The Young Entrepreneur Awards, hosted by Youth Business International in partnership with Barclays, demonstrate the contributions that young entrepreneurs can make all around the world.

The competition started in 2006, and since then has celebrated outstanding entrepreneurs from all corners of the globe – including Argentina, China, India, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and the UK.

In 2016, the awards took place on 7th of April in Kampala, Uganda. The awards ceremony was part of a larger event on youth entrepreneurship called The Promise of Youth. Read more about the event here.

Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 – winner:

Jhon Lezama
CEO, Proacos S.R.L., Perú
Supported by: Colectivo Integral de Desarrollo, Perú

In Peru, guinea pigs are a traditional delicacy in the Andean highlands, and 31 year old Jhon is taking the food industry one step further. By selling guinea pig meat as nuggets, he has been able to increase their appeal, helping him expand sales to the capital Lima and coastal areas.

“Both as a life and a professional objective was the idea was to have my own business, which would make me independent and help me create something of massive impact.”

And this is what he did. Jhon is building a new market and creating an industry – he developed the technology to process the meat and is now in the process of patenting this technology and make way to the rebirth of a tradition in the food industry. Moreover, he is looking at other health benefits he can bring about through his business – he is working with researchers from Europe to identify the potential uses of Guinea Pigs in medicine.

( http://www.youthbusiness.org, 2016)

Author: Steven Stott, Consultant at Middlesex University Enterprise Development Hub