📌About the Event

Youth Sustainable Investment Challenge 2026, or YSIC 2026, is a global youth investment competition organised by the Youth Entrepreneurship and Finance Association. The challenge helps students learn real-world investing, ESG-based decision-making, portfolio strategy, financial literacy, and sustainability-focused impact planning. Participants build a virtual investment portfolio on StockTrak and top finalists pitch their strategy in an online global final to Wall Street judges.

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ℹ️ Event Details

• Mode of conduct: Online
• Platform: StockTrak simulated trading platform
• Final round: Global online pitch presentation
• Main theme: Sustainable investing, ESG awareness, financial literacy, portfolio management, and social impact
• Team size: 1 to 4 students
• Task: Build and manage a $1,000,000 virtual investment portfolio using sustainable investment principles
• Registration process: Participants need to complete both YSIC Jotform registration and StockTrak setup

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📅 Important Dates

• Registration & team formation: June 28, 2026
• Round 1 begins: June 29, 2026
• Round 1 / portfolio construction period: June 29 – September 4, 2026
• Midpoint check: July 29, 2026
• Top 60 announcement: September 5, 2026
• Round 2 / investment strategy report: September 6 – September 15, 2026
• Top 30 and Top 10 finalist announcement: September 15, 2026
• Final online pitch: September 26, 2026

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🎯 Eligibility & Rules

• Eligibility:
  • Open to students from grades 7 to 12
  • Students can participate individually or in teams
  • Teams can have 1 to 4 members
  • The 2026 registration form includes India in the country list, so Indian students can participate
  • No prior investment experience is clearly required in the older official FAQ; the challenge is designed to support students through learning resources and guidance
• Key Rules:
  • Teams must build a $1,000,000 virtual portfolio using StockTrak
  • Participants must follow ESG and social impact thinking while building their investment strategy
  • By the midpoint check, teams must complete at least 2 trades
  • Portfolio must include at least 1 ESG stock
  • Cash allocation must be 20% or less
  • Top 60 teams move ahead after Round 1
  • Round 2 requires a 1000-word investment strategy report
  • Finalists deliver an 8-minute portfolio and investment strategy presentation
  • Finalists also present a 2-minute ESG/social impact initiative proposal
  • Final pitch includes a 5-minute Q&A with judges
• Evaluation Process:
  • Investment strategy and portfolio analysis
  • ESG and social impact initiative proposal
  • Presentation quality and clarity
  • Innovation and strategic thinking
  • Q&A performance with judges
  • Winners are selected by a Wall Street judging panel

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🏆 Benefits for the Participants

• 1st Place: $500
• 2nd Place: $300
• 3rd Place: $200
• Top 3 benefits: Recommendation letter plus SCISS Elite Summer Program benefit valued at $5,500
• All participants: Youth Sustainable Investor Certificate, ESG research tools, and learning resources
• Semi-finalists: Semi-finalist certificate and networking opportunities
• Champion benefits: Media exposure, feature in YEFA Annual Impact Report, and priority internship opportunities
• Finalists: Pitch their investment and impact strategies to Wall Street judges.