30 Dec 2025
Dear University Friends, Partners, and Innovators,
As 2025 draws to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the remarkable journey we have undertaken together over the past nine months. When the Centre for Pre-incubation and Outreach (CPO) was established in April, 2025, our team set out with a shared vision: to translate the academic and research excellence of EdUHK into sustainable societal impact and to prove that innovation is a collective mindset that thrives within our community. Looking back, we are filled with immense gratitude and pride. This year was not just about establishing a new office; it was about planting seeds together that are already beginning to bear fruit.
A Year of Foundation and Shared Success
In the first half of the year, our top priority was building a strong foundation for a scalable ecosystem. We're thrilled to announce that we have successfully identified and are actively driving the growth of over a dozen exciting downstream startups! These ventures, spanning EdTech, environmental tech, HealthTech, and cutting-edge AI innovations, truly showcase the power of our research-to-innovation capabilities. The future looks incredibly promising!
Aiming to bridge the gap between campus and industry, we have forged strategic alliances with a powerful network of ecosystem leaders, esteemed investors, and key industrial partners. Our ecosystem is bolstered by industry leaders including HKSTP, Cyberport, Hex Cubes, HKtag and the Zhongguancun Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation Center.
Our vision has been supported by major investors including Gobi Partners, Tusholdings, China Prosperity Capital, and the Angel Investment Foundation. Furthermore, strategic industrial partnerships with institutions like the Suzhou Kowloon Hospital of Kowloon Group provide our teams with direct access to the vast markets and resources of the Chinese Mainland.
This year, the vibrancy of our community shone brighter than ever. We celebrated major milestones like Entrepreneur Day (E-Day) 2025, which announced EdUHK’s presence on the global innovation map, but the true heartbeat of our ecosystem is found in the daily progress of our entrepreneurs. Beyond the spotlight of solidified events, our students and alumni are constantly breaking barriers—whether it is innovative projects joining the HKSTP Co-ideation Programme or alumni ventures successfully launching into the GBA. These are not just statistics; they are unfolding stories of resilience, creativity, and the daily courage to venture beyond boundaries.
Looking Ahead: Our Shared Vision for 2026
As we turn our gaze toward 2026, we move from a phase of connection to one of deep integration. The upcoming year will be pivotal as we align our efforts with the University’s Strategic Plan (2025–2031).
Our team’s focus for 2026 will be threefold:
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- Deepening Synergy:We are integrating more deeply with university departments and faculty members to broaden the reach of our entrepreneurship pipeline. By raising awareness across campus, we aim to ensure every member of our community knows us, accesses our support, and develops a changemaker’s mindset
- Expanding Opportunities:In collaboration with external partners, we plan to launch credentialed entrepreneurship programs and specialized instructor pools — a move to professionalize the startup journey and turn passion into sustainable capability.
- Realizing Value:We are dedicated to helping our startups bridge the gap to commercialization by securing pilots and contracts. By replicating the successful market validations our teams have already demonstrated, we aim to cultivate self-sustaining enterprises that generate tangible returns for both the founders and the University.
A Note of Gratitude
To our students and faculty: thank you for trusting us with your ideas. Your testimonials—speaking of "game-changing opportunities" and "opened doors"—are the fuel that drives our team every day. To our partners in the government and industry: thank you for believing in the potential of EdUHK.
CPO is dedicated to an ecosystem that goes beyond theory to actualize innovation, converting our community's potential into sustainable enterprises. As we enter the new year, let us be bold in our thinking and collaborative in our actions to turn these visions into viable realities.
We wish you all a restful holiday season and a prosperous, innovative New Year.
With warmest regards,
Donny Siu
On behalf of the Centre for Pre-incubation and Outreach (CPO) Team
The Education University of Hong Kong
