YIS Global Stock Pitch Competition

The YIS Global Stock Pitch Competition is the flagship program of the Young Investors Society (YIS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Founded in 2015 by Wall Street Chief Investment Officer James Flecher together with leading experts in finance and business, YIS has received sponsorship and support from more than twenty global financial institutions and industry leaders, including Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs, and J.P. Morgan. Its mission is to provide students from diverse backgrounds with high-quality financial literacy education and equip them with lifelong investment skills.

The competition centers on simulated stock exchange challenge and stock pitch, guiding students to gain a deeper understanding of financial markets, strengthen analytical skills, and foster a long-term investment mindset. Participants also have the opportunity to pursue the CYIA ™ (Certified Young Investment Analyst) designation, a prestigious credential widely recognized and respected by universities and future employers.

By 2025, the competition had expanded to more than 100 countries and regions, attracting over 17,000 students globally. Outstanding winners are invited to New York—the World Financial Centre—for the YIS Global Youth Investment Summit, where participants not only sharpen their investment thinking through academic challenges and financial games, but also engage in workshops and panel sessions, gaining insights into the latest industry trends while networking with peers and professionals from around the world. Past champions have even seen their achievements celebrated on the NASDAQ billboard in Times Square!

Preliminary Round

■ Online Schedule:

Morning (09:00 – 12:00)

- Stage 1（online）
Opening Ceremony: Overview of the Stock Exchange Challenge System & Rules
Stock Exchange Challenge – Test Round
Analysis of Listed Companies
Stock Exchange Challenge – Official Round

- Stage 2（work submission）
Stock Pitch presentation video
Stock Pitch report & PPT

Stock Exchange Challenge

Step into the fast-paced world of the stock market! Manage $100,000 in virtual funds, track real-time rankings, and use strategy and risk management to chase the highest returns.

• SEC First Place：Top 5% of teams in this stage
• SEC Second Place：Top 15% of teams in this stage
• SEC Third Place：Top 30% of teams in this stage

Stock Pitch

Take on the role of a fund manager! Analyze a listed company, deliver a ‘Buy or Sell’ pitch to expert judges, and sharpen your financial and presentation skills. Material requirements will be released 2 weeks prior. The submitted works
include: 1. Stock Pitch report & PPT; 2. Stock Pitch presentation video (7-10 minutes). Industry experts will score based on the evaluation form.

• Stock Pitch First Place：Top 5% of teams in this stage
• Stock Pitch Second Place：Top 15% of teams in this stage
• Stock Pitch Third Place：Top 30% of teams in this stage

Overall Awards

• Best Delegate：Top 5%
• Outstanding Delegate：Top 15%
• Honorable Mention：Top 30%
• Commendation：Top 60%
*Award decisions combine results from both challenge stages. Participants MUST complete both stages, with Stock Exchange Challenge 40% and Stock Pitch 60% of the total score.

* All award-winning teams will receive a digital Certificate of Achievement.
* Teams that participate in all stages will receive a digital Certificate of Participation.
* Only winners who participate in the entire process can advance to the next round.
* Award and certificate details will be emailed within 15 working days after the challenge.

Scan the QR code to register

Asia Round

Award-winning participants from the Preliminary Round will be invited to join the Asia Round, where three key modules are closely integrated: Committee Session, Stock Exchange Challenge, and Stock Pitch. The Committee Session helps participants build a comprehensive financial investment framework and knowledge system. The Stock Exchange Challenge focuses on hands-on practice, testing psychological resilience, risk management, and strategic analysis skills. Finally, participants will complete a Stock Pitch Competition that closely mirrors real-world professional and financial scenarios, enhancing critical thinking, financial analysis, and presentation skills, while laying a solid foundation for their future careers in finance.

• Location: On-site (Shanghai, China)
• Team Formation：Individuals or two-member teams (team members must remain the same as in the Preliminary Round)
• Advancement: Participants who win the Overall Awards or Stock Pitch Winner will be invited to the Global Round in New York

• Language: English
• Dates: July 29 to August 3, 2026

Challenge Sessions

Committee Session

A step-by-step academic curriculum designed to build a solid investment knowledge system.

Thematic Learning：Participants will learn about capital market operations, index construction, efficient market hypothesis, behavioral finance, valuation models, and portfolio management.
Interactive Presentation：Students will work in teams to analyze companies using SWOT, calculate intrinsic value, and present investment recommendations. The best speaker will be awarded based on overall performance.
In-Class Practice：Immediate application and reinforcement of key concepts to ensure solid understanding and tangible learning outcomes at every stage.

Stock Trading Simulation

Manage $100,000 in virtual funds using a real-market-based online SEC trading system. Compete in 3 rounds, 40 minutes each, and complete a short online test after each round.
* Tests are closely tied to the trading round content.

Stock Pitch Competition

Step into the role of a professional fund manager! Analyze a selected company from multiple angles, prepare a Stock Pitch Report with a clear “Buy or Sell” recommendation, and present your pitch to expert judges.
Participants will be randomly assigned to judging rooms and have 10 minutes for their presentation: 7 minutes to present and 3 minutes for Q&A. The presentation format is fully flexible. The goal: convince the judges to adopt your investment recommendation—be creative!

* Preparation materials for the Asia Round will be emailed to participants 2 weeks before the official challenge.

