FWD Group extends partnership with JA Worldwide for its award-winning financial literacy programme

Hong Kong, 30 April 2025 – FWD Group Holdings Limited (“FWD Group” or “FWD”) today announced a three-year extension of its partnership with JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide – a youth-focused charity and Nobel Peace Prize 2025 nominee – to reach at least 34,850 more students across Asia by the end of 2027 with its award-winning financial literacy programme.

Hong Kong SAR's “Zester” Triumphs at the 2025 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year Competition in Tokyo

Junior Achievement (JA) Asia Pacific is proud to announce that Zester, a student company from Hong Kong SAR, has been crowned the JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year 2025. Competing against 21 innovative student teams from 12 markets across the Asia Pacific region, Zester impressed the judges with their entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact.

JA SparktheDream Social Challenge 2024:
Celebrating Youth Innovation and Financial Empowerment Across Asia Pacific

Four outstanding student teams from the Asia Pacific region have achieved top honors in the JA SparktheDream Social Challenge 2024, securing first, second (tied), and third places for their innovative solutions to local community challenges. These teams were selected from an inspiring group of 14 finalists who emerged victorious in their respective national competitions across seven regional markets.

The Republic of Korea Clinches Top Honors at JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year Competition 2024

Team O’BGE won against 20 other Teams from 12 markets in Asia Pacific. Special Awards given for Best Business Video Award, Product of the Year Award; Best Financial Management Award; and the Popular Choice award.

Malaysia Welcomes JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year Competition for a Second Time

The JA Company of the Year Competition, held for the second time in Malaysia, is a celebration of both business achievements and personal development. 21 Teams from 12 markets in Asia Pacific will battle for the JA Company of the Year Award.

8th Starbucks Korea Community Store launched in partnership with JA Korea to bolster youth employment

On 9th January 2024, Starbucks Korea inaugurated Starbucks Jongno R as its eighth Community Store, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to supporting youth employment. A segment of the sales generated by this store will be contributed to Junior Achievement Korea (JA Korea), facilitating opportunities for young people.

JA SparktheDream Social Challenge 2023 Winners Announced

The Social Challenge is a competition in which junior youth were invited to submit their innovative ideas for improving and making an impact on their local communities. Three teams of Junior Achievement students in the Asia Pacific region have been selected as first-, second-, and third-place winners at the regional JA SparktheDream Social Challenge 2023. The winning teams were selected from finalists of national Social Challenges from more than 60 teams that submitted videos in six markets across Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam).

Cha-Ching 2023 Launch (Philippines) Manila Times

Cha-Ching program to make 1M young students 'money smart'.

Junior Achievement Philippines (JA PH) has relaunched its award-winning financial literacy education program "Cha-Ching" to reach 1 million students and 28,000 teachers nationwide and teach money management skills.

Empowering The Next Generation of Entrepreneurs: Winners of Annual FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge Emerge from 60 Finalists and 5,000 Student Participants

Close to 5,000 participants representing 10 AMEA markets – Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam – competed for the 60 places in this year’s regional finals. The finalists presented their ideas to a panel of distinguished judges following three days of intense competition held virtually from August 21 to 23.

JA Worldwide and BASF announce Young Voices for a Sustainable Future Innovation Challenge for a Just Transition

With climate change being one of the most urgent challenges facing society, BASF has launched a partnership with JA Worldwide and eight JA member nations to encourage young people to contribute to a just transition and a sustainable future. Today, young people make up over 40% of the world’s population.  With a profound shift toward a greater emphasis on building sustainability in all facets of life: the economy, the environment, and in society, we are obligated to actively engage young people in this dynamic transformation. Through this collaboration, BASF joins JA in its abiding belief that youth must play a central role now as we build a just and sustainable future.

FWD Group partners with JA Asia Pacific to educate minds and spark dreams through financial literacy and social innovation

FWD Group (“FWD”), a pan-Asian life insurance company, is supporting a new programme that aims to promote financial inclusion and empower young people across the Asia Pacific region. JA SparktheDream, developed by Junior Achievement Hong Kong (JA Hong Kong) together with FWD, begins by acquainting young students with essential financial literacy skills and concepts. But it goes further than just imparting knowledge – it also reinforces concepts through engaging games and invites young people to work with their parents and peers to imagine how they can apply this knowledge for social good.

Promising Future for Asian Entrepreneurship as the Winners of the 14th Annual FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge Competition Announced

This year, student teams of two were tasked with creating a market entry strategy for a mental wellbeing product in South Africa. The winning team was The Breakfast Club comprising Chloe Jazzy Lau from Hong Kong SAR and Aljo Benedicto from the Philippines for their idea to create a biometrics sensor powered by a smart app to detect anxiety attacks. 

The winners won out of a group of 52 high school student finalists representing nine Asia Pacific markets (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam) competing in the event. The FedEx / JA ITC competition was held entirely virtually for the first time in its 14-year history due to the ongoing pandemic. 

Nurturing the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs: Winners of the 15th Annual FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge Announced

The 15th edition of FedEx Express/JA International Trade Challenge (ITC) finals drew students from ten AMEA markets - Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. Despite the pandemic and specifically how it has impacted societies, the student teams of two were tasked with creating a market entry strategy for a physical product to the United Kingdom that will enable people to recover from or overcome the impact.

Student Entrepreneurs from Across Asia Pacific Set to Compete at 14th Annual FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge Asia Pacific Finals

This year, 52 high school students, aged 14 to 20, representing nine Asia Pacific markets will compete in the Asia Pacific Finals. Over a period of seven months, the competition drew more than 2,900 aspiring student innovators from across the region to create market entry strategies for a variety of products and services for their respective local challenges. The finalists comprise the local market winners from China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 

Young Entrepreneurs from Singapore Crowned Winners of the 2020 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year Virtual Competition

This year marks the 10th edition of JA AP COY, where 17 student companies took part in the first ever virtual iteration of the competition in the Asia Pacific region. The student companies represented 11 locations including: Brunei, China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Turkmenistan.

