Inaugural Partnership with HKSTP to Nurture Start-up Entrepreneurs
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) held the ‘Final Pitching of the Education+ and Social Entrepreneurs Fund (EASE Fund)’ today (9 March) to determine the winning six start-up teams, comprising EdUHK students, staff or alumni, which will receive a wide range of entrepreneurial support worth HK$2 million in funding. This covers seed capital, professional guidance, training and resources to help the entrepreneurs bring their dreams to life.
Organised by EdUHK’s Knowledge Transfer Sub-office, the competition has seen a record number of 39 participating teams this year. It also features the University’s first-ever collaboration with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) on the ‘Co-Ideation Programme’, in which 10 start-up teams will be selected to be based at the Hong Kong Science Park. The winning teams will also be provided with comprehensive entrepreneurial mentoring and advice, in addition to guidance on writing a business plan, and practical tips on pitching skills and investment.
EdUHK Vice President (Research and Development) Professor Chetwyn Chan Che-hin applauded the outstanding performance of the participating teams. “The start-up teams have come up with many innovative ideas, covering a diverse range of social issues, including EdTech, mental health, arts and culture, environmental sustainability and social services”, he said. “Not only have they demonstrated their compassion and humanistic care for such societal issues, but they have also applied an innovative way of thinking in an effort to address them.”
He added that the University would continue to collaborate with different stakeholders, and foster an ecosystem of entrepreneurship on the campus.
Established in 2018, the EASE Fund provides seed funding to EdUHK students, staff and alumni to nurture entrepreneurship, as a means of transferring knowledge for the betterment of society. To date, the Fund has awarded $14 million to a total of 28 winning start-up teams, while more than 135 teams have benefitted from entrepreneurial support from professional mentors.
Inaugural Partnership with HKSTP to Nurture Start-up Entrepreneurs
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