AREA – Air Conditioning and Refrigeration European Association and World Refrigeration Day have announced the winners of the 2026 European Rising Stars competition during the AREA General Assembly in Madrid, Spain.
The initiative highlights young professionals and women working in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps across Europe. The awards were presented in the presence of associations, industry leaders and European representatives from the HVAC/R sector.
Edouard Letot from France won Category A – Youth Best Practice. Milena Boettcher from Germany won Category B – Women in Cooling. Participants submitted short videos showing their passion, technical competence and commitment to sustainability, safety and innovation in the cooling sector.
The ceremony took place during the official dinner of the AREA General Assembly, with the participation of Coen van de Sande, President of AREA, and Steve Gill, Secretary of World Refrigeration Day. The winners were recognised for the quality of their videos and for their role as ambassadors and role models for future generations entering the sector.
“The European Rising Stars competition perfectly reflects the future of our sector: skilled young professionals, talented women, and passionate technicians committed to sustainability, safety and innovation. These winners are not only excellent professionals — they are also role models capable of inspiring a new generation to join the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry across Europe,” said Coen van de Sande, President of AREA.
Steve Gill, Secretary of World Refrigeration Day, said the competition helps show the human side of cooling and encourages future generations to join a sector that plays a role in modern society, health, food preservation, comfort and sustainability. He also noted that the same competition is available in Africa, where it originally started.
