The SAIF International Youth Leadership in Finance Summit, hosted by the Master of Finance program at the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance(SAIF), invites driven undergraduate students worldwide to experience an immersive finance summit in Shanghai. With over a decade of successful summits, IYLFS has become one of the most restigious and influential finance competitions in China and is increasingly recognized on the global stage.
The 2025 SAIF International Youth Leadership Finance Summit offers a new platform where technology meets products, engineering meets markets, and innovation meets capital. Join us to explore real opportunities, gain cross-disciplinary insights, and discover the next generation of unicorns in the AI era.
Final Round Date
Mid-to-late March 2026
Overview
| Stage | Mode | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Round | Online report submission | Chinese or English |
| Final Round | On-site presentation | English only |
RSVP
https://apply.saif.sjtu.edu.cn/user/login/saif/43 （Desktop recommended）
Who can apply: Open to undergraduate students from all majors and years.
Team Composition: Teams of 3-6 with diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged. Each participant must register individually, submit the required information, and join a team. Each team should designate a team leader.
Schedule：
| Apply now | Before January 18, 2026, 23:59 (GMT+8) |
| Report Submission | Before February 8, 2026, 23:59 (GMT+8) |
| Preliminary Results | Mid-February 2026 |
| Training Sessions | Mid-to-late February 2026 *Online，Open to finalists |
| Final Round | Mid-to-late March 2026 *On-site，Shanghai |
* All participants must register as part of a team.
* Teams can submit reports immediately after registration.
■ Industry-Led Insights: Learn directly from industry experts how AI technologies scale into real-world products, businesses, and capital markets.
■ Structured AI & Investment Training: Gain a systematic understanding of AI fundamentals, investment trends, and how technology-driven value is assessed.
■ Build a Global Network: Connect with talented peers from around the world, creating lasting academic and professional relationships.
■ Enhance Practical Skills: Develop your teamwork, leadership, and adaptability skills—essential for a successful career in finance.
Plus, You’ll Benefit From
☑ Generous prizes and awards
☑ A prestigious international competition experience
☑ A direct interview opportunity with the SAIF Master of Finance Program
Report: Each team is required to submit an AI Innovation Project Business Analysis Report based on an AI project designated by the Organizing Committee. (Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) + Length: No more than 20 pages)
Language：Chinese or English
Report Submission：mf.summit@saif.sjtu.edu.cn，（File name：Team Name + Team Leader Name + Report Title）
Key Content (including but not limited to):
☑ Product & Technology Analysis：How does the product work, and why does it matter?（Technical Insight）
☑ Market & Competitive Landscape：Who is the customer, and how big is the opportunity?（TAM/SAM/SOM analysis ）
☑ Consumer Insights & User Research：Conduct in-depth research with at least five target users to identify what real problems are users trying to solve?（Consumer Analysis）
☑ Business Model & Growth Strategy：How does the product make money and scale efficiently?(Unit Economics)
☑ Future Outlook & Risk Assessment：Can the business survive and win in a rapidly evolving AI landscape?
Track 1: Emotional Companionship & Virtual Social Interaction
CHAI AI: A consumer-facing generative AI character chat platform
Character.AI: A conversational platform that enables users to create and engage in long-term interactions with AI characters.
Talkie: An AI chat application focused on immersive role-playing and emotionally driven conversations.
Track 2: Productivity & Knowledge Management
Gamma: A productivity tool that uses generative AI to reimagine presentation creation and structured content workflows.
Plaud AI: An AI-powered voice recording and intelligent summarization tool integrating both hardware and software.
Grammarly: An AI-powered writing and language quality management platform for individual and enterprise users.
Track 3: Education & Skill Development
Find Your Grind: A career exploration and future skills discovery platform designed for K–12 students.
Dex: A children’s immersive language learning device built around real-time camera input and AI-based recognition.
Oboe: A personalized learning system built on generative AI.
