HONG KONG SAR, China, July 18, 2023 — FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, announced the six winners of the 2023 FedEx Express/ Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (FedEx/JA ITC) Hong Kong Finals.
The FedEx/JA ITC promotes business knowledge through practical teamwork exercises and classroom learning. The Hong Kong Finals were held at the local FedEx office on July 15, marking FedEx Hong Kong’s first offline FedEx/JA ITC event since the pandemic. The 10 shortlisted teams, each consisting of two students, presented their product ideas and marketing plans targeting overseas markets. Three teams impressed the judges with their innovative business ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.
This year, participants were tasked with developing a sustainable alternative to a single-use product of their choice for the South Africa market. The three winning teams advancing to the finals are:
1. Team: Incandescent
Names of students: Kenneth Kai and Leroy Lau
School: La Salle College
Product presented: Students developed a “Mine & Craft Package” for workers which includes a thermal water bag, a reusable protective coverall with attached gloves and a reusable earmuff. The team hopes to create perpetuating demand for services and connect with companies through “reusable services” by offering IoT maintenance and sterilisation services.
2. Team: The Power ParTners
Names of students: Kevin Lu and Alexander Kwong
School: La Salle College
Product presented: Students planned to produce affordable bioplastics through making use of South Africa’s local abundance of corn stover waste from maize. The product caters towards local markets, making jobs while also saving the environment. Breakthroughs in bioplastic technology in recent years allowed corn stover to be raw materials of PLA. Given South Africa is the world’s nineth largest corn producer, and there are very few alternative uses for corn stalks, it makes them a cheap and ideal raw material for bioplastics production.
3. Team: Strategy Strikers
Names of students: Tosca Cheung and Jasmine Kwok
School: St. Paul’s Convent School
Product presented: Students developed a reusable mask which is made up of silicone, organic cotton and some sustainable materials. The silicone helps maintain the mask’s shape after being used , while the sustainable materials help reduce environmental harm when disposing the mask. The mask could help reduce 3.3 million of mask disposal per year in South Africa.
The teams were evaluated based on the comprehensiveness of their business plans, market analysis and creativity by a panel of professional judges, including Anthony Leung, Managing Director, FedEx Express, Hong Kong and Macau, Dan Cheung, Co-founder, Asia Pacific Youth Development Foundation, and Vivian Choi, Chief Executive Officer, Junior Achievement Hong Kong.
To foster collaborative thinking and encourage diverse ideas from various cultural backgrounds, the six Hong Kong winners will collaborate with students from ten different markets in the [1]Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) markets at the FedEx/JA ITC Asia Pacific Finals which will take place online from August 21 to 23, 2023.
“We are delighted to support Junior Achievement for the 17th year to cultivate the entrepreneurial mindset of Hong Kong students.” said Anthony Leung, Managing Director, FedEx Express, Hong Kong and Macau. “We are committed to equipping youth with the tools they need to succeed in today’s rapidly changing business world. The FedEx/JA ITC program inspires local students to generate ideas and create solutions which are essential for nurturing young entrepreneurs in Hong Kong.”
“We are honored to partner with FedEx Express for the past 17 years to broaden the international perspective of our students and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit of the young generation through workshops, mentorship and competition. We aim to create a sustainable future for the upcoming generations as we transition to a post-pandemic era. We hope that more young people in Hong Kong will keep an open mind about global developments, embracing and contributing to our community,” said Vivian Choi, Chief Executive Officer of Junior Achievement Hong Kong.
Since 2007, FedEx has been supporting JA to inspire young generations to seize global opportunities. The 17 years of collaboration testify to the company’s commitment to global entrepreneurship. Over the years, the FedEx/JA ITC program has inspired over 4,600 students in Hong Kong through International Trade Workshops, over 850 Hong Kong students have participated in the Hong Kong Finals and 95 Hong Kong delegates have participated in regional finals with impressive results.
Please visit here for more photos of the 2023 FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge.
[1] Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam