As part of its efforts to continue developing tech talent, Shopee concluded its first ever Ultimate Case Challenge in the Philippines — a business case competition widely participated in by undergraduate Filipino students from across the globe. During this year’s contest, nearly 300 teams rose up to the challenge to come up with a solution to make e-commerce more accessible to shoppers from the Visayas and Mindanao regions. 

The first ever winners of the Ultimate Case Challenge in the Philippines were a mix of students  majoring in different courses from universities across the Philippines. Virgil, Jalyn, Paola, and Christine used their diverse skill set to their advantage and worked together to come up with an operations-centered solution to the challenge and win Shopee’s first ever Ultimate Case Challenge in the Philippines. Apart from winning ₱50,000, the team received mentorship from leaders at Shopee, and the chance to fast track their tech careers through Shopee’s various career development programs. 

Karen Perez, Head of People at Shopee Philippines, shared “It was truly incredible seeing the amount of skill and talent that each team brought to the Ultimate Case Challenge. We are committed to supporting the growth and development of young Filipino tech talents by crafting even more initiatives designed to hone their knowledge and expertise. Through the Ultimate Case Challenge and more initiatives like this, we aim to help uncover and nurture the next generation of tech talent that will continue to push the boundaries of the industry.”

Virgil, another member of the winning team and economics student, was able to hone his problem solving skills through the Ultimate Case Challenge. He shared “Joining the Ultimate Case Challenge allowed me to test my ability to analyze situations and come up with impactful solutions that can help the local community. As a graduating student, this competition helped me prepare for life after university by widening my perspective on real-world challenges and how to solve them efficiently and effectively.” 

For Christine, a Computer Engineering major and member of the winning team, joining the Ultimate Case Challenge allowed her to venture out of her comfort zone and meet new people. “Coming from a team as diverse as ours, where each of us comes from a different university, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with such bright and talented minds. Despite majoring in different fields like Communications, Finance, and Computer Engineering, we were able to work together towards our shared goal of winning the Ultimate Case Challenge.” 

For Alfonso, an accountancy student and 2nd runner up, receiving hands-on mentorship from a Shopee leader was one his most valuable and memorable experiences. “We learned a great deal throughout our business case competition journey, most especially from our mentor. He helped us improve our overall strategy and proposal by exploring different approaches, identifying gaps in our current plan, and empowering us to think outside the box,” shared Alfonso.

Shopee provides young tech talent with opportunities to challenge themselves and hone their skill set. Fresh graduates and young professionals interested in exploring a career in tech and e-commerce may visit https://bit.ly/prShopeePHGradPrograms.