Press Release: "Citi Presents IdeaPOP! 2026" Hong Kong Secondary School Students Startup Pitch Competition Concludes

[IMMEDIATE RELEASE]

"Citi Presents IdeaPOP! 2026" Hong Kong Secondary School Students Startup

Pitch Competition Concludes

The program welcomed LinkedIn as a Knowledge Sponsor and introduced

a new Mental Wellness and Resilience category

May 19, 2026, HONG KONG – "Citi Presents IdeaPOP! 2026", a startup pitch competition for secondary school students in Hong Kong organized by SEED Foundation and sponsored by Citi, concluded on May 16. The winning team was KTMC bye bye from Kwun Tong Maryknoll College, selected by a judging panel with representatives from Citi, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Lee Hysan Foundation, VCA Capital, University of Hong Kong, PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited and WeLab. The Audience Vote Award went to Pop-UP! the School from St. Paul's Secondary School for its solution addressing students’ health. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates, 90% of the teams incorporated AI into their solutions, and 20% integrated robotics.

KTMC bye bye, a team from Kwun Tong Maryknoll College, drew inspiration from the “sound memory method” to develop an AI-driven solution that automatically converts learning content into melodies. This approach enables students to internalize knowledge through music while enhancing their motivation. By integrating education with technology, the solution demonstrates the innovative potential of music-based learning to improve the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition.

This year, teams developed technology-driven solutions and business plans addressing one of four social challenges: Disability Inclusion, Elderly Care, Education, and Mental Wellness and Resilience. The Mental Wellness and Resilience category was newly introduced this year in partnership with Mind HK, addressing the subject’s growing importance within Hong Kong society. Each category was supported by a dedicated Social Partner that provided students with practitioner insights.

Aveline San, CEO and Banking Head for Citi Hong Kong said, "Citi is committed to collaborating with like-minded organizations such as the SEED Foundation to foster innovation and create meaningful

impact. As AI transforms our world, we are proud to empower the student teams, fueling their passion and innovative spirit in responsibly using the technology to create meaningful social solutions. This is more than a competition; it's our strategic investment to support our next gen talent in building a smarter, more inclusive future for Hong Kong."

Ms. Grace Wong, Chief Impact & Communications Officer of Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund said, "In the venture capital space, we often say we invest in people first, and ideas second. Judging the IdeaPOP! 2026 finals was a powerful reminder of why that holds true. The passion, resilience, and technological fluency these students brought to the stage were truly exceptional. They approached complex social issues with the mindset of seasoned founders. It is a privilege to act as an 'angel' to these young minds, helping them refine their business plans and take their first steps into the innovation economy.”

Clifford Chow, Vice President of Lee Hysan Foundation, said “Lee Hysan Foundation believes that empowering young people is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in our society’s future, and IdeaPOP! 2026 has only reinforced that commitment. The solutions presented today were not only technically impressive but grounded in a genuine understanding of real social needs. That combination of innovation and empathy is precisely what will enable this generation to drive lasting change.”

Vicky Kong, Citi’s Head of Wealth for Asia North and Australia and a first-time judge for the competition, commented, "I was struck by the creativity and ingenuity of the solutions presented by this year’s finalists. It is encouraging to see the majority of the student teams integrating AI into their proposals, as the technology continues to reshape how we live, work and innovate. Most importantly, the students demonstrated courage, empathy, resilience and critical thinking, which are all irreplaceable human skills in the AI era.”

Before the final pitch, a “Kick-start Day" was held for over 300 students, where over 70 industry professionals and social partners provided teams with early-stage feedback on their problem statements and proposals. Additionally, a newly introduced "Deep-dive Day, during which students returned to refine and optimize their proposals, helped teams to advance their solutions to further address real-life societal challenges. A new partnership with LinkedIn expanded the program’s self-learning resource hub, equipping students with professional skills beyond the mentorship.

Since its inception in 2021, the IdeaPOP! program has engaged over 3000 students in Hong Kong. Participants have developed more than 750 technology-based solutions aimed at addressing local societal needs. The initiative supports the SEED Foundation's mission to foster young talent and equip students with skills for a technology-driven economy in Hong Kong.

IdeaPOP! 2026 Result Announcement

Champion: KTMC bye bye | Kwun Tong Maryknoll College

1st Runner-up: Antique 奪保耆兵 | HKUGA College

2nd Runner-up: 「⾳」你⽽癒 | Diocesan Girls' School

3rd Runner-up: Pop-UP! the School | St. Paul's Secondary School

Audience Vote Award: Pop-UP! the School | St. Paul's Secondary School

For more details on the finalist teams and their solutions, please visit: https://seedfoundation.hk/ideapop/result-announcement/