Citi Presents IdeaPOP! 2026 Grand Final Wrap-Up: Where Big Ideas Come to Life

In the just-concluded Citi Presents IdeaPOP! 2026 Secondary School Startup Pitch Competition last Saturday, we saw student innovation come to life through creativity and a strong sense of social purpose. With 300+ students and 80 teams shortlisted, students channelled creativity and purpose into real-world solutions shaped by genuine community needs.

Prevailing through multiple rounds of rigorous qualifiers, the Champion team "KTMC bye bye" from Kwun Tong Maryknoll College took home the title with 'Rhythmarise', an AI-enabled concept that transforms classic Chinese literary texts into R&B songs, making learning more engaging and memorable.

This competition is more than a pitch presentation. It is a live example of how cross-sector collaboration can support youth innovation through education investment, mentorship and real-world exposure, so that ideas can truly land and create sustained impact.

Adding to that spirit, this year's Grand Final judging panel was composed of senior leaders from Citi, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Lee Hysan Foundation, The University of Hong Kong, VCA Capital, PARKnSHOP (Hong Kong) Limited and WeLab. Beyond evaluating the teams, they played an integral role in the students' innovation journey through meaningful professional guidance and authentic feedback on the day.

Ms. Vicky Kong, Head of Wealth, Asia North and Australia, Citi, and Chief Executive, Citibank (Hong Kong) Limited, noted that AI has become part of everyday life and encouraged young people to use AI to strengthen independent thinking and serve society. Ms. Grace Wong, Chief Impact and Communications Officer at Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, praised the Champion team for the creative use of music, while building a community to sustain the business, and emphasised that projects must go beyond concepts to consider real-world implementation.

Thank you to Citi for their continued support, and to our sponsors, judges, partners, mentors and teachers who made this journey possible.