Hong Kong Teens Turn Study Content Into Songs Using AI

When you can remember every word of your favorite song but struggle with exam notes, you're onto something. A group of Hong Kong high schoolers turned that observation into a winning innovation.

Students from Kwun Tong Maryknoll College took home the top prize at IdeaPOP! 2026 with an AI-powered platform that converts learning content into melodies. Their insight was simple: if people naturally memorize song lyrics, why not use the same method for studying?

The team didn't just pitch a concept. Over six months, they refined their idea through 12 mentoring sessions and three rounds of judging by professionals from business, technology and social sectors.

IdeaPOP!, now in its fifth year and sponsored by Citi, received more than 100 applications from Hong Kong secondary students this year. Nearly every submission featured artificial intelligence, but judges weren't looking for fancy tech. They wanted solutions that actually addressed real problems.

The program deliberately mirrors how entrepreneurship works in the real world. Of the 80 shortlisted teams involving over 300 students, many discovered their original ideas needed major changes after talking to potential users.

Some found the problem they wanted to solve wasn't the one people actually faced. Others realized their technology needed to work differently. The program pushed students to defend not just what they wanted to build, but why it might genuinely help someone.

This year's teams tackled education, elderly care, disability inclusion, and mental wellness. Before the final pitch, 70 industry professionals joined students for a Kick-start Day to stress-test their ideas and identify weak spots in their thinking.

The Ripple Effect

The learning continued after the winners were announced. Citi hosted an AI Day at its Hong Kong office where finalist teams worked with AI mentors on concept testing and prototype development.

Students examined where AI genuinely strengthened their solutions and where human judgment mattered more. Citi professionals shared how they use AI in real work settings, giving students a window into how innovation functions beyond competitions.

The champion team's melody-based learning platform stood out because it remained accessible and scalable. Their solution reflected what IdeaPOP! emphasizes year after year: technology can spark ideas, but entrepreneurial thinking translates empathy into tools people can actually use.

For these students, good intentions started their projects, but the hard work of making solutions sustainable is what carried them to the finish line.