The students, all participants of The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES), were split into 11 teams and paired with one of 11 leading New Zealand companies who acted as mentors throughout the weekend.

Participating mentor companies included One NZ, Xero, Accenture, Creative HQ, Deloitte, HSBC, New Zealand Health Group, NZ Trade & Enterprise (NZTE), WellingtonNZ, The Atom, Victoria University.

The programme, sponsored by One NZ and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, is an all-expenses-paid experience for students, including flights, accommodation, meals, and activities.

On Friday, students tackled their first challenge: developing innovative agritech export solutions for Latin American markets. Sponsored by One NZ and NZTE, the challenge tasked teams to identify a viable New Zealand agritech product and build a strategy for successfully exporting it to a Latin American country.

The winning team sponsored by Accenture, and supported by mentor, Sachi Taulelei, presented an exceptional market entry strategy that demonstrated strong commercial potential and a deep understanding of their chosen market. Their pitch considered key elements of international trade including logistics, cultural fit, economic need, and competitive positioning, impressing judges with their incorporation of AI and strong pitch delivery.

Winning Team – AgriTech Export Challenge

Team Accenture:

• Alfie MacNeil, Nelson College
• Dua Khalid, Auckland Girls Grammar School
• Kit Young, Rolleston College
• Newlife Faleone, Hastings Girls High School
• Saranya Sarisa, James Hargest College Senior Campus
• Tanemoeahi Stewart-Samuels, Otahuhu College
• Alumni mentors: Rore Morgan and Oliver Jones

On Saturday, the second challenge saw students reimagine how to strengthen financial literacy in New Zealand, following the Government’s decision to introduce mandatory financial education for Years 1–10. Teams were tasked with designing practical and impactful solutions that could empower young people to manage their money confidently in the real world.

Winning Team – Financial Futures Challenge

Team Sendd:

• Ashleigh McLellan-Mutch, New Plymouth Girls High School
• Daemon Turner, Buller High School
• Eli Facer, Long Bay College
• Fleur de Clifford, Otago Girls’ High School
• Gyananjan Ahluwalia, St Patrick’s College Silverstream
• Monique Higgins, Waimea College

Led by corporate hosts Adiraj Gupta and Tania Jones, and alumni mentor James Fullelove, their winning pitch stood out to the judges for its clarity, innovation, and potential for real-world implementation, offering a solution that was both engaging for young learners and aligned with national financial literacy curriculum goals.

Winning team members each received $100 Prezzy Cards and a total scholarship of $4000 each for Massey Business School.

All students selected for EIA are part of The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme, a year-long programme where over 5,000 students nationwide start and run their own businesses. EIA is a flagship event in the YES calendar, designed to further develop students passion for business, their entrepreneurial mindset and their confidence through exposing them to real-world business scenarios and direct mentorship from corporate leaders.

Alex Bullot, CEO of Young Enterprise Trust, praised the calibre of this year’s participants and pitches commenting, "What we’ve seen this weekend is the incredible potential of our young people when they’re given the right environment to thrive. In just 48 hours, they’ve pushed themselves beyond their comfort zones, rising to challenges that revealed what they’re truly capable of. That experience builds more than business skills, it builds confidence, self-belief, and a sense of possibility. The future of business in Aotearoa is in capable hands."