IBSS Students Win Second Prize in the National University Cross-border E-commerce Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (Incubation Track)

Recently, the final of the Incubation Track of the 2nd 2025 National University Cross-border E-commerce Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, hosted by Alibaba International and organised by the China International Electronic Commerce Centre under the Ministry of Commerce, concluded successfully in Chongqing. The competition and its parallel events received coverage from People’s Daily, which noted that the linkage between this event and the 1st Chongqing Youth Cross-border Entrepreneurship Summit "marks a key step for Chongqing in deepening government-university-enterprise collaboration and building a cross-border e-commerce ecosystem, injecting new impetus into developing a highland for digital trade in central and western China".

In this high-level national competition, the Cross-border Glory team from International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) stood out from 642 teams across 205 universities nationwide. Comprising second-year students ShiRui Guo (Information Management and Information Systems) and QianRu Meng (Economics and Finance), and third-year student YiFan Zhao (Information Management and Information Systems), the team advanced to the national final held at Sichuan International Studies University and ultimately claimed the National Second Prize, demonstrating the strong innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities of XJTLU students.

Under the theme Explore the World, Innovate Differently, the competition focused on full-chain operational practice in B2B cross-border e-commerce, making it one of the most influential national university events in China’s cross-border e-commerce sector. Following intense rounds of university selection, provincial contests and national semi-finals, only **6 teams qualified for the final, reflecting the competition’s high calibre and fierce competitiveness.

The outstanding result was built on rigorous preparation. In the preliminary round on 7 June 2025, a total of 573 teams nationwide participated. Four teams from XJTLU, supervised by Dr Kaiyu Xu (academic supervisor) and Qi Wang (industry supervisor, General Manager of Suzhou Zhenyou Technology), advanced together after analysing market trends, refining product proposals and optimising operational strategies. To master cutting-edge cross-border e-commerce practices, the team made multiple trips to Hangzhou to study platform rules, product selection, overseas marketing and other core expertise, integrating industry experience into their project.

With decades of cross-border e-commerce expertise, Mr. Wang guided the team to identify consumer trends in the overseas handmade jewellery market and address key pain points for small and medium handmade brands going global—including weak branding, high customer acquisition costs and low operational efficiency. Leveraging resources from Alibaba International, the team developed an implementable entrepreneurship solution integrating product design, digital operation and brand marketing, showcasing the value of combining traditional craftsmanship with cross-border e-commerce and AI technologies.

ShiRui Guo

In the final on 23 March 2026, the team delivered a presentation centred on all-natural handmade jewellery, covering store operation, brand globalisation and digital marketing. Their clear business logic, robust operational plan and accurate market understanding earned them strong performance in the semi-finals. At the national final, the team presented project strengths through detailed pitching and practical demonstrations, receiving high praise from the judging panel. People’s Daily also highlighted that the final drew students from more than ten local universities in Chongqing, inspiring young people to engage in cross-border innovation and entrepreneurship.

ShiRui Guo, team member, commented:

"Behind this award is the combination of my long-term passion and practice. My early experience in the DJ industry exposed me to global cutting-edge trends and connected me with quality brands; my operational work on DeWu and Xiaohongshu sharpened my ability to capture the mindset of young users. I have applied these valuable insights in traffic and aesthetics to our cross-border jewellery business, aiming to build a youthful jewellery brand that truly resonates with Generation Z. This experience has taught me that cross-border trade is not just about selling products—it is about connecting the world through culture, a profound growth I have never experienced before."

YiFan Zhao shared:"This entrepreneurial practice has been incredibly rewarding. As the legal representative of our venture, I was involved in the entire preparation process—from business licence application and corporate bank account opening to supplier selection and Alibaba International store setup. I truly experienced the hardships and challenges of entrepreneurship. I am grateful to the University and the School for this precious opportunity, which has given me an authentic and unforgettable entrepreneurial experience during my university studies and deepened my understanding of entrepreneurship and responsibility."

QianRu Meng added: Although preparation was demanding, every business trip, product selection, advertising refinement and PPT polishing was worthwhile. She thanked the University for its comprehensive support, which allowed the team to experience the full process of entrepreneurship. She was also proud that the three members’ pursuit of excellence led them to this achievement.

During preparation, Dr Xu and Qi Wang provided dedicated guidance on project direction, business logic, cross-border operation and presentation skills, strongly supporting the team’s progression and success.

Promoting learning and entrepreneurship through competition, this achievement reflects IBSS’s commitment to cultivating international, innovative talent and exemplifies the School’s efforts in deepening industry-education integration and advancing innovation and entrepreneurship education. Going forward, IBSS will continue to strengthen talent development in cross-border e-commerce and related fields, further optimise its innovation and entrepreneurship education system, and nurture more high-quality professionals with global vision, innovative spirit and practical capabilities—contributing XJTLU’s strength to the development of a digital trade highland in central and western China and the high-quality growth of China’s cross-border e-commerce industry.