JA Young Investors Challenge launched in Singapore to build financial confidence in the next generation
Preparing Young People to Invest Safely, Think Critically, and Lead Responsibly
Junior Achievement Singapore has launched its inaugural JA Young Investors Challenge (JAYIC) 2026, bringing together 214 youth, including 146 in person and 68 online, for a seven-week learning journey into financial markets, wealth management, responsible investing, and client advisory.
Jointly organised by JA Singapore and HSBC Singapore, with support from Singapore Management University FinLit, the programme reflects a growing priority across Asia Pacific: preparing young people to make informed financial decisions in an increasingly complex world.
JAYIC is a powerful example of JA’s mission in action: to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. In a region where young people are digitally connected, ambitious, and increasingly exposed to financial products and investment information, programmes like JAYIC create the space for youth to learn safely, ask better questions, and build confidence before making real-world financial decisions.
From Financial Literacy to Financial Judgment
Today’s youth are growing up in a financial environment shaped by mobile platforms, social media commentary, digital assets, and fast-moving markets. Access to information is no longer the main challenge. The real challenge is helping young people develop judgment.
JAYIC focuses on investing safely, encouraging students to understand risk before investing, think critically, and apply financial concepts to real-world scenarios. Participants work through a fictitious client case study and manage a simulated US$50,000 portfolio, learning how to balance growth objectives with risk tolerance and sustainability considerations.
This practical approach reflects the thinking of global institutions such as the OECD and the World Economic Forum, which have consistently highlighted financial literacy, entrepreneurial thinking, and future-ready skills as essential to youth resilience and economic participation. Increasingly, thought leaders in youth development and inclusive finance emphasize that young people need more than knowledge. They need agency, experience, mentorship, and the confidence to make responsible decisions.
In Singapore, one of the world’s leading financial centres, this work carries particular significance. The JA Young Investors Challenge helps youth see finance not as a distant or intimidating field, but as something connected to personal responsibility, career pathways, sustainability, and community wellbeing.
Mentorship That Makes Learning Real
A defining strength of JAYIC is its mentor-led design. The challenge is supported by 32 HSBC mentors and 40 JA mentors, who guide young people through structured learning, practical decision-making, and client advisory exercises.
An HSBC-led Career Sharing Panel and Speed Mentoring session gave participants firsthand insights into the diverse career pathways available within finance. Learning directly from HSBC professionals helped them recognise the importance of curiosity, clear communication, and building trusted client relationships.
Mentors encouraged participants to consider the questions at the heart of sound investment advisory: What does the client want to achieve? What level of risk is appropriate? What assumptions support the proposed strategy? How should sustainability influence the recommendation?
Gary Goh, a mentor from HSBC Private Bank said, “Young people have the benefit of time. The earlier they learn and apply the financial skills we can share with them, the more opportunity they have to start investing early and to understand both the upsides and downsides. The earlier they learn, the better equipped they are — and the longer they have to invest.”
Ning Xin, a participant from Raffles Institution, reflected that investing can feel intimidating until it is broken down with the right coaching and tools. That insight captures the value of JA’s experiential learning model. When young people are supported by caring adults and industry volunteers, complex topics become accessible, relevant, and empowering.
Across Asia Pacific, mentorship remains fundamental to JA’s impact. In financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programmes, volunteers connect classroom learning with professional practice and help young people see possible pathways for their futures.
From Strategy Development to the Grand Finals
Following seven weeks of learning and mentoring, teams refined their strategies and submitted an investment report and a one-minute video pitch for the Preliminary Round.
The JAYIC Grand Finals on 29 August 2026 brought together 12 teams selected from 67 portfolio submissions and 133 registered teams across 22 schools. Finalists presented two portfolios and defended their recommendations during a live question-and-answer session with the judging panel.
Hosted by the Singapore Management University Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at The Greenhouse, SMU Connexion, the Finals gave participants an opportunity to demonstrate their financial knowledge, communication skills, and professional confidence.
Judges provided constructive feedback to each team, extending the learning beyond the competition itself. At the Award Ceremony, Kee Joo Wong, CEO of HSBC Singapore, highlighted financial literacy as a life skill that can help young people become more informed, resilient, and future-ready.
These activities built more than financial knowledge. They developed critical thinking, teamwork, communication, ethical reasoning, and confidence, all essential skills for work, life, and responsible citizenship.
Investing in the Next Generation
JAYIC offers valuable learning for the wider Asia Pacific region. Its partnership model combines JA’s youth development expertise, HSBC’s financial sector experience, and SMU FinLit’s educational support. Its hybrid delivery also demonstrates how adaptable approaches can broaden access to high-quality financial education.
At JA, financial education is not only about understanding markets. It is about helping young people evaluate choices, manage uncertainty, communicate responsibly, and participate confidently in the economy.
Through the JA Young Investors Challenge, JA Singapore has helped young people become not only financially aware, but financially capable. We congratulate the finalists and thank every student, educator, mentor, volunteer, and partner who contributed to this inaugural journey.
By equipping young people to understand and navigate financial change, Junior Achievement (JA) is investing in a generation ready to help shape a more resilient, inclusive, and responsible future.