The CityUHK Academy of Innovation, launched this year by the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), is offering undergraduates hands-on start-up internships and a series of innovation and entrepreneurship programmes tailored for master’s and doctoral students. Starting this September, the Master of Science (MSc) in Venture Creation programme welcomed its first cohort of students on Orientation Day. The aim of the programme is to introduce students to real-world business environments to pave the way for them to join CityUHK’s HK Tech 300 programme, a vibrant start-up ecosystem dedicated to nurturing young innovators. Students in the MSc programme will receive mentorship from established entrepreneurs, and for high-potential projects, they can apply for HK$100,000 in seed funding through the HK Tech 300 programme.

CityUHK Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) Professor Michael Yang Mengsu spoke about the University’s vision to be a global leader in cultivating tech talent and deep-tech ventures. “With the vast ecosystem built through HK Tech 300, the CityUHK Academy of Innovation will continue to drive partnerships across government, industry, academia, research and investors. This collaboration will empower young people to turn their innovative ideas into practical solutions that address global issues and drive social and economic development.” He encouraged new students to see the programme as the first step on their entrepreneurial journey.

Empowering Start-ups through Broad Industry Networks

To facilitate the application of research outcomes, CityUHK launched HK Tech 300 in 2021. The initiative has since incubated more than 700 start-up teams, with over 150 receiving angel investment of up to HK$1 million. It connects start-ups with a network of over 180 business leaders and entrepreneurs as mentors, and more than 90 organizations from both the public and private sectors as strategic partners and co-investors.

As an integral part of HK Tech 300, CityUHK’s Academy of Innovation offers an integrated curriculum for aspiring entrepreneurs, led by professors from relevant academic departments, industry veterans and investment experts.

Experiential Learning to Nurture Innovative Entrepreneurs

The MSc in Venture Creation programme, launched in September, is built around a rigorous 36-credit curriculum, with core courses in Graduate Research and Innovation Trek (GRIT) Integrated Study, Venture Creation Seminars and Innovation Projects. Designed for graduates, aspiring entrepreneurs and working professionals, these experiential courses, guided by experts and professionals from industry and the entrepreneurial and investment sectors, are designed to develop students’ business acumen for technology transformation and commercialisation.

The programme also includes electives in management, accounting, data science, etc., giving students a robust skillset for entrepreneurship. Through the HK Tech 300 ecosystem, students have access to funding opportunities, CityUHK’s patented technologies, and collaborative projects with faculty, Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral researchers. They will also have pathways to expand their ventures to Mainland China and overseas markets.

Enrolment began earlier this year, with nearly 80 students joining and participating in orientation events on the CityUHK campus.

Among the inaugural class is entrepreneur Mr Ng Ho-yin, who founded a Web3.0 and blockchain start-up several years ago. He believes the programme’s Master’s qualification and support from HK Tech 300 will strengthen his professional network and skillset, helping him transform his innovative ideas into tangible solutions and refine his business acumen.

Another student Ms Liu Mengying, who has run a language education centre in Shenzhen for four years, said she joined the programme to deepen her skills and leverage HK Tech 300 resources to explore opportunities, including implementing AI to expand her educational business.

Mr Xie Qinxu, from the same cohort, holds a Master’s in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California and is the founder of a toy and model design company in California. Now aiming to scale up his business, he enrolled to build expertise in business operations, financing and marketing. With HK Tech 300’s professional network and support from CityUHK’s cutting-edge research, he hopes to establish a new design brand in Hong Kong to take his career to new heights.

Professor Michael Tse Chi-kong, CityUHK Associate Vice-President (Innovation) and Director of the Academy of Innovation, shared his vision for the programme. “Students can pursue the programme full-time or part-time, making it accessible to start-up founders and working professionals alike,” he said. The programme aims to empower students to launch sustainable start-ups and be able to view failure as a stepping stone toward success, he added.

The Academy of Innovation is also introducing a PhD by Innovation programme, inviting doctoral students to conduct research in innovation-driven fields and develop patent-ready, original solutions.