In the heart of Hong Kong’s hypercompetitive education landscape, where Tiger Moms push their children toward academic excellence and classroom sizes swell to accommodate dozens of students, a young Jason Cheung found himself struggling. Not because he lacked intelligence or drive, but because the system itself was designed for only two types of students: those born smarter, and those who could afford private tutors and multiple tutorial classes. For everyone else, the path forward meant endless hours cramming exercise books, studying in the dark, or simply falling behind.
Jason was one of those students. He felt the pain acutely, experiencing firsthand the lack of personalized guidance that large classroom settings impose on both students and teachers. But where many would accept this as an inevitable reality of modern education, Jason saw an opportunity for transformation. That early struggle would become the foundation for QualiFly Education, an AI-powered platform that’s reshaping how students learn and how teachers teach across Asia.
“I was one of the many who struggled my way through the education system in Asia, and I felt the pain,” Jason reflects. This wasn’t just academic difficulty. It was a systemic failure that left countless students behind, not for lack of potential, but for lack of support.
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT FORGETS TO INSPIRE
Growing up in Hong Kong, one of Asia’s most competitive cities, Jason witnessed a troubling pattern. The obsession with academic excellence and qualifications created an environment where education became purely transactional. Students weren’t learning to explore subjects with genuine passion. Instead, they were fixated on reproducing exact phrases from marking schemes, prioritizing grades over genuine understanding.
“What truly saddens me is how the education system is so exam-oriented that it does not encourage students to develop a genuine passion in exploring different subjects,” Jason explains. The focus on spoon-feeding answers for exams had created a generation of students who could memorize but struggled to apply knowledge, who could pass tests but couldn’t think critically.
This realization planted a seed in Jason’s mind. If exam-oriented learning was inevitable in current society, perhaps the solution wasn’t to fight the system entirely but to change the way people studied within it. The question became: how could technology bridge the gap between mass education and personalized learning?
WHEN AI ALGORITHMS MET EDUCATIONAL PASSION
The spark came during Jason’s first year of college. While learning about AI algorithms and their application in products like Netflix, something clicked. These algorithms could predict what users wanted to watch, adapting recommendations to individual preferences and behaviors. Jason’s mind raced with possibilities. What if this same technology could personalize learning? What if an AI system could understand where each student struggled and provide targeted support?
“I learnt about how AI algorithms was applied in successful companies like Netflix. This got me thinking, what if this is used to make learning personalized? It could become a game-changer for education,” Jason recalls. At the time, generative AI wasn’t yet mainstream. This was pure machine learning, pattern recognition, and adaptive algorithms.
What started as curiosity evolved into a college group project exploring this concept. That project would become the blueprint for QualiFly’s first product. Jason had always admired changemakers and entrepreneurs, reading about their startup journeys and dreaming of building something meaningful. Now, he had found his calling at the intersection of education and technology.
THE GAP THAT TEACHERS COULDN’T FILL
Jason’s mission crystallized around a specific, painful memory. As a weaker student falling behind in class, he had approached his teacher for help. Her response? Read more. No guidance, no support, just a dismissive suggestion that placed the entire burden back on him.
Initially, Jason felt angry. Wasn’t it a teacher’s job to help struggling students? But as he learned more about the education industry, his perspective shifted. The teacher wasn’t failing him personally. She was trapped in a system that made individualized support impossible. With hundreds of students to manage and large class sizes to control, providing personalized attention simply wasn’t feasible.
“I vividly recall one time when I asked my teacher how I could improve, she offered no support and just asked me to read more. At first I was angry at her for not spending any effort in helping me as a teacher. But then I realized it wasn’t her fault,” Jason explains. This realization transformed his anger into purpose.
The gap QualiFly aims to solve is profound yet specific: helping weaker students catch up in class with personalized support that human teachers, constrained by time and class sizes, simply cannot provide at scale.
BUILDING AI THAT ACTUALLY HELPS STUDENTS LEARN
In an era where AI tools proliferate across education technology, many focus on convenience rather than genuine learning improvement. They check answers, provide model solutions, or help teachers mark papers faster. These features bring efficiency, but do they actually help students, especially younger ones, learn better?
