Reported by:
Yeo Ju Xuen Sr2ComA
Photography by:
Sr2ComA Team Ecomotion
On 4th July 2025, the top 10 finalists of the 8th Annual Sunway Business Innovation Challenge (SBIC 2025) were invited to an exclusive Innovation Immersion Bootcamp to polish and refine their pitching skills ahead of the grand finals the following day.
Representing Kuen Cheng High School was Team Ecomotion, consisting of Lee Zilin, Tan Qian Yu, Yeoh Yuan Jiun, and myself, Yeo Ju Xuen, from Sr2ComA.
(photo 1: Ecomotion at the venue)
The Sunway Business Innovation Challenge (SBIC) is an annual competition organised by Sunway University since 2019, aimed at senior high school students from Independent Chinese Secondary Schools across Malaysia. The challenge seeks to foster innovation among young minds and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The theme for SBIC 2025 was “AI and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development”, highlighting the use and integration of artificial intelligence in developing businesses and products that promote the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The preliminary round required participants to submit a business idea pitch deck outlining the key elements of their concept, along with a compelling video pitch. Based on these submissions, 10 finalists were selected and invited to present their business pitches live at Sunway University in front of a panel of expert judges.
For the first time in SBIC’s history, the organisers introduced a Finalists’ Bootcamp — a hands-on experience designed to prepare participants to pitch like real entrepreneurs in front of potential investors.
The bootcamp began at 1:00 p.m., with participants enjoying lunch at the Sunway College Rooftop Terrace. Following the meal, they were briefed on the day’s schedule. Over the next two hours, teams underwent intense pitching sessions to further refine their business models for the finals. The day concluded with an exclusive networking dinner, attended by several distinguished professors and professionals from various fields.
(photo 2: Ecomotion in motion)
Enter Shark Tank — inspired by the reality TV show where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to seasoned investors — the finalists were thrown into a series of rigorous pitching sessions designed to test their business models to the limit. Escorted around the Sunway College campus, participants had to present their ideas to various faculty deans, each of whom offered sharp critiques and probing questions to refine the pitches further.
After navigating the metaphorical rough terrain of Sunway and smartly fielding intense questions from these academic heavyweights, all attendees returned physically tired but mentally sharper. Armed with insightful and brutally honest feedback, each team regrouped at the Rooftop Terrace to consolidate their ideas one final time before the grand finale.
Their “ordeal,” however, was not without reward. To refuel their energy, a lavish dinner awaited. As the evening wore on, eight deans from Sunway’s faculties joined the event, kicking off the much-anticipated networking session. This was a golden opportunity for the finalists to ask about future undergraduate or postgraduate options, seek career advice, or simply enjoy a friendly chat with esteemed academics.
