AUG 2022 I ALL ISSUES
Three PolyU start-ups get listed in Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2022
Three PolyU tech start-ups made their way to the prestigious “Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2022” list. The three selected start-ups are Grand Rise Technology, which has developed a biomaterial-based antimicrobial coating; Spaceship, which has developed global logistics and supply-chain management systems; and ViAct, which has developed AI monitoring solutions for the Architectural, Engineering and Construction industries.
The 100 selected companies in the list are notable small companies and start-ups on the rise across the Asia-Pacific region. They address real-world challenges with fresh thinking and innovative products and services. The impressive inclusion of the three PolyU start-ups in the list reflects the University’s strong support of entrepreneurship for the benefit of society. Congratulations to all of them! Click this for more information.
KT Salon broadens staff’s knowledge in IP and patent filing
PolyU has been organising Knowledge Transfer Salons (KT Salons) to keep faculty members abreast of the University’s latest developments and support in relation to KT and entrepreneurship. It also serves as a platform to enrich the knowledge of academics and researchers in KT and entrepreneurship related issues. The latest KT Salon held in June 2022 focused on IP strategies and patent filing.
In this salon, two seasoned patent attorneys from Spruson & Ferguson have been invited to talk about IP commercialisation and IP strategies for inventions. They are namely Dr Charles Wang who discussed how to maximise commercial value from patent protection for research output, and Dr Michael Huang who elaborated on IP strategies for chemical, biological and pharmaceutical inventions. Conducted online, the salon has attracted participants from PolyU staff communities and start-ups.
Health Future Challenge sources impactful innovations for tomorrow
In partnership with Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS), Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT) for the very first time, Health Future Challenge is a start-up ideation competition for students, researchers, alumni and industrialists to team up and come up with health-tech ideas and business model for the future.
Over 200 PolyU students, researchers and alumni signed up to join the Challenge’s main event, Ideation Gala in mid-July, for team formation, sharing, workshops and mentoring sessions. Nearly 40 projects have been received from the floor, more than half of which have strong research support. The nature of the projects varies from devices, medicines, procedures to systems which aim to solve health problems and improve the quality of life.
The shortlisted teams have been invited to pitch for the top three places, co-innovation awards and a Translational Research Grant of HK$500,000 or HK$200,000 sponsored by FHSS and ABCT respectively.
GBA Startup Postdoc Programme nurtures technopreneurs with focus in Shenzhen and Hong Kong
Piloted in 2019, GBA Startup Postdoc Programme aims at promoting and supporting research-based entrepreneurship development in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). It is designed for recent doctoral graduates with a strong passion and vision to turn their research outcomes into real-world impact via startup venturing. The structured programme offers dual career prospects for the postdocs to carry out translational research while exploring start-up opportunities in Shenzhen or Hong Kong, leveraging support from PolyU and its partners' resources and network in GBA
This year, 20 Startup Postdocs will be admitted to the programme. In the coming two years, the programme will provide them with competitive salaries and benefits, entrepreneurship training, dual mentorship by academia and industrialists, and preferential IP licensing terms, all to support them to commercialise their research outcomes.
PolyU signs MoU with FHKI and CMA to advance translational research, KT and entrepreneurship
PolyU has recently entered into two memoranda of understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) and The Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong (CMA) to advance strategic partnership for translational research, KT and entrepreneurship.
Injecting new impetus into I&T for driving Hong Kong's re-industrialisation
The MoU reached by the University and FHKI aims to deepen their partnership and foster university-industry collaboration. With the aim of nurturing innovation and technology (I&T) talent and supporting start-ups, the partnership will focus on promoting the exchange of industry insights and addressing I&T needs over the coming year. This will contribute to the future industrial development of Hong Kong by leveraging PolyU’s latest technological and scientific research and proactively promoting the development of Hong Kong’s I&T and related industries. Click here to find out more.
Advancing manufacturing industry and promoting “Made in Hong Kong” brand
Integrating the strengths of the academy and industry, the MoU signed by PolyU and CMA not only aims to cultivate more innovation and technology (I&T) talents for the need of Hong Kong in the future, but also to drive the application of the results of PolyU’s research on various industries, so as to facilitate the knowledge transfer and industrialisation, make contribution to the development of I&T and advanced manufacturing of the city, and promote the brand image of “Made in Hong Kong”. Click here for more information.
HKEAIA delegates visit PolyU and exchange ideas with academics
To create opportunities for knowledge transfer, PolyU is committed to establishing and expanding its networks to enhance university-industry collaboration, and building strategic partnerships for mutual support and development. A delegation of 26 members from Hong Kong Electrical Appliance Industries Association (HKEAIA), led by the association’s President Mr Ken Fung, visited University Research Facility in 3D Printing, Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub and Cyber-Physical Systems Laboratory, where they met three PolyU research teams to learn about their innovations and applications.
The visit was followed by an exchange session between the delegates and PolyU academics about the pain points of the industry and how PolyU’s research technologies can help to advance industry standards. The delegation gained an understanding of the University’s latest research on noise and vibration control in home appliances, flexible energy materials, and logistics and enterprise engineering.