Jason’s philosophy diverges sharply from this approach. “AI should not be a gimmick, but should be designed around the learning journey of students carefully,” he emphasizes. QualiFly’s latest platform, Q-Writer, mimics how students learn at school to simulate a similar learning experience with an AI tutor. The system allows students to practice writing anytime outside school at low cost, but more importantly, it guides rather than answers.
The distinction is critical. Unlike general AI chatbots that provide direct answers, Q-Writer ensures no solutions are simply handed to students. Instead, the AI guides students to think more deeply and provides constructive feedback afterward. This approach trains the AI using school-based curricula, matching actual learning needs rather than generic responses.
“We can never completely prevent students from copying answers. They could do it before on the internet, they could now also do it with AI. More importantly, we should educate them how to use AI responsibly,” Jason notes. This ethical foundation distinguishes QualiFly from tools that prioritize speed over understanding.
THE SMILE THAT MADE IT ALL WORTHWHILE
When QualiFly launched its first pilot program through a local community center, offering underprivileged students free access to the platform, Jason wasn’t sure what to expect. The technology worked in testing, but would it genuinely impact real students’ lives?
At the closing event, a parent stayed behind to share something unexpected. Her child had become “addicted” to doing grammar exercises on the platform and had achieved significant improvements in exams. The joy radiating from both parent and child was palpable, their smiles genuine and transformative.
“I could feel the joy from both her and her child, and their smiles was what motivated me to continue,” Jason recalls. That moment validated everything he had worked toward. The weaker students, those the system typically left behind, could find satisfaction in learning when it was personalized to their needs. They could improve one step at a time, building confidence alongside competence.
This is the promise of AI in education when designed correctly: not replacing human teachers, but extending their reach to provide every student with support tailored to their individual learning journey.
RECOGNITION ON A GLOBAL STAGE
Jason’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. QualiFly has received prestigious recognition including the Asia Smart Apps Award and the HKICT Award, validating both the technology and its educational impact. But the most meaningful recognition came earlier, when Jason was still in college: the Hong Kong Top 10 Outstanding Tertiary Student Award.
“This was the first time I had shared about my vision in education and was recognized by different industry and government leaders of Hong Kong,” Jason reflects. That award opened doors, creating opportunities for both him and QualiFly to grow. It provided a platform to share his project with the world and seek professional advice from industry experts.
These awards serve a vital function in the innovation ecosystem, connecting like-minded entrepreneurs globally and validating approaches that challenge conventional thinking. But for Jason, the recognition matters less than the impact. The parent’s smile at the pilot program closing event carries more weight than any trophy.
THE MOMENTS WHEN QUITTING SEEMED EASIER
Behind every success story lie moments of profound doubt. Jason considered quitting several times over the past two years. Sometimes funding dried up, leaving the future uncertain. Other times, key talents left the team, taking institutional knowledge and momentum with them. These challenges are universal in entrepreneurship, but that doesn’t make them easier to bear.
“I told myself, I won’t stop until I have really tried everything possible,” Jason explains. What kept him going wasn’t stubbornness but a subtle adjustment in mindset. He redefined success beyond financial metrics to include the beautiful encounters, the measurable impact, and the experience of being an entrepreneur itself.
This perspective shift allowed him to persevere when practical circumstances suggested retreat. It transformed obstacles into learning opportunities and setbacks into data points for future decisions. The journey itself became valuable, not just the destination.
LESSONS FROM THE CONSULTING WORLD
Jason’s path to entrepreneurship took an unexpected route through Deloitte’s digital consulting practice. Working full-time while building QualiFly, he gained invaluable exposure to how experienced digital product managers built apps for clients from scratch in just months. The tools, methods, and frameworks he absorbed became the foundation for QualiFly’s development approach.
The timing proved fortuitous. During the peak of the pandemic, unexpected holidays provided blocks of time to build QualiFly’s first product using everything he’d learned at Deloitte. This dual experience, consulting by day and building by night, taught Jason the critical balance between innovation and practical execution.
