CityUHK partners with Sinovation Ventures to boost tech talent and start-up development

21 Oct 2025

CityUHK and Sinovation Ventures sign MoU on tech talent and start-up development

Witnessed by Professor Yang (first right), and Dr Lee (first left), the MoU was signed by Professor Tse (second right) and Dr Wong (second left).

City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sinovation Ventures on 10 September. This partnership aims to foster a dynamic start-up ecosystem by leveraging shared resources, expertise, and networks to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurial success. It further strengthens the University's leading role in nurturing technology talent and start-ups through initiatives like HK Tech 300 and the CityUHK Academy of Innovation (CAI).

Witnessed by Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, CityUHK Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise), and Dr Lee Kai-Fu, Chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures; the MoU was signed by Professor Michael Tse Chi-kong, CityUHK Associate Vice-President (Innovation) and Director of CAI, and Dr Anny Wong, on behalf of Sinovation Incubator Limited in Hong Kong.

“This MoU marks a remarkable fusion of academia, research and investment sectors,” said Professor Yang. “It signifies a powerful partnership that will enhance the circulation of innovative resources, empowering our start-up talent through Sinovation Ventures’ expertise and CityUHK’s dynamic ecosystem, enabling more innovative solutions to be implemented in real-world development.”

“CityUHK’s rapid ascent as a global research powerhouse dedicated to driving innovation makes it an ideal launchpad for deep-tech start-ups. This partnership with CityUHK aligns with our mission to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs through cutting-edge technologies, further unlocking more innovative ideas into scalable solutions that benefit society,” said Dr Lee.

Leveraging the resources of CityUHK and Sinovation Ventures, the MoU aims to explore collaborations in establishing a start-up boot camp for the talent development of CityUHK, CAI and HK Tech 300, CityUHK’s flagship innovation and entrepreneurship programme.

Both parties will share mentorship, funding opportunities, and co-working spaces, while also bringing together diverse expertise from industry leaders and seasoned entrepreneurs. This collaboration offers comprehensive support and tailored guidance to equip start-ups, helping them refine their business models and strategies effectively.

Moreover, this partnership will provide start-ups access to wider array of potential investors, partners, and customers, enhancing opportunities for growth and market penetration by leveraging both CityUHK and Sinovation Ventures’ networks.

CityUHK launched HK Tech 300 in 2021 to build an extensive start-up ecosystem for aspiring entrepreneurs. It has invested in over 200 start-ups with an angel fund investment of up to HK$1 million each and engaged more than 100 public and private institutions as the strategic partners, co-investment partners and supporting organisations. In 2024, CityUHK established CAI that offers a comprehensive range of degree and non-degree programmes for future entrepreneurs to develop deep-tech start-ups, reaffirming the University’s position as a leading university in innovation and entrepreneurship education.

Sinovation Ventures is a leading Chinese technology venture capital firm. Founded by a team led by Dr Kai-Fu Lee in 2009, the firm manages ten USD- and RMB-denominated funds with over US$3 billion in assets under management, backing more than 500 portfolio companies across technology and innovation globally. Dr Lee is the Chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures. Prior to founding Sinovation Ventures, Dr Lee was the President of Google China, and senior executives at Microsoft, SGI, and Apple.