HKBU and CPC Fund sign MOU to foster knowledge transfer and commercialisation of research outputs

Wednesday, 23 October 2024

 

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and China Prosperity Capital (Shenzhen) Equity Investment Management Co., Ltd. (CPC Fund) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 22 October. According to the MOU, CPC Fund has committed to investing no less than HK$10 million in HKBU start-ups, and providing them with funding and support in connecting with the industry in a joint effort to foster the commercialisation of research outputs.

The MOU was signed by, Mr Edmond Lam, Director of the Knowledge Transfer Office of HKBU, and Mr King Ma, Founding Partner of CPC Fund. The signing ceremony has the honour of being witnessed by Mr Alfred Sit, Senior Advisor to the President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Mr Frank Chan, HKSAR Deputy to the National People’s Congress; Professor Martin Wong, Provost of HKBU; Mr Hendrick Sin, Chairman of CPC Fund; Professor Terence Lau, Interim Chief Innovation Officer of HKBU; Mr Liang Zhu, Investment Partner of CPC Fund; and Mr Johnny Chan, Chief Investment Officer of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited.

Other guests who attended the signing ceremony included Dr Samson Tam, Partner of Hong Kong Inno Angel Fund; Mr Su Dong, Partner of Walden International; and Mr Lin Sen, Chief Operating Officer of Surrich International Company Limited; Ms Yi Man Liu, Chief Executive Officer of Edvantage Group Holdings Limited; and Mr Jobs Zhao, Executive Director of Glory Ventures.

Mr Edmond Lam remarked: “Investment of capital and resources from market-oriented organisations is needed to support the promotion of knowledge transfer and translation of research output into productivity in practice. With its wealth of experience in innovation and entrepreneurship, CPC Fund will be able to offer invaluable support to HKBU’s knowledge transfer efforts.”

Mr Hendrick Sin stated: “The country places great importance on the development of scientific and technological innovation. Hong Kong has an excellent academic research environment and the unique advantage of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, while Shenzhen boasts a wealth of industrial talent and funding from various regions. By leveraging the development of artificial intelligence to create new opportunities, we look forward to the collaborative development between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, complementing each other in various aspects and jointly promoting innovation and technology.”

Mr King Ma highlighted: “Scientists need to adapt to the identity shifts in their entrepreneurial journey, considering the demand for technology, application scenarios, and the feasibility of industrialisation. At the same time, in addition to core technical members, it is essential to have members focused on industrialisation to build a well-rounded team for success.”

Professor Terence Lau concluded: “In the future, through the scientific research capabilities of universities, the flexibility of start-ups, and the financial support from investors, we can create a powerful ecosystem to jointly accelerate the development of technology.”

CPC Fund possesses rich experience in commercial operations and a well-established business network. The signing of the MOU with CPC Fund will enhance HKBU’s ability to succeed in the business operations and market development for its start-ups, and also support HKBU’s efforts in knowledge transfer to create even more impact.

In recent years, HKBU has actively engaged in and implemented various initiatives to support knowledge transfer. These include the co-organisation of the “Guangdong-Hong Kong Universities ‘1+1+1’ Joint Funding Programme”, and the establishment of the “Wu Jieh Yee Institute of Translational Chinese Medicine Research”, “Inno Realisation Fund Start-up Grant Scheme”, and the “Art Tech Incubation Hub CHRYSALIS”.