From Lab to Market: HKUST Leads in Innovation and Knowledge Transfer
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The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has been at the forefront of entrepreneurship and tech transfer since its establishment 31 years ago. Backed by a culture of innovation, as well as strong research capabilities and network with local, mainland and international partners, HKUST’s new President Prof. Nancy Ip is confident that the University is in a privileged position to propel the I&T development of the city and the nation.
A super connector for local and international research and innovations
At the ‘HKUST x Industry Engagement Day: Innovation and Technology Showcase’ (Industry Engagement Day) held yesterday on the HKUST campus, 500 honorable guests including Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Prof. Sun Dong; representatives of the European Union and Consul Generals from multiple countries including Sweden, Egypt and Vietnam; as well as members from business and tech sectors, explored collaborative opportunities with HKUST researchers on their inventions spanning sustainability and smart living, healthtech, semi-conductor, sensors and microelectronics, big data, artificial intelligence, fintech and robotics.
A pioneer in entrepreneurship among local universities
HKUST members are characterized by their entrepreneurial spirit. Students and faculty have been founding their own businesses more than two decades ago - a time when “start-up” is still a buzzword for the minority. HKUST’s Office of Knowledge Transfer offers funding, advice, professional services and arrange investor-matching events and competitions to help HKUST inventors translate innovations into solutions that address societal problems. The HKUST One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition – a signature event first launched in Hong Kong as a university contest a decade ago, has now grown into a regional competition staged by 8 cities in the Greater Bay Area. As of 2022, HKUST members have founded 1,645 active start-ups, including 9 Unicorns and 7 IPO companies, generating economic impact worth over HK$400 billion.
.jpeg?itok=Sk3X3n_f "InvestHK cited QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 to demonstrate the performance of five world’s top 100 local universities in several innovation-centric areas, among which HKUST ranked top in four engineering and materials science subjects.")
HKUST President Prof. Nancy Ip said at the Industry Engagement Day, “Science and innovation are primary tractors of growth for advancement of Hong Kong and our nation. As a pioneer in science and research in Hong Kong, HKUST can take a leading role in helping the city to establish an enhanced I&T ecosystem, just like the case of Stanford University for Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay area. With our strong research capabilities and network with local, regional and international governments and industry players, we shall help fill the gap by building a robust ecosystem from basic research to impact through co-development and partnership with the government and industry.”
Vibrant hub for University-Industry collaboration
Apart from Prof. Sun Dong, executives of I&T heavyweights WeBank, Guangdong Bright Dream Robotics, Chiaphua Industries, and Huawei Technologies, also shared at the event their insights on the opportunities and expectations of University-Industry collaboration in driving Hong Kong’s innovation agenda.
The event showcased 31 research innovations in four strategic areas. Among them was an autonomous vehicle which fleet has been deployed in the mainland for goods delivery during the pandemic to minimize human contact. Another example is a health technology allowing surgeons to verify if a patient’s cancer cells have been cleanly eradicated during the surgery, so as to minimize the chance of a second operation.