HKU IMPACT (Jan 2026)
Event Highlights
HKU Startups at Entrepreneur Day 2025
HKU highlighted over 30 startups transforming research into real-world solutions for the GBA and beyond at Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s Entrepreneur Day in 2025. Key highlights included announcing the results of the Tech-Up GBA Innovators Programme, with 14 teams selected for incubation. The event also featured booths showcasing innovative projects like flexible diamond membranes and robotic fish. Deep appreciation to the 450+ attendees, investors, and partners who joined us that day! Stay tuned for more updates on how HKU’s potential becomes world-changing innovations.
HKU Demo Day 2025
HKU presented innovative developments to investors, industry experts, and entrepreneurs on 4 December 2025. Congratulations to top performers:
+ CoNova, for their intelligent wearable system for musculoskeletal conditions
+ DiamNEX, for pioneering “Edge-Exposed Exfoliation” to produce ultra-thin diamond films for semiconductor production
Special thanks to judges Mr S.C. Mak, Tina Tao, Damien Wu, Charles L., and James Chan for their insights, and to all participating teams for their passion and creativity.
HKU Venture Mentoring Service
The HKU Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), supported by the HKU Super Angel Network, held a mentor training session on 5 December 2025. Special guest, Mr. Kent Summers from MIT shared valuable insights on mentoring and entrepreneurship. Dr. Winnie Tang, Chief Convener of the HKU Super Angel Network, also delivered inspiring remarks. The event featured engaging mentoring sessions with HKU ventures Mind Sparks Beverage Limited and BiomOrgam, fostering innovative ideas and collaboration. This day highlighted the power of mentorship in nurturing future entrepreneurs. Learn more about the HKU Super Angel Network here: https://tec.hku.hk/hkusan/
Entrepreneurship Academy 2025 Wrap-up
The Entrepreneurship Academy 2025 concluded after 10 weeks of startup crash courses, engaging over 1,300 participants. The final sessions featured Dr Lu Qi from MiraclePlus, highlighting that youth is a major advantage in startup success. He also emphasised other attributes, such as ideas, team, product, execution, and luck to build successful startups. The grand finale was an informal "Ask a VC Anything" with Edith Yeung from Race Capital, sharing candid insights on funding and failure. This impactful journey was supported by partnerships with NEX Team, MiraclePlus, and Hong Kong X Foundation, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
HKU Students Shine in National & International Innovation Competitions
HKU students excelled at the 2025 national & international university student innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. In China, they won 1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 2 Bronze awards, with BuildMind AI earning third prize at the "National Challenge Cup." Internationally, Saint Novel Biotech received a Gold Medal at the Seoul International Invention Fair. These achievements showcase HKU students’ creativity and innovation on both national and global stages. Congratulations to all the talented teams!
LSR Shines at ISSSP 2025
The Laboratory for Space Research (LSR) at HKU gained notable recognition at the International Space Science and Scientific Payload Competition (ISSSP) in December 2025, where two student teams received silver and bronze medals for experiments proposed for the China Space Station. The finals were held at Cyberport with the original competition involving 2,000 participants from more than 80 universities across 30 countries. The event, themed “The Stars and the Sea of the Cosmos”, showcased LSR students’ innovative ideas, guided by postdoctoral mentors Dr. Andreas Ritter, Dr. Andy Kong, and Dr. Abdi Sadjadi, who also earned Best Instructor awards. These achievements highlight LSR's dedication to fostering collaborative research, advancing space science, and strengthening Hong Kong’s position in global aerospace research, while inspiring future generations to explore the cosmos.
Join Us @HKU
MedTech Hackathon GBA 2026
The MedTech Hackathon GBA 2026 empowers researchers to translate innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Multidisciplinary teams will benefit from expert training, mentorship, and access to investors, funding, and corporate partners through the Lean Launcher Training Programme. Participants will also take part in off-site industry visits to Suzhou and Guangzhou to network and explore collaboration opportunities. Selected teams will have the chance to pitch their solutions at Hong Kong’s premier healthcare event, the Asian Summit of Global Health (ASGH), on 11-12 May 2026, to a targeted audience of industry leaders.
Open for Application: Seed 2026 Cohort 1
SEED is a joint co-ideation programme in partnership with HKSTP for students and graduates. SEED is an early-stage start-up support programme designed for innovative or start-up projects in any discipline or industrial sector. Awardees will receive training and coaching, and will be supported to participate in various start-up competitions. Don't miss out on this opportunity! Applications for this cohort are open until 22 February 2026.