“I once believed that the idea itself was everything; but for it to transition from a ‘cool idea’ into something that could really work is the real barrier for most innovations,” Jason admits. This lesson, learned the hard way, reshaped his approach to product development.
Everything can become a barrier to execution: cost, technology limitations, user adoption. Jason’s solution is deceptively simple yet profoundly effective: keep asking for feedback from users. Keep building, keep refining, keep asking. A product will never cater to everyone’s requests, nor will it ever be perfect. Innovation isn’t about finishing a perfect product. It’s about continuous evolution, a process that goes on forever.
FINDING YOUR VOICE ON GLOBAL STAGES
Speaking at major events like the QS Higher Ed Summit APAC and ReThink HK has given Jason platforms to share his vision beyond Hong Kong. His most memorable experience came at QS Higher Ed Summit APAC, where he spoke internationally for the first time as an invited speaker. Usually the youngest person on stage among industry experts and school principals, Jason represented not just QualiFly but Hong Kong’s emerging generation of educational innovators.
“It was truly my honor to be representing QualiFly, and as a Hong Kong youth leader, to speak on a global stage and to exchange ideas with school principals and educators,” Jason reflects. These opportunities matter not just for brand building but for testing ideas against diverse perspectives and learning from educators implementing change worldwide.
His speaking approach reflects broader shifts in how audiences connect with messages. “In this era, authentic voices have become far more favored than traditional sugar-coated speeches,” Jason notes. Rather than meticulously scripting every word, he focuses on key messages he genuinely believes, providing inspiring food for thought rather than forgettable facts.
The secret ingredient? Passion. “You need to love what you share and the audience can feel it,” Jason emphasizes. This authenticity resonates with both educators seeking practical solutions and business leaders evaluating investment opportunities.
NAVIGATING THE DIVERSE EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM
Education is uniquely complex because it involves multiple stakeholders with fundamentally different perspectives. Teachers focus on pedagogical effectiveness and classroom management. Parents prioritize outcomes and safety. Schools balance academic results with operational constraints. Students seek engagement and relevance. Each group brings legitimate needs that sometimes conflict with others.
Jason’s advice to aspiring edtech entrepreneurs reflects this complexity: “Before you start building, be sure to seek for feedback from as many people as possible – teachers, parents, schools and students, they all have some unique perspectives and needs.” This comprehensive stakeholder engagement prevents the common pitfall of building solutions that work in theory but fail in practice.
But Jason balances consultation with action. “At the same time, just get started and don’t overthink – edtech is moving faster than ever right now. It could be a good opportunity to build something great!” The edtech landscape evolves rapidly, and perfectionism can mean missing windows of opportunity. The key is balancing stakeholder input with decisive execution.
THE FUTURE OF AI IN EDUCATION
Looking ahead, Jason sees AI fundamentally reshaping global education, but the transformation won’t be straightforward. In Asia, most teachers and parents still struggle with how to utilize AI effectively. Some educators remain skeptical about students relying on technology, but complete avoidance isn’t viable.
“In the workplace, almost all industries utilize AI to some point, and talents also need to be competent in using it,” Jason notes. Education must prepare students for this reality, starting with supporting their learning journey at school. Proper education about AI use becomes as important as the technology itself.
On a broader level, Jason envisions AI making language relatively less important as a differentiator. Problem-solving skills and soft skills should be taught systematically, preparing future leaders to navigate an increasingly complex world with rapidly evolving global challenges. This shift requires educational institutions to fundamentally rethink curricula and assessment methods.
A VISION BEYOND ENGLISH LEARNING
QualiFly’s five-year vision extends well beyond teaching English with AI. Jason plans to innovate the future of learning more broadly, building systems that integrate directly into schools. The goal is expanding beyond Hong Kong to create impact across Asia, scaling both geographically and functionally.
Central to this vision is advocacy for AI-assisted learning. “Such changes to traditional methods need time and effort to drive,” Jason acknowledges. Educational institutions move slowly, notorious for lagging behind societal changes. Shifting mindsets among administrators, teachers, and parents requires persistent, evidence-based advocacy.
