HK Tech 300 Nurtures a New Generation of I&E Talent Over 100 CityUHK Academy of Innovation Graduates Turn Ideas into Ventures and Secure Seed Funding
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
The CityUHK Academy of Innovation recently held its second commencement ceremony for the Master of Science in Venture Creation (MSVC) programme. Over 100 graduates are now embarking on their journeys in innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E). From this MSVC cohort, eight teams were awarded the HK Tech 300 seed fund of HK$100,000 each to support their business and start-up proposals, driving the industrialisation of their innovative solutions and positively impacting society.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Presiding over the ceremony was Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) of City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK). Mr Peter Yan King-shun, Director-General of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, served as the Guest of Honour at the ceremony.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Connecting the World with Innovative Ideas
In his remarks, Mr Yan said that the Academy’s distinctive curriculum design successfully bridges academic excellence and real-world industry needs, serving as a "superhighway" that connects talent with opportunities and innovation in the market. As the world undergoes profound changes unseen in a century and Hong Kong emerges as one of the world's leading innovation hubs, he encouraged graduates to step beyond their comfort zones and play a pivotal role in strengthening connections between Hong Kong and the global innovation ecosystem.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Professor Michael Tse Chi-kong, Associate Vice-President (Innovation) and Director of the CityUHK Academy of Innovation, said that the Academy’s core values extend beyond its diverse curriculum to its commitment to nurturing an I&E mindset that embraces challenges, identifies opportunities and strives to create positive social impact. "Innovation is not a solo endeavour; it is all about collaboration," he added. Professor Tse encouraged graduates to transform the bonds forged through the programme into a strong collaborative network and work together to develop innovative solutions for global challenges.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Start-up Teams Secure HK Tech 300 Seed Funding
This year, 117 students graduated from MSVC programme, marking a nearly 70% increase from the first cohort. During the programme, students developed business and start-up proposals that led to the formation of 31 teams. Eight of the teams successfully secured the HK Tech 300 seed fund of HK$100,000 each to support their start-up journeys.
One of the funded teams, FlexPerov, founded by graduate Ms Xu Mengting, aims to bring perovskite solar cell technology into everyday life through applications such as household emergency lighting and small electronic devices. Through the Academy, the team connected with Professor Alex Jen Kwan-yue, Lee Shau Kee Chair Professor of Materials Science at CityUHK, who has dedicated years to the R&D of perovskite solar cells. This connection enables them to further explore the feasibility of his patented technologies.
Ms Xu believes that joining HK Tech 300 eases the challenges of early-stage start-up development and provides access to extensive industry resources and investor networks, accelerating the development of her prototype.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Transforming Ideas into Market-Ready Solutions
Another start-up team, founded by Ms Perla Chan, focuses on developing a vending machine that dispenses compact, single-use packs of health supplements tailored to specific wellness needs. This solution aims to offer consumers a more convenient way to manage their nutritional intake, eliminating the need to store multiple supplement packs.
As a CityUHK alumna in Creative Media, Perla said that she had previously focused primarily on the quality of the final product, often overlooking actual market demand. Through the Academy, she gained a deeper understanding of the importance of market research and hopes to connect with more business, industry and technology partners through HK Tech 300 to increase the chances of her product reaching its target market.
The Academy is an integral part of HK Tech 300. The MSVC programme provides experiential courses for students, aspiring entrepreneurs and working professionals. These courses are guided by experts and professionals from industry and the entrepreneurial and investment sectors and are designed to develop students’ business acumen for technology transformation and commercialisation. The programme also includes interdisciplinary electives, providing students with a robust skillset for entrepreneurship.
Professor Yang said that CityUHK is committed to nurturing deep-tech talent and start-ups, transforming world-class research into real-world applications to address global challenges and drive social and economic growth. Through HK Tech 300 and the Academy, CityUHK will continue to work with the government, industry, academia, and the research and investment sectors to foster a vibrant I&E ecosystem worldwide.