Serving Youth, Empowering the Future through AI Innovation

By Interact Chair PP Frank Wong, Rotary Club of Green Hong Kong

We are proud to share highlights from one of this year’s impactful initiatives — the Hong Kong & Macau Inter-School AI Putonghua Business Pitching Competition 2026 (港澳校際AI普通話創業家大賽2026). Organised under the patronage of Interact Sub-Committee, District Youth Service Committee, Rotary International District 3450, this competition embodied our commitment to charity, youth development, and social good.

This competition reflects the very heart of Rotary’s mission. By challenging youth to design AI-powered solutions to real community problems — assessed through ESG and sustainability criteria — Rotary International District 3450 has helped bridge the gap between technology education and civic responsibility. The inclusion of schools from both Hong Kong and Macau fostered cross-boundary dialogue and regional solidarity among the next generation of young leaders.

Driving Social Impact Through Youth Empowerment and AI Innovation

In alignment with Rotary International’s enduring vision to “UNITE FOR GOOD” and create lasting social capital , the Hong Kong and Macau School AI Putonghua Business Pitching Competition 2026 (港澳校際AI普通話創業家大賽 2026) was successfully held from February to April 2026. Co-organized by Rotary International District 3450, Hong Kong Baptist University (Physics Department), Meta Dot Ltd., and CAC Future Education, this meaningful community initiative was specifically designed for charity and youth development. It equipped the next generation with cutting-edge artificial intelligence knowledge, cross-border language skills, and hands-on entrepreneurship capabilities, ensuring a brighter future for the district’s society.

This competition is not only an AI entrepreneurship contest, but also a platform for nurturing young leaders. Through training in artificial intelligence, innovative thinking, and Mandarin presentation skills, students learn how to respond to societal needs with technology and build future competitiveness.

Rotary Clubs have always valued youth development and community service, and this event perfectly embodies the philosophy of “changing the future through education,” allowing students to grow through innovation and practice, and cultivating a new generation of responsible leaders for society.

Cultivating Potential: The Comprehensive Intensive Bootcamps

The journey began with a rigorous, 2-day intensive in-person Bootcamp hosted at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) on February 7 (Day 1) and March 7 (Day 2), 2026. The educational program brought together Multiple talented students across 10 teams from secondary schools in Hong Kong and Macau, dividing them into Junior Secondary (F1-3) and Senior Secondary (F4-6) divisions.

The bootcamps blended specialized academic lectures, an immersive HKBU campus tour, and interactive engineering labs. Facilitated by experts alongside university mentors, students learned to manipulate modern AI software and customize advanced chatbots for business ideation, research, and technical prototyping. Furthermore, dedicated workshops instructed participants on the vital structural layers of a commercial pitch deck—such as problem-solving validation, market potential, business models, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) values—while polishing their public presentation skills and storytelling confidence in Putonghua.

The Grand Final: A Showcase of Socially Conscious Innovation

The competition culminated in the high-stakes Grand Final on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at HKBU. The atmosphere was vibrant with Rotary delegates, education experts, tech executives, student participants, and peer mentors.

The professional judging panel conducted a comprehensive and objective evaluation based on five dimensions: innovation, feasibility, market potential, ESG, team capabilities, and practical application of AI. This evaluation profoundly reflects the dual emphasis on technological feasibility and social responsibility, and encourages the Hong Kong and Macao students present to actively utilize technological tools to contribute their wisdom to the long-term health and social progress of the local community.

Recognizing Excellence and Strengthening District Society

Through this high-profile public welfare science and technology innovation competition, Rotary International District 3450 has once again built a solid bridge connecting classroom theory with social practice. In the future, Rotary will continue to work with partners from all sectors to promote diversified education and charitable development for young people, continuously injecting positive and benevolent youth energy into the local community.