On April 13, 2026, Ivan Soto-Wright, the CEO and Founder of MoonPay, delivered an inspiring keynote address at Miami-Dade College during Junior Achievement of Greater Miami’s 4th Annual Company Program Competition. This year’s competition was particularly notable, as it marked a record-breaking participation of 2,054 students from 20 schools who developed 70 student-run companies.
Soto-Wright’s connection to Junior Achievement runs deep; he himself was a participant in the program as a teenager in Boston. He credits those early experiences with providing him foundational insights into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, including market identification, product development, financial management, and teamwork. He remarked, “Junior Achievement gave me a framework for thinking about business before I even knew what entrepreneurship really meant. Seeing these students go through the same process — building something real, pitching it, competing — that’s where it starts.”
The Junior Achievement Company Program is recognized as one of the largest of its kind in the United States. Students engage in every aspect of launching a business, from concept selection and market research to budgeting, prototype creation, marketing, and final financial reporting. This year, 70 companies were narrowed down to 10 finalists representing six high schools in Miami-Dade County. Each team presented their business ideas to a panel of judges, comprising board members from JA Miami, local entrepreneurs, and community leaders. The winning team was awarded $400 per student and a chance to compete at the national Junior Achievement USA competition.
The program has a strong history of success, with last year’s top teams gaining national recognition at the Future Bound Summit. Notably, a team from Coral Gables Senior High School earned the ICE Best Financial Performance Award, while Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School’s team received the Student Choice Award.
The Soto-Wright Foundation, which Ivan established with Adrianna and Natalie Soto-Wright, plays a significant role in supporting the Junior Achievement initiative. The foundation’s mission is to provide young individuals with mentorship, resources, and real-life exposure necessary for entrepreneurship. Soto-Wright emphasized that programs like JA’s Company Program enable students to learn business by engaging directly with the entrepreneurial process. They face the same challenges real founders encounter, such as decision-making with limited information and team management.
Lourdes Diaz, Chief Academic Officer of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, also took the stage to underscore the event’s significance. Lourdes de la Mata Little, President and CEO of JA Miami, highlighted the program’s role in connecting students with local mentors and business leaders, thus fostering a talent pipeline essential for Miami’s expanding tech and innovation sectors.
Junior Achievement of Greater Miami serves over 38,000 public school students in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties each year. The organization provides free lessons in financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship, facilitated by local education partners and community volunteers. JA Miami proudly received the esteemed Five Star Status for 2023-2024 by JA USA and the 2024 NOVO Award from the Miami Chamber of Commerce.
