Annemari Kovalainen
HR Director, Finland and Baltics ManpowerGroup
Presented by
About the award
The huManpower Award recognizes young entrepreneurs who combine strong business ideas with the human skills needed to perform in an AI-enabled world of work. It celebrates teams that demonstrate initiative, collaboration, adaptability, and effective use of technology while delivering solutions with real-world impact. About the Prize – Mentoring Winners receive a tailored mentoring experience with ManpowerGroup experts, focused on developing their business, strengthening leadership and employability skills, and navigating the intersection of human talent and technology. The aim is to accelerate both their venture and their personal growth.
How winners are chosen
Judging criteria
Human Potential & Personal Drive: The team demonstrates initiative, motivation, and accountability through concrete actions and decisions that move the project forward and deliver results.
Entrepreneurial Competence: The team applies critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, and communication to build a clear, relevant, and feasible solution to a real-world challenge.
Impact & Purpose: The team shows a clear understanding of the problem and stakeholders, with a credible pathway to positive social, environmental, or community impact supported by tangible outcomes or validation.
Human Skills in a Digital Economy: The team demonstrates effective collaboration, adaptability, and ethical awareness in working with others and using digital tools or AI to enhance performance, decision-making, and outcomes.
Future Readiness (Employability & Learning Agility): The team demonstrates readiness for the future of work by applying curiosity, resilience, and adaptability to improve their approach and respond effectively to changing conditions.
Meet the jury
Judges
Laura D'Amico
Vice President Global Learning & Leadership Development ManpowerGroup
2026 Winner Spotlight
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Meet the team