Awards

• Best Traders：Top 40% of teams in the Stock Exchange Challenge
• Stock Pitch Winner：Highest-scoring team in each room

Overall Awards

• Best Delegate：Top 5% of teams
• Outstanding Delegate：Top 10% of teams

• Honorable Mention：Top 25% of teams
• Commendation：Top 40% of teams

Participants in the Asia Round also stand a chance to win:

Certified Young Investment Analyst (CYIA™ ) Designation

The CYIA™ Designation is the highest honor within the YIS and represents a remarkable achievement in financial literacy and investment skills—less than 10% of YIS students ever reach this level. It is widely recognized and respected by universities and future employers, making it a powerful addition to college application.。

Eligibility：All Asia Round participants

What It Means to Earn the CYIA™ Designation
● Mastered the fundamentals of stock analysis
● Passed a rigorous examination
● Maintained exceptional academic performance
● Proven readiness for future studies in business, finance, or accounting
* Certification Process: Preliminary Review → Written Test → Interview (The preliminary review is open annually in September)

Global Round-New York

Global Round-New York
YIS Global Stock Pitch Competition

YIS Global Youth Investment Summit is the annual flagship event for students worldwide, offering an immersive platform for financial learning and practice. Teams from across the globe will take part in the ultimate academic challenges, including:

1. Challenge Sessions

Case Study Competition

A signature challenge where students act as strategic consultants for a real company. In 2025, the theme centers on a global entertainment firm. Teams prepare in a short time, deliver a 3-minute pitch to finance professionals, and compete for the championship. The challenge mirrors real business scenarios and builds critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Global Stock Pitch Competition

Teams will select a company, prepare a Stock Pitch Report, create a presentation recommending whether to Buy or Sell the stock. The competition has three rounds, each team has 20 minutes (10-minute presentation, 5-minute Q&A, 5-minute judges’ feedback) to do Stock Pitch.
* Before the Global Round, YIS committee will release a global ranking of all qualified teams. Only the top 100 ranked teams will participate in the Stock Pitch Competition.

2. Academic Sessions

Personal Finance Game

Students answer questions through an online quiz platform with real-time results. If over 30% answer incorrectly, the game pauses for a brief review of the relevant concepts. Questions are offered at Beginner and Advanced levels.

Panel Session

Students engage with finance experts and YIS alumni to discuss topics such as bear vs. bull markets and public vs. private equity, gaining deeper insights and expanding their global perspective.

Finance Workshop

Students participate in interactive workshops and fireside chats led by global finance leaders, learning investment and risk management strategies while exploring industry trends and career paths.

Networking Session

Students connect with peers and finance professionals worldwide, gaining insights and building valuable global networks.

3. Experience New York's Financial Vibe

As a leading global financial center, New York offers students a full immersion into its financial atmosphere. They will have the opportunity to visit top firms like J.P. Morgan and Bloomberg, iconic sites such as Wall Street, NYSE, and NASDAQ, and finance museums to experience the evolution of markets.

Schedule

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Morning	· Arrive in New York	· Check in at Bloomberg building at Cornell Tech · Welcome an Opening Speaker · Workshops · Stock Pitch	· Welcome and Intro for the day · Personal Finance Game · Stock Pitch Round 2 · Panel sessions	· New York City Tour	· Back Home
Afternoon	· Arrive in New York	· Venture Capital Experience · Stock Pitch Round 1 (cont.) · Networking Session · YIS Alumni Panel; Round up meeting	· Case study competition · Case study finals round · Closing Ceremony： -Awards -Stock Pitch Final Round -Keynote Speaker	· New York City Tour	· Back Home

The schedule is for reference only and may be subject to change.

【Learn】Core Theory

【Practice】Hands-On Training

【Present】Presentation & Communication Suppor

【Expand】Extended Reading & Knowledge Enrichment

Stock investing 101 eBook

Co-authored by YIS and 30+ finance experts, this eBook covers theessentials of stock investing: golden rules, stock valuation, quality companies, investment logic, and intrinsic value. Includes Appendix & Glossary.

Video Learning Resources

• YIS Unit Lessons
Aligned with the Stock Investing 101 eBook, include interactive exercises to deepen understanding.

• Investment Lessons
Eight focused courses that break down core investment concepts and build a systematic investment mindset.

• Personal Finance Lessons
Strengthen personal finance knowledge, develop financial literacy, and acquire practical money-management skills.

Learning Handout：Exercises aligned with the Stock Investing 101 eBook
Sample Stock Pitch Reports：Learn from past top teams, helping students learn effective report logic.
Prep Videos：Step-by-step guidance on report writing, presentations, and pitching.
Quantitative Tools：Support calculations and analysis for informed investment decisions

Sample Previous Winner’s Stock Pitch Presentations & Guidelines：Turn financial data into clear investment logic and deliver a professional presentation.
Stock Pitch Report Template：Provides report format, writing tips, and guidelines to help beginners get started quickly.
Stock Pitch Competition Videos：Past Global Round champions’ presentations for learning and inspiration.

Recommended Reading List：Essential classics for every investor, helping students investing across a broader knowledge spectrum.
Suggested Finance Websites：company research, financial data, stock screening, market intelligence, investment learning tools and stock performance tracking.