The entrepreneurial heartbeat of the French Riviera took centre stage on Thursday 21st May, as the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation hosted the highly anticipated Stelios Foundation Young Entrepreneurs Awards. Held at the Foundation’s headquarters in Monaco, the prestigious ceremony gathered the region’s elite business minds, investors and community leaders to celebrate next-generation business talent operating across the South of France and the Principality.
The awards, spearheaded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou—the legendary billionaire philanthropist and founder of the Easy family of brands (including easyJet)—identify and support young, agile startups driving economic vitality.
When asked by Monaco Life why fostering this early-stage business ecosystem matters so much for the region, Sir Stelios was remarkably direct about the realities of modern economics:
“Creating new jobs starts by encouraging young people to create new businesses,” Sir Stelios explained. “Big businesses sometimes shrink—they sometimes make people redundant. So it’s the young startups that create the new jobs in an economy, and I think it’s good for our communities.”
Reflecting on his own journey launching easyJet at just 27 years old, Sir Stelios added that youth provides a unique, almost fearless advantage when navigating the volatile waters of business ownership: “The best time to do it is before you understand how much risk you’re taking. So start at 27 or 28, and by 32 or 33, you are successful.”
The top spot: Félix Nacach’s BedBoat sails to victory
The crowning moment of the ceremony belonged to Félix Nacach, the founder of BedBoat. Nacach is a familiar face to the foundation; having successfully secured second place at last year’s awards, his persistent effort, resilience and excellent operational achievements over the past twelve months propelled him straight to the top. As the first-place grand prize winner, Nacach walked away with the coveted €30,000 cash prize to fund the continued expansion of his innovative maritime venture.
BedBoat has rapidly disrupted the local nautical tourism market by transforming moored vessels into premium, hotel-style accommodations. By unlocking underutilised assets in ports across the Riviera, Nacach’s platform offers travellers a unique luxury experience while providing boat owners with a seamless stream of passive revenue.
“Reaching the top spot this year is a massive validation of our growth and persistence,” Nacach shared with Monaco Life. The €30,000 injection will pivotally scale BedBoat‘s digital infrastructure and expand its footprint across premium Mediterranean berths.
High-tier mentorship wins second place
Securing the coveted second-place award was Tina Lyberaki, the founder of Athena Academia, an ultra-premium personalised education and mentorship institution located directly in front of the Vanguard in Monaco.
A University of Seattle physics graduate, Lyberaki spent a decade tutoring maths and physics in the Principality before launching the academy to serve a discerning demographic split between the International School of Monaco and elite Swiss boarding schools like Aiglon College. With a network of 50 high-level international teachers, primarily Oxford graduates, Lyberaki rejects the term ‘agency’, viewing her role as deeply psychological.
“We don’t just put a tutor and a student together,” Lyberaki explained to Monaco Life. “I personally visit the family home to analyse the student’s energy and personality—whether they face emotional difficulties or ADHD—and hand-select the perfect tutor. When you establish that exact bond of energy, the student blooms completely.”
For Lyberaki, the public stage of the Stelios Awards offers a vital platform to reach more families navigating the pressures of elite education, noting that roughly 20% of her current student body actively battles modern anxiety and ADHD.
Disruption in traditional sectors
The 2026 finalists perfectly embodied this fearless ethos, showcasing how entrepreneurial drive can breathe vital innovation into traditionally conservative industries.
Taking a prominent top-three position was Pierre Athimon, founder of Corporate Assurances, an independent brokerage specialising in industrial, commercial and complex risk across France and Monaco. Navigating intricate corporate safeguards requires absolute focus, a trait Athimon credits for his success.
“The best piece of business advice I’ve received in my life is probably to go straight and never look back,” Athimon explained to Monaco Life. “You have one target and you have to reach it. So don’t listen to people, don’t look the other way—just go straight to your point and it will be fine.”
For Athimon, the accolade carries profound weight due to the calibre of the judging panel and his contemporaries. “It’s a big opportunity because, in my point of view, Sir Stelios is a big businessman, and most of all, he is a charitable man for entrepreneurs.”
Green healthcare and corporate logistics share fourth
In a testament to the diverse talent on display, the joint fourth-place prize saw two standout entrepreneurs receive €5,000 each toward their ventures.
Paola Alemanno Grislain, the driving force behind Ambulances du Rocher, turned heads in the premium medical sector. Her Monaco-based medical transport company focuses on high-end patient transportation, combining absolute clinical reliability with cutting-edge modernisation. Built on a dual vision of complete digital end-to-end integration and an eco-responsible, fully electric ambulance fleet, her business brings vital modern innovation to a traditionally conservative sector.
“Receiving this prize means recognition of all the innovation we want to bring to a very traditional sector,” Alemanno Grislain noted. “It highlights the vital impact that modern, eco-conscious entrepreneurship can create today.”
Sharing the fourth-place honours was Romain Le Rouge, celebrated for his exceptional work at the helm of ExcelloCenter, a corporate logistics and business solutions hub making major waves on the Riviera.
Fuelling Monaco’s next generation
By pairing financial backing with elite peer recognition, the Stelios Foundation continues to ensure that Monaco’s economic ecosystem remains dynamic, resilient and forward-thinking. The Thursday ceremony proved once again that the best investment the community can make is in the unfiltered ambition of its youth.
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Photo from left to right: Pierre Athimon, Sir Stelios and Felix Nacach. Bottom, from left to right: Romain Le Rouge, Tina Lyberaki and Paola Alemanno Grislain.