About us
Our Story
How JEME was born
“In 1988, eight Bocconi students, returning from a trip to France, decided to found the first Junior Enterprise in Italy, a student association that operates as a consulting company providing professional services to businesses”
The Beginnings
On November 17, 1988, eight young people, Bocconi university students, decided to give life to a completely innovative organization in the Italian panorama. During a stay in France some of them had come into contact with local students, who in an exchange of opinions said they were amazed by the fact that in a prestigious school of economics and management such as Bocconi University a Junior Enterprise was not present.
On their return from the trip, an idea accompanied them, and even more a challenge: to bring this concept to Italy and explain it through the creation of a student association that operated as a consulting company, providing professional services to companies: a Junior Enterprise precisely. 1988 is far away and now more than ever we can say that the challenge has been won: JEME Bocconi, acronym for Junior Enterprise Milano Economia, continues to exist having never stopped doing it, passed from hand to hand through generations of students who have believed in the possibility of getting involved far beyond what is required of them by university studies.
Growth Period
The second half of the 1990s is a period of intense growth for JEME, which sees the number of its members almost quadruple in less than two years. In November 1996 JEME hosts the first JADE congress in Italy, thus confirming its international nature.
Since 1997, thanks to the introduction of the "Zamagni" law, JEME has managed to re-enter the NGO framework by functionally adapting its statute.
1998 marks the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the association, celebrated by concretizing the mission of trait d’union between the university and the world of work. Thus was born the event that would then inspire the birth of Junior Excellence the following year: a business game organized with the most important consulting firms, parallel to a conference on entrepreneurship open to the entire European network. In the same year JEME recorded a turnover of 250 million lire.
Since 1999, on the occasion of the Junior Excellence days, JEME has brought the most important companies on the national and international scene to universities. Over time and up to 2009, the last year in which it is organized, the event has established itself as one of the most interesting events for both participating companies and students, who are given the opportunity to become consultants for a day.
New Challenges
The new millennium sees a continuous growth in the number of members, a symptom of an ever-increasing interest in the association. At the same time, a new record turnover of 400 million lire is recorded. Change the philosophy, summarized by the motto: “training as remuneration“; last but not least, the seat of the association changes and moves to the office in Via San Francesco d’Assisi 3, within the Bocconi metropolitan campus.
The culmination of the efforts made comes in various forms, such as the unprecedented joint election of JEME exponents for the presidency of JADE Italia and JADE (2005) or, not secondarily, with the achievement of the European Excellence Award as "Most Entrepreneurial Junior Enterprise ”in 2004, and for“ Most Engaged Junior Entrepreneur ”in 2007, the latter awarded to Azzurra Giorgio for his work in JEME and JADE Italia.
Reinvention
On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the association, a special evening dedicated to Alumni and the institutional frame of reference for JEME is organized at Palazzo Bocconi, which sees the participation of some constant and key figures in the academic life of JEME, such as prof. Pavesi and prof. Agliati. It is also the occasion on which the first JEME Book is made, a celebratory writing that traces the stages that have marked the history of JEME.
The desire to do, and in a big way, is handed down from generation to generation: in July 2010 JEME organizes the Junior Enterprise World Conference. The event has no commercial purpose, but a great impact on the reputation within the network and on the solidity of the association itself. JEME after JEWC is reborn, with a new charge and entering other markets, reinventing itself. It continued to grow, reaching more than 20 associates in 2011, an average of 15 projects a year and a turnover of 24,000 euros. The channels and customers are now different, active commercial is born and attention to the human capital of the association is increasing, the real wealth of JEME.
Recent Changes
The years 2015-2017 mark another turning point in the history of the Association, thanks to a new long-term strategy based on the development of its services, on national and international leadership in the Junior Enterprise movement and on a commitment aimed at institutionalizing the own reality.
JEME broadens its horizons by becoming a Junior Enterprise godmother of the first Australian JE and entering into a partnership with the first Junior Enterprise founded in North America.
To crown the results achieved there are several Excellence Awards from JADE and JADE Italia. In 2015 JEME was named "Most Entrepreneurial Junior Enterprise in Europe", in 2016 "Best Junior Enterprise in Italy", also coming second in the category of "Junior Enterprise of the Year in Europe", confirming itself as one of the best Junior Enterprise on the international scene and also organizing the JADE Italia May Meeting, the spring appointment of the Italian Junior Enterprises.
In 2017, however, after winning for the second time in a row the award of "Best Junior Enterprise in Italy", it organizes the Summer JADE Conference, the summer meeting of European Junior Enterprises, hosting more than 300 Junior Enterpreneurs for 4 days in Milan. of which 75% from other European countries and 10% from non-European countries.
Until today...
2018 opens under the banner of the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the foundation of JEME. To celebrate this important milestone, about 400 people, including Alumni, professors, partners and representatives of 9 Junior Enterprises of the network, gather in the Aula Magna Gobbi of Bocconi University. At the same time, however, this event marks a new starting point: in fact, the opportunity is taken to renew the association's corporate identity, albeit in a manner consistent with its founding values.
Also in 2018, JEME contributes to the birth and growth of two Italian Junior Initiatives, JEF, from the Federico II University of Naples, and JEVE, from the Ca 'Foscari University of Venice. Subsequently, JEME reaches the final for the second year in a row for the JADE Europe "Junior Enterprise of the year" award, finishing second, and managing to prove once again its validity in a competitive and dynamic context like that of Junior Enterprises in Europe.
In the following year, JEME further contributes to the expansion of the Junior Enterprise network both at national level, becoming godmother of the Junior Initiative of the Tor Vergata University of Rome (ie JETOR), and at European level, supporting the formation of the Junior Initiative JECO of the Copenhagen Business School.
During 2019 JEME continues to grow, replicating the second position at the Excellence Awards as best Junior Enterprise and reaching over 450 Alumni and 45 associates. In addition, the birth of a new Area, JEME International, was inaugurated, which also allows international students to be welcomed and allows the association to continue to receive new incentives and prospects for the future. To date, JEME proves to be a dynamic and stimulating reality, which allows its associates to share ambitious goals and to compete with increasingly broader challenges and horizons.