PolyU has launched the PolyU Innovation Investment Roadshow Series (PIIRS), a flagship platform for fostering innovation, investment, talent and industry collaboration. Aiming to accelerate the commercialisation of research outcomes and support regional industrial upgrading across the Nation, PIIRS reflects PolyU’s commitment to serving national development strategies through research and innovation.

Officially launched in Qianhai, Shenzhen, on 31 July 2026, PIIRS fosters cross-regional collaboration across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and Central China. This initiative aligns directly with China’s national strategy to build world-class international science and technology innovation hubs.

A key strength of PIIRS lies in PolyU’s extensive Chinese Mainland research commercialisation network, which includes 12 Mainland Translational Research Institutes (MTRIs), the PolyU-Qianhai Disruptive Technology and Innovation Research Centre, and two Shenzhen research institutes. Leveraging this network, PIIRS will organise regular roadshows, technology showcases and exchange activities in major innovation centres, enabling PolyU researchers and start-ups to connect directly with industrial partners and investors while addressing local industry needs through advanced technologies.

The inaugural roadshow in Qianhai drew over 300 government officials, academic leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs, showcasing more than 40 innovation projects developed by PolyU scholars, researchers, alumni and students. Covering six high-growth sectors, including advanced manufacturing and innovative materials, aerospace technologies, artificial intelligence and digital economy, cultural and creative industries, health and medical technologies, and smart cities and sustainability, the event demonstrated the breadth and vitality of PolyU’s innovation ecosystem.

Professor Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU President, emphasised: “PolyU’s research must focus on real-world societal needs and key industry challenges, consistently yielding high-quality and impactful results. Commercialising research relies on capital, market validation, and industrial resources. Connecting startups, investors, leading enterprises, and government resources is crucial to building a win-win ecosystem.”

Beyond project presentations, the event featured a series of ecosystem-building activities. A fireside venture capital discussion explored the pathways and challenges of commercialising frontier technologies, bringing together academic leaders and investment professionals to exchange insights on innovation, entrepreneurship and capital empowerment, while innovation showcases and networking sessions further promoted direct engagement between innovators, investors and industry representatives.

One spotlighted project was Z-TRAK SPACE, founded by PolyU student Zhang Zihan. The company has developed “Fission,” the world’s first reusable small and medium-sized launch vehicle designed to address the high costs, long lead times and limited availability of customised satellite launches. Having secured nearly RMB100 million in funding and signed contracts for 37 satellites, the venture illustrates PolyU’s capability in facilitating student-led deep-tech innovations, linking academic breakthroughs directly with market validation and industry capital. PIIRS is closely connected with PolyU’s entrepreneurial support ecosystem, PolyVentures, which provides comprehensive support for start-ups, from technology transfer and funding opportunities to market expansion and cross-border development. The initiative is intended to address some of the most common barriers faced by emerging ventures, particularly access to capital and pathways to commercialisation.

Looking beyond regional collaboration, PIIRS incorporates an international dimension. On the same day as the launch, PolyU and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) jointly presented the Saudi Arabia regional awards ceremony of the “PolyU x KAUST International Future Challenge”. More than 20 deep-tech entrepreneurial teams participated, marking the competition’s first expansion beyond its home market and highlighting growing opportunities for international innovation partnerships.

By bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders, PIIRS is building a platform that transforms innovative ideas into impactful solutions. Through sustained collaboration across regions and sectors, it aims to turn research excellence into tangible economic and social impact while contributing to a thriving innovation ecosystem in the Nation and beyond.

Participating startup teams in the inaugural PIIRS roadshow.

The top four winning teams of the PolyU x KAUST International Future Challenge (Saudi Arabia Track) celebrate their success with representatives from PolyU, KAUST and HKSTP.