Now in its third edition, the 24h Business Challenge has become a landmark among the independent projects coordinated by Avenor students. For 24 intense hours, teams of students from grades 8, 9 and 10 transform an idea received on the day of the event into a complete business plan, which they then present in front of a jury of professionals.

The 2025 edition was coordinated by Horia and Ana, 12th-grade Alfa students, under the guidance of teacher Valentin Brabete (Economics & Business Studies).

The organizers’ perspective – what the 2025 edition looked like

Horia shares: “This year, the organizing team was made up of 25 members divided into four departments: Event Management, Sponsorships, Communications, and Marketing. All the work was done outside school hours, and each member’s dedication made it possible to organize an event of this magnitude. I believe that this year we learned a lot as a team through the process of organizing the event. We understood both the importance of planning ahead in order to deliver a successful event—since there were moments when we felt the pressure of running out of time to meet certain requirements—and the importance of efficient communication between departments to ensure the best decisions were made.”

Ana adds: “For me, coordinating this edition has a strong emotional weight. It is the last year in which I co-lead this event with Horia, and starting next year, the baton will be passed on to Maria and Abigail, our 10th-grade colleagues. This was the first edition in which we reached maximum participant capacity (35), thanks to a team that spent countless hours promoting the event and managing all logistical details. I am grateful to everyone for this experience, which will remain one of the defining memories of my final year at Avenor.”

Social entrepreneurship at the heart of the 2025 edition

This year’s theme was social entrepreneurship, and the challenge for participants was to develop authentic, scalable, and circular business plans that could be implemented along the Via Transilvanica route. Students spent most of their time in Avenor Arena – working, sleeping, and turning ideas into concrete projects. Ambassadors of the Tășuleasa Social Association prepared a special video montage to showcase what volunteering means in their community and how students can become future ambassadors of the project.

Challenges presented to the participants

Six teams took part in the competition, each consisting of four to six members.

The challenges they faced were diverse: lack of prior business experience, understanding the requirements, and managing extremely limited time. Even so, their creativity and determination enabled every team to transform initial ideas into coherent business plans.

A jury with diverse expertise

The projects were evaluated by a jury consisting of: Paul Pop, entrepreneur specializing in sustainability, Diana Segărceanu, Co-founder and Executive Director of Avenor College, Paul Burzo, member of the Tășuleasa Social Association, architect, and project manager of Proștița.sat.

The jury focused on feasibility, scalability, and the clarity of each team’s presentation, offering detailed feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Accelerated learning in just 24 hours

Throughout the 24 hours, students learned to use tools such as Cash Flow and Profit & Loss analysis, to manage time efficiently, to collaborate under real deadline pressure, and to transform initial ideas into convincing business plans. Expert-led entrepreneurship workshops, the jurying process, and the presentation by Tășuleasa Social ambassadors were memorable moments – along with the energy of the teams, who worked continuously for 24 hours, even during meals.

The workshops led by entrepreneurship specialists – Florentina Terheș, Marketing Representative at Bellemonde; Alexandru Popescu, entrepreneur in the hospitality sector; Luminița Roșca, a specialist with over 13 years of experience in environmental protection and sustainability; Alexandru Chirigiu, Associate Partner specializing in tax and accounting services at KPMG Romania; Horațiu Alexandru Didea, Managing Partner & Founder at Workspace Studio; and Paul Pop, Associate Founder at Stratos – together with the judging sessions, the presentation prepared by the ambassadors of the Tășuleasa Social Association, and even the meals during which many teams continued working, were among the most memorable moments of the event.