Singapore, August 21, 2025 – Federal Express Corporation, one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, together with Junior Achievement (JA), announced the winners of the 2025 FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge Asia Pacific finals held at a live event in Singapore.
This year’s competition attracted over 4,700 students from 9 markets including Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
54 students gathered in Singapore for the Asia Pacific finals and were tasked to create a market entry strategy for an eco-friendly product that upcycles discarded textiles into sustainable consumer goods, with France being the target market. With growing discourse among consumers on how products affect the environment, and the role corporations can play in shaping a sustainable future, the challenge was particularly relevant. Students were paired into teams of two from different markets, to foster cross-cultural understanding. The student teams then pitched their idea to a panel of judges made up of Singapore’s leading entrepreneurs and small business owners.
“For nearly two decades, FedEx has proudly championed this program, empowering young entrepreneurs to think beyond borders and create solutions that address real-world challenges. In today’s interconnected economy, innovation goes hand in hand with building smarter, more resilient supply chains, and the next generation of business leaders will be at the forefront of this transformation. By fostering their creativity, determination, and global mindset, we’re investing in the future of commerce, one that is more connected, sustainable, and equipped to navigate the complexities of global trade,” said Kawal Preet, president, Asia Pacific, FedEx.
The first-place winners were Team Spicy Noodles, consisting of Jamie Smith from the Republic of Korea and Kathy Nguyen from Vietnam. They impressed the judges with their innovative concept of an eco-friendly upcycling brand that transforms discarded textiles into custom embroidered artwork.
The two runner-up teams were Team Innovement, composed of Janelle Anika S. Tan from the Philippines and Royden So from Hong Kong SAR, who developed a smart wall panel made from discarded textile waste; and Team ReTex, consisting of Panasarn Traithavil from Thailand and Lan Anh Phan from Vietnam, who proposed a new line of residential solar panels.
“Competing alongside such talented peers from across Asia Pacific has been transformative. This challenge pushed us beyond textbook theories into real-world problem-solving, where we learned that successful international trade requires not just business acumen, but cultural sensitivity and genuine collaboration. This experience has given us the confidence to pursue entrepreneurial ventures that can make a meaningful impact across borders,” said Jamie Smith from the Republic of Korea and Kathy Nguyen from Vietnam of the winning Team Spicy Noodles.
“Every time we bring young people together from across the Asia Pacific region, we see not just talent, but vision, drive, and the courage to build a better future for all. The FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge inspires our young leaders to collaborate with their partners, connect across borders, and grow as changemakers. At Junior Achievement, we remain deeply committed to unlocking the latent potential in our children and youth. When shown the trust and given the opportunity, they don’t simply step out into the world - they create a better one.” said Maziar Sabet, president and CEO, JA Asia Pacific.
FedEx believes that investing in mentorship is essential to empowering the next generation of leaders to thrive. Hence, for the first time, the APAC winners will an exclusive opportunity to deepen their understanding of global commerce. They will visit FedEx operations facilities in their local markets and connect directly with team members. This hands-on experience will offer invaluable insights into the complexities of global logistics and supply chain management, equipping them with practical knowledge to complement their entrepreneurial journeys.
The FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge program is jointly organized by FedEx and JA Asia Pacific, a member of JA Worldwide. In the last 19 years, over 50,000 students across Asia Pacific have been introduced to the world of business, economics and international trade through this program which incorporates classroom learning and practical teamwork exercises. In addition to supporting young entrepreneurs through JA ITC, FedEx has been organizing the Small Business Grant Contest (SBGC) to support small-and-medium-enterprises (SMEs) across Asia Pacific.
Judges of the competition, comprised of entrepreneurs and business leaders, were impressed by the organization of the competition and the efforts made by the students.
“The JA judging experience was very meaningful - it gave me a renewed sense of optimism; the future is the next generation - and I was thoroughly impressed by the effort and the proposals by the youth.” Nivedita Venkateish, Founder of Aire.
“I was impressed by the energy, creativity and caliber of the student presentations, and feel very excited about the next generation of entrepreneurs from APAC.” Belina Tan, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The Walt Disney Company.
“The ideas and presentations, all done in only 48 hours were amazing. There’s so much to learn from the youths and I hope this valuable experience will continue to shape them as entrepreneurs throughout their lives.” Kloe Ng, Co-founder of Out of The Box Edu.
“It’s always inspiring to see our brilliant younger generation navigate different languages/cultures and time pressures to present such creative and cogent business pitches. Kudos to JA and FedEx for organizing this challenge year after year.”Ze Ming Chan, Head of Growth Innovation, Foodpanda.
“I found the FedEx/JA student competition a model for helping to prepare our next generation as future leaders and entrepreneurs, I hope the students benefited, I know the judges did, such a heartfelt day of sharing our experiences from work and life, with this group of students from across Asia, they were all amazing.” Rodney Geres, Senior Director, ICE.
“The partnership between FedEx and JA creates a launchpad where the next generation learns that their ideas can travel as far as their imagination. Judging this Challenge was a front-row seat to that impact.” Camille R. Blair Camille, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Francis LLC.
“The achievement and potential of our next generation in Asia inspire confidence in our future.” Daniel Yeung, Director, Tigris Water Company.
“10 years ago, winning JA’s Social Innovation Relay was the spark that started my journey down the entrepreneurship rabbit hole. It’s been an honor to have the opportunity to sit on the other side of the table and review the tremendously well-crafted presentations by all participating students today, and I hope that they can carry that spark to guide their own journeys to find their passion and voice.” Kristoffer Jacek Soh Zhi Wei, Co-Founder & CEO, Beep.