Micro Fund Scheme

Funding Stage:

Micro Fund is a seeding stage funding programme for teams that are either preparing to establish a start-up or have incorporated a company within 24 months of the application deadline

Calling For:
Innovative technology solutions with viable business models to create industry and/or social impact

Eligibility:

• A team with:

• Current Student of PolyU, HKCC, SPEED; or
• Alumnus/Alumna of PolyU, HKCC, SPEED; or
• PolyU Translational Startup Postdoc; or
• PolyU Staff; or
• Key owner-operator of PolyU Technology Licensee

as the Principal Applicant (PA)

• The application shall not be a project or company funded in previous cohorts

• Applicant is not mandatory to set up a company upon application. Should the applicant have already established a company, it must be incorporated within 24 months upon the application deadline.

   

Grant:

1st Assessment (Elevator Pitch):

Eligible Shortlisted Teams

• HK$20,000 Cash Prize from PolyU
• Conditional offer of admission to HKSTP Ideation Programme (up to HK$100,000), subject to HKSTP's discretion

Eligible Shortlisted Teams (Top Performers)  

• HK$20,000 Cash Prize from PolyU
• Lean Launchpad Programme (LLP) for market validation

2nd Assessment (Final Presentation):

Eligible Awardees

• HK$100,000 Seed Fund from PolyU
• Conditional offer of admission to HKSTP Incubation Programme (up to HK$1.29 million), subject to HKSTP's discretion

Eligible Shortlisted Teams (Top Performers)

• Conditional offer of admission to HKSTP Ideation Programme (up to HK$100,000), subject to HKSTP's discretion

Pre-incubation Support:

• Mentorships and other pre-incubation support (ALL Shortlisted Teams)

Application Period:

Twice a Year –

Cohort 1:  5 Sep 2025 – 24 Oct 2025 (Fri), 1:00pm

Cohort 2:  Q1 2026

Application Process:

The Principal Applicant (PA) should complete the online application and upload the following documents on or before the application deadline:

1. Share link of Pitch Deck (within 15 slides of PPT in English or Chinese)
2. YouTube link of a 3-minute Pitching Video
3. CVs of all team members
4. A copy of student ID/ graduation certificate/ staff card of each PolyU member
5. License Agreement or “Declaration of Use of PolyU Knowledge/ Innovations/ Technologies” (Download Form), if applicable 

Timeline:

Please read the Application Handbook and Online Application Guides before application. No late submissions will be accepted.

APPLY NOW

Modelled after similar programmes from the US National Science Foundation I-Corps and Lean LaunchPad Singapore, Lean Launchpad Programme (LLP) is an evidence-based journey that helps research and start-up teams uncover the market and application potential of their research and project through rigorous market validation and guidance from experienced industry mentors.

Express License and Trial License Schemes of Intellectual Properties (IPs) of PolyU are NOW available for participants’ consideration. For details, please refer to the Express License and Trial License Schemes and IP Portal. 

PolyU x HKSTP Co-Ideation Programme

Through the programme, Micro Fund teams will learn the fundamental skills to kickstart the business idea with all-round start-up support, from designing business model to finding investment.

Based on the figures from previous cohorts of Micro Fund, 96 teams from PolyU have been admitted to the HKSTP FY2024/25 Co-Ideation Programme, showcasing the quality and innovation of the Micro Fund projects with leading success.

Enquiry

Email: ideation@hkstp.org

Phone: 2629 6872

HKSTP Incubation Programme

Programme Information

Mandatory Admission Criteria

Micro Fund 2025-26 Cohort 1 | Application Deadline: 24 Oct 2025 (Fri), 1:00pm

• MF Leaflet
• MF Application Handbook (with Guidelines and FAQ) 
• Online Application Guides
• Declaration of Use of PolyU Knowledge/Innovations/Technologies

Micro Fund 2024-25 Cohort 2 | Application Closed

• MF Leaflet
• MF Application Handbook (with Guidelines and FAQ)
• Declaration of Use of PolyU Knowledge/Innovations/Technologies
• Online Application Guides
• Online Briefing Session Information 

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Your personal data will be retained by PolyU according to its policy on retention of data and records.

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