Track 4: Creative Content Generation
Mirelo: An AI-powered sound effects and music generation tool for creators.
ElevenLabs: An AI platform specializing in highly natural text-to-speech and voice cloning.
HeyGen: An AI video generation platform designed for marketing and content creators.
Track 5: Health, Fitness & Wellbeing
Oura Ring: A health tracking platform that continuously collects physiological data through a smart ring.
Momo AI (First Voyage): An AI-powered emotional wellness app combining virtual pets with gamified self-care experiences.
BodyPark: An AI fitness companion offering personalized training programs and real-time feedback.
Track 6: Gaming & Entertainment Experiences
Wolf Games: A platform that leverages generative AI to create interactive entertainment experience
Series（Rho Engine）: An AI-powered game engine designed for developers.
Inworld AI: A developer platform providing AI-driven character behavior and dialogue systems for games and virtual worlds.
Theme
AI industry structure, commercialization stages, and opportunity identification across key sectors
Key Topics
■ Stages of AI industry development and value migration trends
■ The relationship between technological breakthroughs, engineering execution, and commercial validation
■ Global AI investment and innovation hotspots for 2025–2026
■ Industry logic and business characteristics of six major AI innovation tracks
■ How investors and industry leaders evaluate early-stage AI project value
■ AI Product Business Analysis Framework
Learning Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
■ Develop a macro-level, structured understanding of the AI industry
■ Acquire foundational methods to evaluate AI project feasibility from an industry and sector perspective
■ Build a practical framework for AI company research and business analysis
Eligibility
Open to all teams participating in the 2025–2026 SAIF IYLFS (Successful team registration is required)
Format
Live online lecture by industry expert
Schedule
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
19:30–21:00 (GMT+8)
Certificate
Participants who complete the course, submit post-class learning notes, and pass the expert evaluation will receive an official Learning Certificate issued by Datawhale.
Course Speaker | Monica WANG
Entrepreneur · Investor · Founder of AGI Villa
Monica Wang is a serial entrepreneur and investor, and the founder of AGI Villa. AGI Villa is a venture studio for technology and AI entrepreneurs, focused on AI-driven product innovation, commercialization pathways, and global market execution. Through project co-building and community-based incubation, it supports the systematic growth and international expansion of early-stage AI ventures.
She previously served as CMO at Zion No-Code / Momen AI (backed by Sequoia Capital and Linear Capital), Assistant to the Dean at the Institute of Industrial Innovation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and a core contributor to the SuperBrain AI Incubator. She has long been deeply involved in AI and technology innovation in practice, with a particular emphasis on cross-market adaptation of AI products and global business model design. In recent years, she has continued to invest heavily in building the AI entrepreneurship ecosystem and has been invited to share her experience in innovation incubation and global innovation at Harvard University.
As a partner or CMO, she has accompanied multiple technology startups from 0 to 1, with related projects collectively raising over RMB 1.5 billion from leading venture capital firms. She brings a strong cross-industry and international background, having previously worked as a journalist at Xinhua News Agency. She is currently an entrepreneurship mentor for a national-level innovation and entrepreneurship demonstration base under China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and an EMBA alumna of Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF).
She is also a mother of three and a marathon runner.
Address: Room 402, No. 211, West Huaihai Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200030
Email: mf.summit@saif.sjtu.edu.cn
Phone: 86-21-62934968
Website: http://mf.saif.sjtu.edu.cn
211 West Huaihai Road
Shanghai 200030, China
Tel: +86 21 6293 3500
9th Floor, Building T6, Hongqiao Hui
990 Shenchang Road
Shanghai 201106, China
3rd Floor, Building D, Chenfeng Building
800 Tongpu Road
Shanghai 200062, China
5th Floor, West Tower, World Financial Centre
1 Dong San Huan Middle Road
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, China
Tel: +86 10 5081 5880
1203 Tower 7, One Shenzhen Bay
Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518000, China
Tel: +86 755 8663 8815
© Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance All Rights Reserved.
Top
