Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, has announced the six high school students who will represent the Philippines at the Asia Pacific regional finals of the 2026 FedEx / Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (FedEx / JA ITC) in Singapore this August.
Now in its 17th year, the program—delivered in collaboration with Junior Achievement (JA) Philippines—is designed to build entrepreneurial thinking and global business acumen among secondary school students through hands-on workshops and real-world market entry challenges.
This year, participants were tasked with creating a comprehensive Market Entry Strategy Plan (MESP) for artificial intelligence (AI)-powered warehouse drones to boost inventory accuracy and fulfillment speed in Vietnam’s booming e-commerce sector.
The six finalists, competing in teams of two, impressed judges with their strategic market analysis, technical creativity, and commercial viability:
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Team ArkSight (Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School)
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Students: Matthew John A. Hife & Lorente Jr. Berden
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Solution: ArkSight — An AI-powered autonomous drone combining computer vision, UHF RFID, autonomous navigation, and cloud analytics. Utilizing a Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) model tailored for Vietnam’s mid-sized third-party logistics (3PL) warehouses, the strategy projects $244,000 in Year 1 revenue with operational break-even by Month 8.
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Team The Visionary (University of San Jose-Recoletos)
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Students: Minette H. Cabaluna & Jim Niño C. Gonzales
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Solution: Chuôn Chuôn — An automated inventory solution featuring autonomous drones, wireless charging docks, real-time tracking, and Chuôn2Bot—a Vietnamese-language conversational AI assistant. Using a subscription DaaS model, the team projects acquiring 10 enterprise clients and generating ~$81,075 (VND 2.1B) in its first year.
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Team TeamMate (Everest International Academy)
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Students: Mico Alfonso Aviñante Nolledo & Nathan Trono Dy Pico
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Solution: Altius AI — An autonomous drone system engineered specifically for cold-chain warehouses in Ho Chi Minh City. Beyond standard inventory tracking, it integrates environmental monitoring, LiDAR mapping, and WMS integration to mitigate humidity risks, extreme temperature hazards, and lighting costs.
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“The future of innovation depends on giving young people the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and think big,” said Maribeth Espinosa, Managing Director of FedEx Philippines. “Bringing back the in-person workshop while continuing to welcome students virtually allowed us to reach even more aspiring entrepreneurs across the country. Through the FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge, we hope to equip Filipino youth with the confidence, global perspective, and problem-solving skills they need to turn bold ideas into meaningful business solutions.”
At the regional finals in Singapore, the Philippine representatives will collaborate and compete alongside peers from across the region, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Since launching in the Philippines in 2009, the FedEx / JA ITC has impacted over 12,000 local students. The country boasts a stellar track record at the regional level:
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1st Place: 2020, 2021
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2nd Place: 2021, 2024, 2025
Through its continued partnership with JA Philippines, FedEx remains dedicated to bridging the gap between education and industry, equipping the next generation of business leaders to shape the future of global trade.
