Riga, Latvia. A team of 10 students from St. Mary’s School in Limassol won third place in the European Competition for the Best Student Company at GEN-E on July 9, 2026. The team represented Cyprus alongside participants from 40 countries.
HerShield concept
The HerShield team presented a discreet lip gloss-shaped case containing specially designed test strips to detect harmful substances in drinks.
The product is intended to allow women to check quickly and discreetly whether a drink may have been tampered with.
Journey to Riga
The students travelled from Limassol to Riga for the event, accompanied by a mentor. Their parents gathered as the group left for the airport in the early hours of the morning.
GEN-E is described as Europe’s largest celebration of youth entrepreneurship.
Mentoring and recognition
The team’s mentor said the students impressed judges and participants from across Europe with an idea based on empathy, awareness and a desire to make a difference.
The mentor, who has worked in a multinational environment for more than 30 years and at PwC Cyprus for 16 years, has also served as a mentor and judge in Junior Achievement Cyprus and the Company Programme.
Antigoni Komodiki, chief executive of JA Cyprus, described the achievement by saying: “I have no words left to describe it.”