If Jason could change one thing in current education systems, it would be reducing emphasis on written exams while increasing focus on skills that actually matter in modern workplaces. “I have met a lot of secondary school students who can’t properly type English with a keyboard, let alone using AI competently,” he observes. This gap between educational outputs and workplace requirements represents a systemic failure that technology can help address.
Education should be updated regularly to catch up with societal changes, but the industry’s pace remains frustratingly slow. Jason sees this not as an insurmountable obstacle but as an opportunity for innovators willing to demonstrate better approaches through measurable results.
THE MISSION THAT DRIVES EVERYTHING
At its core, QualiFly’s mission is elegantly simple: to empower teachers and students by making education smarter, more personalized, and more accessible. This mission statement captures Jason’s fundamental belief that technology should serve all stakeholders, not replace human connection but enhance it.
The students who once struggled as Jason did now have tools that adapt to their learning pace. The teachers who couldn’t provide individualized attention now have AI assistants that extend their impact. The parents worried about their children falling behind now have affordable access to personalized support. The schools managing large class sizes now have data-driven insights into student progress.
This stakeholder-centric approach distinguishes QualiFly from edtech companies focused primarily on efficiency or profit margins. Jason’s lived experience as a struggling student keeps the mission grounded in genuine need rather than market opportunity alone.
LESSONS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS
Jason’s journey offers valuable insights for emerging entrepreneurs, particularly those working at the intersection of AI and education. The first lesson is humility about mentorship. Jason cannot identify a single “biggest” mentor because everyone willing to spend time supporting a young entrepreneur proved pivotal.
“On a higher level, everyone could be a mentor of yours if one is able to stay humble and observe the good qualities of people around them,” Jason reflects. This openness to learning from diverse sources, from experienced executives to fellow founders to users themselves, accelerates growth beyond what formal mentorship alone provides.
The second lesson concerns the nature of innovation itself. Ideas matter, but execution determines success. The gap between a cool concept and a working solution eliminates most innovations before they reach market. Bridging that gap requires relentless iteration based on user feedback, willingness to fail and adjust, and understanding that products evolve continuously rather than reaching finished states.
The third lesson is perhaps most important: define success broadly. Financial sustainability matters, but so do impact, relationships, and personal growth. “Success is not only defined financially, but also the beautiful encounters, impact and experience along the journey of being an entrepreneur,” Jason emphasizes.
This expanded definition of success provides resilience during inevitable difficult periods. When funding dries up or team members leave, the meaningful encounters and measurable impact sustained through pilot programs remind founders why they started.
A LEGACY BEING BUILT ONE STUDENT AT A TIME
Jason Cheung represents a new generation of entrepreneurs who experienced systemic failures firsthand and decided to build solutions rather than accept the status quo. His journey from struggling student to award-winning founder demonstrates that the best innovations often come from lived experience rather than market research.
QualiFly’s impact extends beyond individual student outcomes to influence how educators think about AI’s role in learning. By demonstrating that technology can guide rather than replace, personalize rather than standardize, Jason is shifting conversations about edtech from efficiency to effectiveness, from convenience to genuine learning improvement.
The parent’s smile at that first pilot program closing event represents thousands of similar moments happening as QualiFly scales. Each student who finds satisfaction in learning, each teacher whose impact extends further, each parent who sees their child’s confidence grow contributes to a systemic shift in how education serves students.
“I want to do more than just teaching English with AI,” Jason states, articulating a vision that encompasses broader educational transformation. His work demonstrates that technology’s highest purpose isn’t replacing human connection but enabling it at scale, ensuring that no student gets left behind simply because classroom sizes make personalized attention impossible.
As education systems worldwide grapple with how to integrate AI responsibly and effectively, leaders like Jason provide essential guidance grounded in educational purpose rather than technological possibility. His example shows that the most sustainable innovations serve genuine needs, involve all stakeholders, and evolve continuously based on user feedback. The future of education will be shaped by founders who understand both technology and pedagogy, who have experienced educational systems’ limitations personally, and who remain committed to student outcomes above all else. Jason Cheung’s journey provides a roadmap for achieving this balance, demonstrating that purposeful innovation can transform systems one student at a time.
