Going home for the Chinese New Year with a year-end bonus of 100 million

The auditorium of the Industrial University was packed to capacity on the last Saturday of June.

The final of the first "Spark" College Student Entrepreneurship Competition kicked off amidst great anticipation.

The auditorium, which can hold 800 people, was now packed with students, even the aisles were full.

Above the stage, a bright red banner stood out prominently:

"The First 'Spark' College Student Entrepreneurship Competition Finals and Awards Ceremony".

Yang Fan sat in the center of the judges' panel.

On the left and right sides are the dean of the business school of the industrial university, a partner from a venture capital firm invited from Shanghai, and a well-known local entrepreneur.

Lin Qingyue, as a representative of the organizer, sat in the guest seat next to the judges' panel.

In the first row below the stage, the five finalist teams stood ready.

Behind them were student representatives from various colleges, media reporters, and some off-campus investors who had come after hearing the news.

Yang Fan's gaze swept over the five teams, and he had already made his judgment.

After a systematic scan, the ratings for the five items are clearly presented:

1. "Flying Bird Logistics" - Campus drone delivery system, rated A-, worth investing in.

2. "ZhiXue AI" - an AI-assisted learning platform, rated B, but there is a line of red text in the system notes: "The founder has potential integrity issues, caution is advised."

3. "Plant Rental and Sales" - Plant rental services for dormitories, rated C+, with limited potential.

4. "Food Map" - a platform recommending restaurants around campus, rated B-, with fierce competition.

5. "Used Electronics Testing" - Used electronic product testing and certification services, rated B+, investment potential.

The phrase "trust risks" made Yang Fan question the "ZhiXue AI" team.

He made a point of observing the team's founder—a fluent-talking boy wearing gold-rimmed glasses named Chen Yi.

His gaze was firm during the speech, and his answers to questions were impeccable; he seemed like an outstanding entrepreneur by all accounts.

But the system doesn't lie.

At 9:00 AM sharp, the host announced the start of the competition.

The five teams took turns to present their final pitches and answer questions in the order drawn by lot.

Each team has 20 minutes, including 10 minutes for the presentation and 10 minutes for the Q&A session.

The first team to take the stage was the "Green Plant Rental and Sales" team. Their project idea was good, but their business model was simplistic and their profit margins were limited.

The judges' questions were mild, but the scores were generally low.

The second is the "Food Map".

The team put a lot of effort into it; the app interface is beautifully designed, and the data collection is detailed.

However, the problem is also obvious – there are already too many similar platforms, and there is a lack of differentiation.

The judges focused on the profit model and competitive barriers, and the team's answers were somewhat reluctant.

The third one is finally "Smart Learning AI".

Chen Yi walked calmly onto the stage. He was wearing a well-fitting dark blue suit and his hair was neatly combed.

Open PowerPoint, and a meticulously designed page appears on the big screen.

"Distinguished judges, fellow students, good afternoon. We are the 'Smart Learning AI' team."

His voice, steady and confident, resonated throughout the auditorium through the microphone.

"China has 3000 million college students, and each student spends an average of more than 2000 yuan per year on tutoring materials and training. This is a market worth 600 billion yuan."

"Our AI learning platform can analyze students' learning data and intelligently recommend the most suitable learning paths and materials, improving learning efficiency by more than 30%."

Chen Yi showcased the platform demo, which featured a smooth interface and rich functionality.

He then presented internal testing data—after a month of small-scale testing at an industrial university, the user retention rate reached 65%, and the paid conversion rate was 12%.

"We have reached cooperation agreements with three educational institutions and expect to break even within six months after the financing."

The roadshow ended with enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The defense begins.

The venture capital firm's partner first asked:

What are the core advantages of your algorithm? There are already similar products on the market.

"Our advantage lies in vertical specialization," Chen Yi replied fluently.

"We don't create general-purpose learning platforms; instead, we focus on university courses."

"Our database contains course syllabi and past exam questions from more than 2000 universities across the country, which is something other platforms do not have."

