Cover Maverick Movement's Matthew Zachary Liu (centre) and the next generation of bold thinkers and builders
Maverick Movement's Matthew Zachary Liu (centre) and the next generation of bold thinkers and builders
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Founded in Singapore by youth mentor Matthew Zachary Liu, Maverick Movement is guiding teenagers to develop clarity, resilience, and leadership skills—starting from within
In Singapore, where academic excellence often overshadows personal growth, many teenagers are navigating pressure, self-doubt and questions about who they are. For some, these challenges remain unspoken; for others, they manifest as stress, burnout, or a loss of confidence. Maverick Movement exists to address that gap.
Founded by youth mentor Matthew Zachary Liu, Maverick Movement is a youth development platform challenging the notion that teenagers must “wait their turn” to make a meaningful impact. Instead, it is empowering them to become confident and resilient leaders by focusing on their inner world.
Its mission is clear: to help young people aged 13 to 18 develop inner clarity, confidence, and resilience by focusing on identity, mindset and purpose.
Above Maverick Movement’s mission is clear: to help young people aged 13 to 18 develop inner clarity, confidence, and resilience by focusing on identity, mindset, and purpose
Maverick Movement’s mission is clear: to help young people aged 13 to 18 develop inner clarity, confidence, and resilience by focusing on identity, mindset, and purpose
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The organisation’s origins came from a deeply personal insight. Liu recognised a feeling from his own teenage years—a period without guidance on fundamental questions of identity and self-worth. He saw these same struggles in the teens he met as an adult, regardless of their external success.
Raised in a high-expectations household, he excelled academically and in the public eye, from hosting the Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony to interviewing prominent leaders and celebrities. Yet behind the accomplishments lay anxiety, burnout, and the persistent feeling of never being enough.
This disconnect led to depression in his twenties—and eventually, a shift in perspective. “The most important lessons in life aren’t found in textbooks or trophies,” he says. He realised that what teens needed most wasn’t more tuition or enrichment, but a safe space for self-discovery and confidence-building.
Above Programmes are designed to help teenagers understand themselves better before they are expected to lead others
Programmes are designed to help teenagers understand themselves better before they are expected to lead others
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A different kind of youth development
Launched without fanfare, Maverick Movement began with grassroots workshops and motivational talks in schools, often offered for free in the early days. Over time, Liu refined his approach, guided by one principle: transformation starts from the inside out.
The programmes are designed to help teenagers understand themselves better before they are expected to lead others. Participants work through guided reflection, gamified growth frameworks, and hands-on case studies to strengthen emotional agility and independent thinking.
A pivotal experience came from working with a withdrawn student, a 15-year-old carrying more than he should. Through consistent conversation, the student began to find his own words and power. This shaped the core of the movement: it is not about saving people, but about creating a space for them to save themselves.
Above Maverick Movement is aimed at shaping the future of youth in Singapore
Maverick Movement is aimed at shaping the future of youth in Singapore
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Mentorship that bridges generations
A hallmark of the Maverick approach is pairing teens with real-world mentors—CEOs, creatives, and entrepreneurs—who offer guidance drawn from lived experience. These connections have led to powerful breakthroughs in communication, confidence, and ambition. As Liu recalls, some students have gone on to build startups at 13 or headhunted by CEOs at 19; others have simply learned to be kinder to themselves.
The ripple effects of this work extend beyond participants. Parents have rebuilt trust with their teenagers, and some schools have shifted their approach to student development. “When one young person finds clarity, it changes the people around them too,” Liu notes.
Growth with integrity
The company is not driven by a need to scale quickly. Instead, it has focused on deepening its impact with its core audience, believing that “clarity before scale is crucial”. Success is measured in transformation, not traffic. Growth is defined by a teenager who learns how to regulate their emotions, finds their voice, or dares to take a new path. The focus on depth has led to significant ripple effects, with Maverick Youth’s starting businesses, becoming School Captains and Head Prefects, or simply being emotional anchors for their families.
Looking ahead, Maverick Movement is preparing for principled growth. The company is exploring expansion into regional markets like Indonesia and Vietnam, and deepening its mentorship model with more real-world leaders. It is also investing in digital content so its impact is not limited to geography. The commitment to its core mission remains the compass: to help young people build from within.
As Liu states: “We’re not trying to dominate a market—we’re trying to change a generation, one person at a time.”
