Five promising young business founders from Monaco and the French Riviera have been awarded a total of €100,000 by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the creator of the easy family of brands, in the inaugural Stelios Foundation Young Entrepreneur Awards in Monaco and the Riviera. The winners were announced at a ceremony on Thursday 15th May at the Stelios Foundation Conference Hall in Monaco.
The initiative, launched in 2025, aims to support early-stage business founders under the age of 35 whose startups are making an impact and creating jobs in the local economy. Of the €100,000 total prize fund, €70,000 was awarded in cash across five businesses, while €30,000 in advertising support was contributed by Riviera Radio to help the winners boost their visibility and growth.
“This is the first year of the awards and we received 29 applications,” said Sir Stelios. “With so many exceptional entrepreneurs and businesses, it was a very hard decision. In fact, we had originally planned for three winners, but the quality was so high that we decided to add two joint fourth-place prizes of €5,000 each.”
The awards were open to entrepreneurs aged 35 or younger who have founded a company registered in Monaco or France within the past five years. In a fitting coincidence, Sir Stelios noted that four of the five winners were not even born when he began building the easy brand empire in 1994. Two of the award-winning businesses are based in Monaco, while the remaining three are located in the South of France.
The goal, said Sir Stelios, is to empower young founders at a critical stage in their journey. “It’s not just about the cash. We want to help them build credibility, gain exposure, and ultimately create jobs in the region. I hope many more apply next year.”
Top honours for Monaco engineer
The €30,000 first prize was awarded to Yacine Bayar, founder of Sianatech, an industrial maintenance and engineering firm based in Fontvieille. “This award means so much to me,” Bayar said. “I’m incredibly proud because what we do is very industrial — it’s not flashy or tech-based — and yet we’ve been recognised. That credibility is worth even more than the money.”
Bayar, who employs seven people, plans to use the funds for online marketing and recruitment. “We’ll invest in Google and LinkedIn ads to reach new clients and grow our team,” he added. “It’s a huge boost for us.”
A stay-at-sea solution takes second place
Félix Nacach, 27, won €20,000 for his creative accommodation business Bed Boat, which offers affordable overnight stays on docked yachts in iconic harbours like Monaco and Cannes.
“When you come to a city like Monaco, the first thing people do is go to the harbour and dream of staying on a boat,” he said. “But it’s usually too expensive. With us, it’s ten times cheaper — you can relax, take photos, sleep onboard, and even go out to sea. This recognition from Sir Stelios and the advertising support from Riviera Radio will take us to the next level.”
Third prize for filmmaker behind the lens
Sébastien Perez, founder of Sez Productions, received €10,000 for his Cannes-based video production company, which works with global clients including Netflix, Amazon and Ritz-Carlton.
“I’ve always been behind the camera, so this kind of recognition is very special,” said Perez. “We’ve made over 1,000 videos, and now we’re expanding into social media strategy. The prize money will help us invest in new drones, hire staff, and market ourselves more effectively.”
Recognising originality and ambition
Two joint fourth-place prizes of €5,000 each were awarded to young founders showing exceptional creativity and potential.
Raphael Mena, owner of GOYA, a Spanish restaurant in Nice, said the prize would allow him to create an in-house charcuterie lab and grow his own produce. “This is a huge recognition of our daily work and passion,” he told Monaco Life. “Our goal is to bring authentic Spanish traditions to our customers through food and wine — and now we can take that a step further.”
Meanwhile, Lauren Aubert, 25, won for her concept store LAU Monte Carlo, which features rotating collections of fashion, jewellery and furniture at accessible prices. “I’ve put my whole heart into this project,” she said. “It’s difficult to start a business in Monaco — rent is high, the costs are real — but with this award, we can now launch an e-commerce site and even think about expanding into a bigger space.”
Aubert also offered advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs: “First, you should study the market. That is the most important thing. If you have an idea, it should always be about solving a real problem. The solution I found in Monaco was opening a shop that offers fair prices so that anyone living in or visiting the Principality can find something they love — and afford it.”
Giving back through business
The Stelios Foundation is personally funded by royalties from the easy family of companies. “What I’ve created for myself over the past 30 years is a steady income stream,” Sir Stelios said. “I use that to give back to society — and supporting young entrepreneurs is one of the best ways to do that.”
The awards coincided with the launch of MCBC III, a sleek new business hub on Port Hercule offering coworking spaces and offices for Monaco’s growing entrepreneur community.
See more in Cassandra Tanti’s video reel below…
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Photos courtesy Stelios Foundation