From March 21st to March 22nd, the 2025–2026 International Youth Leadership Finance Summit (IYLFS), hosted by the Master of Finance (MF) Program of Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), successfully concluded in Shanghai.
This year’s summit centered on the theme “Hunt the Next AI Unicorn”. Drawing on the latest developments in Silicon Valley and China’s AI markets, six high-potential AI tracks were identified: Emotional Companionship & Virtual Social Interaction, Productivity & Knowledge Management, Education & Skills Development, Creative Content Generation, Sport Health & Mind-Body Management, and Gaming & Entertainment. Under these tracks, the organizing committee selected 18 companies featuring innovative technology or distinctive business models as research cases, encouraging young participants to conduct in-depth studies covering founder interviews, customer research, market and competitive analysis, and business valuation.
Beyond competition, participants learned from experienced industry experts, exchanged perspectives with creative peers, and gained insights into technology, product, investment, and commercialization. The summit also offered systematic training on AI fundamentals, investment trends, and unicorn case studies—bridging theory and practice.
Guest speakers and judges included Professor David X. Li (MF Program Faculty Director); Zhetao Zhang (Vice President of Carlyle Group, SAIF Lecturer); Lin Yang (Director of SAIF MF Program); Mengyu Jiang (Vice President of Yunqi Partners); Professor Siheng Chen (Associate Professor at School of Artificial Intelligence, SJTU); Junpeng Wang (Technology Partner of Data Canvas); Yipei Wei (Co-founder of AFFiNE); and Shiyao Wang (Initiator of AGI Villa). CFA Institute served as a strategic partner, providing special awards.
The summit lasted four months, including preliminary selections, systematic training, and the final competition. It attracted over 1,000 participants from top universities worldwide, who submitted hundreds of research reports. After a rigorous selection process, 28 teams advanced to the finals, and more than 100 young talents gathered in Shanghai to showcase their ideas.
At the opening ceremony, Professor David X. Li noted that AI is driving a fundamental shift in thinking. “To learn and master AI, we must first liberate our own thinking, and then rethink everything we have learned and will do.” In this sense, the summit’s greatest value lies in encouraging participants to step outside traditional frameworks and explore the frontier where technology, capital, and innovation converge.
Lin Yang noted that IYLFS has been held 13 times since 2013, becoming one of China’s most influential and credible university competitions. The summit aims to build a platform for students globally to engage with frontier issues in finance, integrating academic thinking, practical exploration, and international dialogue. “This is an immersive financial experience. Use the platform to learn, exchange ideas, and discover your true direction in finance,” said Yang.
In 2026, AI is moving from the “technology breakthrough” into the “engineering and commercial validation”. What is truly scarce is no longer isolated algorithmic capability, but the combination of engineering judgment, systems thinking, and business execution. Beyond offering an international competition platform, this summit focused on building three key capabilities:
1. Expert guidance – Through round-table case studies, judging feedback, and live Q&A, students learned how investors and industry professionals assess the technical and business value of AI projects.
2. Systematic training – A full curriculum covering AI fundamentals, investment trends, and deep dive unicorn case analyses.
3. Hands on business analysis – Completing business analysis reports on real AI innovation projects to develop analytical skills that resonate with markets and capital.
A special panel discussion was held on AI project investment, building defensible moats, and career development for young professionals. Panelists noted that the long term value of an AI project lies in solving user pain points, having a clear business path, and sustaining iterative capabilities. Differentiation is shifting toward product quality, user understanding, team strength, and execution. They emphasized the importance of bold imagination and long termism, and encouraged students to seize AI opportunities by developing business acumen and global perspective early.
In the final live presentations, judges evaluated teams across finance, investment, technology, industry, operations, and entrepreneurship. They praised participants for merging theory with practice, demonstrating critical thinking, global vision, and sharp insights into AI-finance convergence, as well as strong presentation and adaptability. Judges also provided forward looking and actionable feedback to each team.
The award winners are as follows:
First Prize: Pre Unicorn Lab
Second Prize: Hu Shang Liu Ren Xing, Team Nexus
Third Prize: FortuneTellers, GLORY, MonkeyAI
Best AI Business & Investment Insight Prize: Pre Unicorn Lab
Best Research Report Prize: Hui Sheng Shi Yan Shi, Du Jiao Shou Lie Shou
Best Presentation Prize: Aegis Ventures, EchoMind, MujicaPlus
Fifteen additional students received the Outstanding Individual Award. Tingting Chai, representing the CFA Institute, presented the scholarship to the first prize team.