Young Entrepreneurs from Guam Scoop FedEx Global Possibilities Award at the 2020 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year Competition

Student entrepreneurs of Pasiadot from Guam won the FedEx Global Possibilities Award at the 2020 Junior Achievement (JA) Asia Pacific Company of the Year Competition. Sponsored by FedEx Express (FedEx), the world’s largest express transportation company, the FedEx Global Possibilities Award celebrates the next generation of innovators and this program plays an important role in developing the entrepreneurial spirit of young people. 

JA Asia Pacific brings 17 student companies from 11 Asia Pacific locations in first ever “virtual” JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year Virtual Competition

The 2020 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year Competition (JA AP COY) is set to be held virtually from August 24 to 26, 2020.

The JA AP COY is JA Asia Pacific’s annual celebration of the achievements of young entrepreneurs in the region. The Company Program and annual regional competition help young people understand the role of business in the global economy by allowing students to organize and operate an actual business enterprise – where they must market and sell a product or service in the real world. 

Organized by JA Asia Pacific and this year hosted by JA Guam, the 2020 JA AP COY represents the 10th edition of the competition - and first ever virtual iteration - for JA Asia Pacific. Participating student companies will represent 11 locations including: Brunei, China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Turkmenistan.

Maziar Sabet Assumes Leadership of JA Asia Pacific

Starting today, Maziar Sabet assumes the position of President and CEO of JA Asia Pacific, which oversees JA operations in 18 locations. A seasoned executive, Maziar brings extensive management and global business development experience to JA Asia Pacific. He has an impressive track record of value creation in education and philanthropy. He lived in Singapore for seven years and has resided in Hong Kong since 2013.

Millennial Entrepreneurs Showcase Innovative Approach for Endless Business Possibilities

A team of student entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Singapore were named winners of the 2019 FedEx Express/JA International Trade Challenge (FedEx/JA ITC) Asia Pacific Finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This year, the finalist teams presented market entry strategy plans for a medical device product in Germany. Team Prost comprised of Noelle Pang from Hong Kong and Kenneth Tee from Singapore beat 29 teams from across the region with their remarkable invention of the ‘Prost Watch’ to tackle the health issue caused by alcohol consumption in Germany and promote safer drinking. The Prost Watch uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor and regulate alcohol consumption, with the goal of improving long-term health by avoiding liver and chronic health diseases.

Vivian Lau honoured as the Soraya Salti Award winner at the 2019 JA Global Leadership Conference Gala Dinner in Berlin, Germany

Vivian Lau was honoured as the Soraya Salti Award at the 2019 JA Global Leadership Conference Gala Dinner in Berlin, Germany. The award was created in memory of Soraya Salti, the visionary leader who started INJAZ Al-Arab in the Middle East in 1999, and recognizes JA leaders who are committed visionaries and push the boundaries to move JA forward in a positive way, particularly to bring systematic change to a country or region. 

Student Company from the Philippines crowned the 2019 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year and FedEx Access Award winner in Manila, Philippines

The JA AP COY is JA Asia Pacific’s annual celebration of the achievements of young entrepreneurs in the region. The Program and Competition helps young people understand the role of business in the global economy by allowing students to organize and operate an actual business enterprise, and market and sell a product or service in the real world. 

Organized by JA Asia Pacific, the 2019 JA AP COY marks the first centennial celebration of JA and JA Company Program in the Asia Pacific region. The student companies represented 13 locations including Australia, Brunei, China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Secondary School Students Develop STEM Solutions for the East in Inaugural Schools Challenge Singapore

JA in collaboration with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and leading global financial services firm J.P. Morgan, launched the Schools Challenge Singapore – a program that empowers secondary school students with science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) skills as they develop innovative solutions for real problems faced by the eastern community in Singapore. 

2018 ITC Asia Pacific Finals Winners

60 Young Entrepreneurs Showcase Innovation and Insights on International Business. Student from South Korea and Vietnam Crowned Winners at the 2018 FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge Asia Pacific Competition.

Young Entrepreneurs from Indonesia crowned the 2018 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year in Beijing, China.

2018 marks the 8th JA AP COY, 22 student companies participated in the regional competition, the largest JA AP COY event by far. 24 student companies represented 16 locations travelled to Beijing to showcase their entrepreneurial skills in Beijing from March 29  to 31, 2018.

JA Student Company Entrepezo Nature Indonesia from Indonesia took the first prize for their natural Air Freshener in form of a USB using and sustainable business model

Young Entrepreneurs shine at the 2017 JA Asia Pacific Company of the Year awards in Tokyo, Japan.

2017 marks the 7th JA AP COY, there will be 76 students representing 19 student companies from 13 locations participating in the competition, the largest representation since the competition started in 2011. The student companies represent 13 locations including: Brunei, China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Student-company CED from Korea wins top award in 2016 Asia Pacific JA Company of the Year Competition in Seoul, Korea. February 24, 2016.

CED student-company from Korea crowned as winner of the 2016 Asia Pacific JA Company of the Year Competition (AP JA COY) after impressing the judges with their strong business concept. CED had also won the HSBC Best Financial Management Award.

Aspiring Entrepreneurs from Singapore Shine at the 10th FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge Asia Pacific Finals

A team of student entrepreneurs from Singapore have been crowned winners of the FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (FedEx/JA ITC) Asia Pacific Finals in Hong Kong. Challenged to come up with an idea for a travel.

JA Asia Pacific brings 60 Young Entrepreneurs from 10 countries to the Asia Pacific JA Company of the Year Event in Seoul