young people are given the skills, networks, and opportunities to lead, they don’t just succeed — they reshape entire industries. In its 14th edition, this Award continues to spotlight the female founders driving Europe’s next generation of innovation. Together with AmCham EU, we are proud to amplify the voices of young women whose ventures are already addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time — from healthcare and financial literacy to the future of European investment.” said Salvatore Nigro, Chief Executive Officer, JA Europe
The distinguished jury was composed of Antoine Janssens, Vice-President, Business Transformation, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company; Malte Lohan, CEO, AmCham EU; Eva Maydell, MEP (BG,EPP); John Simmons, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, US Mission to the EU and Clint Tanti, Head of Cabinet of Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport.
The AmCham EU Youth Entrepreneurship Award was launched in 2013 to recognise young people who have chosen to become entrepreneurs and to foster entrepreneurship in Europe. The initiative is supported by AmCham EU’s Executive Council and organised in collaboration with JA Europe. The three finalists are presented with a monetary prize toward their start-up and will receive mentorship from top European CEOs of AmCham EU member companies. AmCham EU also makes a contribution to the three local JA Europe organisations, recognising their contributions to fostering entrepreneurship at local level.
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