Alibaba International wraps up 2024 Global E-commerce Challenge, highlighting young innovation

HANGZHOU, China, September 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (“Alibaba International”) today concluded its Global E-commerce Challenge (GEC) 2024 with a global final event in Hangzhou, Chinapromoting exceptional young innovators from around the world.

Launched in 2021, the GEC aims to attract and engage young talent around the world to shape the future of e-commerce. The 2024 edition of the competition, focused on exploring ways to elevate online shopping with artificial intelligence (AI), was open to applications from university students and recent university graduates. Participants were challenged to develop creative solutions to address current online shopping deficiencies in areas such as personalization, visual and voice search, and cross-border e-commerce. As they progressed through the competition, they received guidance and support from experts at Alibaba International and gained insight into the company’s AI initiatives as well as real-world e-commerce operations.

Since its launch in June, this year’s competition has attracted huge interest from over 1,000 people from over 500 teams representing regions including EuropeAmerica, East Asia AND Southeast Asia. After two rounds of rigorous selection, 11 teams consisting of a total of 39 participants advanced to the World Finals held in Hangzhou today to compete for the top three spots. The finalists presented their AI-powered proposals to a panel of industry experts, including Kaifu Zhangvice president of Alibaba International, who leads the company’s artificial intelligence initiatives; Lillian JiangHuman Resources Director at Alibaba International; Carlos BarreraGeneral Manager Lazada Philippines; Ying PengCEO of AliExpress; and Jin QinInvestment Director at Alibaba International.

Three teams were selected as the final winners after a comprehensive evaluation based on criteria such as AI-driven innovation (25%), AI integration capability (20%), technical execution (20%), consumer experience (25%) and presentation quality (10%). The CrashCourse team, consisting of students from Singapore Management Universitysecured first place for its innovative approach and outstanding teamwork, winning a prize of travel vouchers worth 10,000 US dollarsThe Echelon Group, consisting of students from Johns Hopkins University AND University of Maryland, College Parkand Team Saturdays, consisting of students from the Bandung Institute of Technology, took second and third place respectively and received travel vouchers worth 5000 US dollars AND 3000 US dollarsaccordingly. In addition, Alibaba International will offer internship opportunities to all participants who reached the global finals.

“GEC 2024 truly showcased the incredible potential of our young talent. Their innovative AI solutions have the power to transform the future of e-commerce, and we are excited to witness their energy and technical prowess here at Hangzhou,” he said Kaifu ZhangVice President of Alibaba International.

“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to showcase our ideas to respected industry experts at GEC 2024. This unique experience not only pushed our boundaries but also provided us with invaluable insights into digital commerce. Winning the challenge was an honor and we are excited to leverage what we learned during the competition to drive innovation in the e-commerce industry,” said Zane Chee of Team CrashCourse.

The GEC 2024 Global Finals concluded with a grand awards ceremony where representatives from Alibaba International welcomed the winners who were interning at the company.

Sheryl HoProject Manager Alibaba International GEC 2024, added, “We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to support the development of the next generation of global e-commerce talents through this global competition. The commitment and teamwork demonstrated by the participants is inspiring and we are delighted to welcome some of these brilliant young minds as interns in our company. We look forward to seeing their ideas make a real impact in the e-commerce industry.”

French student Melissa from Peking University, who interned at Alibaba International after last year’s GEC, noted, “This exciting internship journey deepened my understanding of the Chinese market. The immersive experiences also greatly strengthened my professional skills, sharpening my edge in competitive analysis, data analysis, cross-team collaboration, and problem-solving.”

For more information and updates on Alibaba International GEC 2024, please visit https://aidc-jobs.alibaba.com/GEC/index/program

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About Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group

Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group is dedicated to supporting the development of global digital commerce with AI-based technology. It operates on various platforms with distinctive business models, covering many countries and regions around the world.

Media contacts
Lingshan Lu
PR Manager
Alibaba International Digital Commerce
[email protected]