Millennial Entrepreneurs Showcase Innovative Approach for Endless Business Possibilities

KUALA LUMPUR, October 7, 2019 – Two Malaysian student entrepreneurs were among the top 3 teams at the recent 2019 FedEx Express/JA International Trade Challenge (FedEx/JA ITC) Asia Pacific Finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This year, three finalist teams from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam presented market entry strategy plans for a medical device product in Germany. The three teams – Team Prost, Team Pioneers and Team Rife beat 27 other teams from across the region with their remarkable inventions.

Team Prost comprised of Noelle Pang from Hong Kong and Kenneth Tee from Singapore – were crowned winners earning the No. 1 spot in the Grand Finals. The team introduced the ‘Prost Watch’ to tackle health issues 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.

“We are so excited we won this competition, especially given the amazing business proposals put together by the other talented teams,” said Noelle Pang of Hong Kong and Kenneth Tee of Singapore. “This challenge has been an incredible learning experience. With the skills and tools we learned, we feel ready to take on the business world with confidence and pursue our dreams of becoming leading global entrepreneurs.”

Team Pioneers – made up of Shamita Sheetal from Malaysia and Trang Hoang from Vietnam – came second with their idea of ‘The Cardiator’ which is designed to curb cardiovascular diseases by detecting elevated cardiac enzymes 5 to 6 hours before a potential heart attack.

Team Rife – made up of Nydia Lee from Hong Kong and Shveenita Alyza Kanapathy from Malaysia – came third with their idea of ‘Eartaps’ which is a convenient hearing aid equipped with auto-sensation, automatically changing its settings to adapt to the varying noise level of surroundings in real time, designed for the elderly.

“FedEx is committed to connecting people and businesses around the world,” said Karen Reddington, president, Asia Pacific, FedEx Express. “We are pleased that FedEx is part of the FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge program that cultivates youth entrepreneurship and empowers our business leaders of tomorrow. We hope to inspire young entrepreneurs to think big – to think globally. A brilliant business idea may start small, but with a global network, the possibilities are endless.”

“This is an exciting milestone for our young entrepreneurs from around the Asia Pacific region,” said Vivian Lau, President and CEO of JA Asia Pacific. “FedEx/JA ITC has provided these young entrepreneurs not only with the necessary business knowledge and real-life skills but also the global connectedness to unleash infinite opportunities and pursue life-long dreams.”

The FedEx/JA ITC program is jointly organized by FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, and JA Asia Pacific, a member of JA Worldwide. To date, the FedEx/JA ITC has inspired and benefitted more than 22,800 young people across the region, allowing them to learn more about entrepreneurship and introduce them to the world of business, economics and international trade through classroom learning and practical teamwork exercises.

Now in its 13th year, the program has grown considerably: just 295 students from three markets took part in the 2007 program. This year, more than 2,716 students from 10 markets took part.

About FedEx Express/JA International Trade Challenge Asia Pacific (FedEx/JA ITC)

Designed to foster business knowledge through practical teamwork exercises and classroom learning, the FedEx/JA ITC program comprises two key activities – the International Trade Workshops and the International Trade Challenge. To take part in the FedEx/JA ITC, students in teams of two have to develop a specific product or service and create an original international market entry strategy for a designated country. Through this process, students gain first-hand experience of what roles world trade, product distribution and sales play in a market environment. In addition to teamwork, participating students learn the basics of risk evaluation in the business world and gain confidence in their analytical ability.