On the recent June 16, 2026, at UEH Campus B, the UEH Institute of Innovation (UII) successfully organized the English innovation idea pitching competition “English for Innovation Challenge 2026″, accompanied by Mr. Tej Dhingra and co-organizing partners such as STEAMax JSC, TagEdu, and Everest Education. With the theme “AI in Education”, the program created a space for UEH students and high school students in Ho Chi Minh City to brainstorm together and apply technology to propose practical solutions for modern education. 

In the context of AI drastically changing how humans learn, work, and connect, the competition set a clear goal of encouraging young people to view technology not merely as a supporting tool, but as a material for thinking, creating, and establishing new values. At the same time, the overarching spirit that the competition aimed for was to motivate the younger generation to proactively innovate, dare to ask questions, and dare to propose solutions to practical problems.

The vibrant atmosphere at Challenge Day with the enthusiastic participation of the contestants

The Practical Journey From Ideas To A Startup Launchpad

Prior to Challenge Day, contestants were granted access to online reading materials for independent research, helping them approach foundational content related to the theme. Notably, all competing teams were arranged as a mix of high school students and UEH students, thereby creating a diversity of perspectives, experiences, and strengths within each team.

The online platform helped equip foundational knowledge before entering Challenge Day

Entering Challenge Day, the teams officially experienced a one-day innovation idea development journey with a continuous series of challenges throughout the program, from identifying the problem to perfecting the solution and improving the quality of their English presentation. The participants had to coordinate with new teammates to discuss, continuously receive feedback, and adjust their ideas with the companionship of mentors and experts.

All of those efforts were demonstrated at the pitching round – where the teams confidently presented their solutions to the Board of Judges, marking the achievements of a day of continuous learning, creating, and breaking through. The professional quality of the competition was guaranteed by the Board of Judges, consisting of reputable experts, startup projects, and investors in the innovation ecosystem, including:

– Mr. Erik Jonsson – General Partner of Antler investment fund and Investor on the Shark Tank Vietnam.

– Mr. Rob Zamacona – General Manager of Sunrise Events Vietnam (SEV).

– Dr. Huynh Ngoc Quang Anh – Lecturer at UEH Institute of Innovation.

– Mr. Pham Nguyen Hoang Thinh – CEO & Founder of STEAMax JSC.

– Mr. Nguyen Dang Trung – CEO & Founder of TagEdu.

Contestants actively exchanged ideas and coordinated with teammates throughout Challenge Day

Competing teams directly discussed with mentors to perfect their competition entries

Representatives of the competing teams presented their innovative ideas and answered questions from the board of judges

The moment of expressing gratitude and giving appreciation gifts to the Board of Judges

Nurturing an innovative mindset for the future-building generation

More than just an academic playground, the competition also provided participants with a deeper perspective on the connection between education, innovation, and responsible technology application. Through the sharing session by Mr. Erik Jonsson, the spirit of innovation was emphasized as a necessary capability for young people to adapt to a rapidly changing world.

The program concluded with the awarding of “The Outstanding Innovation” prize worth 2,000,000 VND to the best team, along with two “The Peer Choice” prizes sponsored by Everest Education, worth 1,000,000 VND each. The networking session connecting high school students, university students, experts, businesses, and founders also contributed to demonstrating UEH’s orientation in building a connected community, where knowledge, experience, and ideas are shared to jointly promote innovation and create positive impacts on society.

In its role as the unit promoting innovation and entrepreneurship at UEH, the Institute of Innovation continues to create experiential learning spaces, helping learners develop an innovative mindset, connect with experts, and access the startup ecosystem. English for Innovation Challenge 2026 is a platform that helps ignite the passion for innovation, creating motivation for students to explore, develop ideas, and gradually participate more deeply in the startup and incubation programs of UII in the future.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Mr. Tej Dhingra represented to award THE OUTSTANDING INNOVATION prize 

Mr. Rob Zamacona awarded THE PEER CHOICE prizes to 02 teams

The board of judges, guests, and competing teams took commemorative photos at Challenge Day

Some other photos:

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