By Xieling Li, Ke Ning, Zhonghan Dai, Yanpei Yu & Shuhan Zhao | Advised by Professor Luyao Zhang
From October 2025 to March 2026, the 2025 Digital Innovation Challenge (DIC)—a cross-campus innovation competition focused on AI-driven solutions—ultimately engaged 75 teams from 6 countries and advanced nine finalist teams to Innovation Day. The DKU DIC initiative and the DIC 2026 Finance track organizing committee were chaired by the student leaders Yuanjun Du, Class of 2027 undergraduate majoring in Economics; Ke Ning, Class of 2028 undergraduate majoring in Data Science; Yanpei Yu, Class of 2028 undergraduate majoring in Data Science; Chenlei Tao, Class of 2028 undergraduate majoring in Applied Mathematics, with Prof. Luyao Zhang, Co-Lead of the Digital Technology and Society Cluster at the Center for the Study of Contemporary China (CSCC), serving as the general advisor. And co-organized by the DKU Finance Club, AI Club, and Computer Science Club in partnership with NYU Shanghai DIC. The DKU DIC program consists of a series of events jointly supported by GenOptima, Amazon Web Services (AWS), DKU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative (InE), the Center for the Study of Contemporary China (CSCC), and the Division of Natural and Applied Sciences (DNAS).
The five-month competition process witnessed the 2026 Finance Track’s unique contribution: an expanded international reach and diversity of participation, which was closely linked to the design of the DKU-led Finance Track. By incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address globally shared challenges, and by adopting Devpost as an open and transparent platform for submission and Stage 1 evaluation, the track enhanced both relevance and trust among international participants. These design choices contributed directly to broader global participation and reflected DKU’s commitment to rooted globalism in practice, while echoing the mission of CSCC Digital Technology and Society Cluster to examine how digital technology and open innovation platforms foster inclusive global engagement.
The Journey of Innovation
The DIC journey began with a series of early-stage activities designed to introduce the competition, connect participants across campuses, and help students refine their ideas. The DKU DIC Warmup, held on October 30, served as the official launch of the Finance Track at DKU, unveiling the competition topic and offering students an initial preview of the event and its expectations. This session marked the starting point of the competition journey for many participants and helped build early momentum on campus.
The official DIC Kick-Off Day at NYU Shanghai on November 9 further advanced cross-campus coordination. In addition to introducing the broader vision of the competition, the event created an important opportunity for the DKU organizing committee to connect with the NYU Shanghai committee, exchange ideas on competition planning, and align on the overall structure and collaboration mechanism across tracks.
On November 15, the field trip to the AWS Shanghai Office gave participants a closer look at current AI applications in industry and encouraged them to begin shaping their project directions. Through Dr. Dongping Liu’s sharing, topic discussions, and onsite speed dating for team formation, students were able to explore potential ideas, identify collaborators, and connect their interests with real-world financial scenarios. Together, these preparatory activities laid the groundwork for the projects that would continue to develop over the following months.
A Key Campus Milestone at DKU
On March 28, 2026, DIC Finance Track Award Ceremony was held. 3 teams advanced from Stage 1 Devpost review and have the chance to present their projects in person and compete for the 1000 RMB prize. Hosted by Ke Ning and Zhonghan Dai, the event brought together participating teams, faculty members, advisors, and invited guests, creating a focused setting for academic exchange and project feedback.
Centered on innovative applications of AI in finance, the event followed a structured yet concise format, including a brief introduction to the competition, on-site project presentations by qualifying teams, and an award session, alongside keynote sharing and a panel discussion moderated by Prof. Luyao Zhang. Project evaluation and award decisions were conducted by a judging panel consisting of Prof. C. Jason Woodard from the University of Hong Kong, Dr. Dongping Liu from AWS, Prof. Mingchun Huang, Prof. Dongmian Zou, and Prof. Luyao Zhang, bringing together academic and industry perspectives to assess the projects’ innovation and practical relevance.
A Strong Showing at the NYU Shanghai Finals
The Digital Innovation Challenge (DIC) concluded its final round at NYU Shanghai on March 29, 2026, under the theme “AI Agent Unlock Business Innovation,” with projects spanning the Healthcare, Education, and Finance Tracks . After a five-month competition process involving 75 teams from six countries, nine finalist teams advanced to Innovation Day, where they presented their projects before a panel of judges from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
DKU teams delivered an outstanding performance in the final round. All three DKU teams that traveled to NYU Shanghai received awards, achieving a 100% award rate:
- First Prize (Healthcare Track): Atlas, a local AI research platform for drug development
- Third Prize (Finance Track): Gradient Gang, for Causality, a system designed to verify ESG compliance and reduce greenwashing
- Best Business Potential Award: PocketPledge, an educational tool using virtual companionship to combat procrastination
These results reflected not only the strength of the student teams themselves, but also the value of sustained mentoring, cross-campus collaboration, and a well-supported innovation environment throughout the competition process.
Looking Forward
The DIC journey, from its early warmup sessions to the final round, marked an important step in strengthening a culture of AI, innovation, and entrepreneurship within the DKU student community. More than a single competition, it created a multi-stage platform for students to explore ideas, form teams, connect with mentors, and translate emerging technologies into practical solutions.
We sincerely appreciate our collaboration with the NYU Shanghai DIC team, whose partnership throughout the process provided valuable opportunities for exchange, alignment, and shared growth. Looking ahead, the DKU DIC organizing committees aim to build on this foundation through more high-quality academic and practice-oriented initiatives. As the first edition of this effort, the DIC Finance Track has demonstrated the potential of student-led innovation supported by engaged faculty, industry partners, and cross-campus collaboration, opening the door to even broader opportunities in the years to come.
Digitial Innovation Challenge Finance Track Organizing Committee:
Yuanjun Du, Class of 2027, Economics
Guangzhi Su, Class of 2026, Computer Science
Xieling Li, Class of 2026, Economics
Chenlei Tao, Class of 2028, Applied Mathematics
Zihan Chen, Class of 2026, Political Science
Albina Khisamutdinova, Class of 2027, Economics
Yanpei Yu, Class of 2028, Data Science
Zhonghan Dai, Class of 2028, Computer Science
Ke Ning, Class of 2028, Data Science
Zhiyu Zhao, Class of 2028, Computer Science
Shuhan Zhao, Class of 2029, Quantitive Economics