The dean of the business school then asked, "What's the profit model? Is it just based on membership fees?"

"Initially, we'll focus on membership fees; later, we'll expand into B2B business." Chen Yi switched to the PowerPoint presentation:

"We are already in talks with two publishers to provide AI-assisted learning modules for their textbooks, with revenue sharing based on usage."

It was Yang Fan's turn to ask a question.

He picked up the microphone and looked at Chen Yi on the stage:

"Chen, I'd like to ask a question that's not related to technology."

"Was your team's core technology—the learning path recommendation algorithm—developed in-house?"

Chen Yi was visibly taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his composure: "Yes, it was completely independently developed."

"Did you reference or use any open-source code?" Yang Fan pressed.

"Uh... of course, we will refer to some open source algorithms, but the core parts are all written by ourselves." Chen Yi's tone was a little unnatural.

Yang Fan nodded and did not ask any further questions.

But the line of red text on the system screen was even more glaring:

"The founder has integrity concerns—the core algorithm is suspected of being plagiarized."

In the subsequent questions, Chen Yi regained his composure.

The answer was logically clear and the data was detailed, which won the praise of many viewers.

The fourth team to take the stage was "Flying Bird Logistics". The team performed solidly, presented accurate data, and answered the judges' various tricky questions fluently.

Yang Fan saw that the system still gave him an A- rating, with an investment recommendation of 50 to 100 million yuan.

Finally, there is the "Used Electronics Inspection".

The project has a clever entry point, addressing the trust issue in secondhand transactions.

The team has a technical background, and the solutions they provide are professional and feasible. The system is rated B+, and an investment of 20-50 RMB is recommended.

After all the presentations concluded, the judges left to give their feedback.

The atmosphere in the judges' room was somewhat subtle.

"I think 'Intelligent Learning AI' should win first prize," a partner at the venture capital firm said first.

"The project is highly mature, the business model is clear, and the team is professional."

"If this kind of project were put on the market, getting 500 million in funding wouldn't be a problem."

The dean of the business school nodded: "Judging from the business plan and the performance of the pitch, 'Smart Learning AI' is indeed the most complete."

"Moreover, the education sector is an evergreen sector with a large market potential."

As the chief judge, Yang Fan's opinion is crucial.

"I disagree with 'Smart Learning AI' winning first prize," Yang Fan said bluntly.

"Why?" The venture partner frowned.

"A few questions." Yang Fan held up one finger.

"First, I doubt that the core algorithm they claim to have developed entirely independently."

"Secondly, the internal testing data is almost unbelievably good—a 65% retention rate, without any promotion, is a top-tier figure in the industry."

The venture capital partner laughed: "Mr. Yang, these are all subjective judgments."

"When we make investments, we look at data and facts. Their business plan was well-written, and their roadshow performance was the best."

"Data can be edited, and roadshows can be rehearsed," Yang Fan said calmly.

"I think 'Flying Bird Logistics' deserves the first prize more."

"Although the project may not seem very 'high-end,' it addresses real pain points, the team is reliable, and the data is trustworthy."

The dean of the business school said thoughtfully, "Yang Fan makes a good point. 'Feiniao Logistics' may not have the same imaginative potential as 'Smart Learning AI,' but it is highly practical and has low risk."

"But every competition has to have a winner," the venture partner insisted. "Judging from the overall performance, 'ZhiXue AI' is clearly superior."

After twenty minutes of debate, a compromise was finally reached:

First Prize: Flying Bird Logistics

Second Prize: "Intelligent Learning AI"

Third Prize: "Used Electronics Testing"

Award of Excellence: "Food Map" and "Plant Rental/Sale"

But Yang Fan added:

"My fund will only invest in first and third prizes."

"Although the second prize is a high ranking, it is not within my investment considerations."

The venture capital partner's expression darkened: "Mr. Yang, isn't that a bit arbitrary?"

"It's my money, and I have my own standards for judgment," Yang Fan said calmly.

"If Mr. Li thinks 'Smart Learning AI' is good, he can invest in it himself."