Young Innovators’ Circle: Compassion x Creation x Solution was held on campus on 17 September 2026, bringing together around 160 students and alumni, alongside mentors from diverse industries who joined the teams for exchange and discussion.
As the GBA Youth Start-up and Social Innovation Programme progressed to its second milestone, CIE took the opportunity to recognise the efforts of both teams and mentors throughout the first milestone and encourage them to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
CIE Associate Director Dr Holly Chung presents certificates of appreciation and portable chargers to the mentors, thanking them for continuously “charging” and supporting the teams. (Names are listed in no particular order.)
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to:
- Dr Meng Ding (Partner, Sidley Austin)
- Mr Ernest Chan (Co-founder, AESIR.hk)
- Mr Tak Chu (General Manager, Big Data Architect Ltd.)
- Mr Billy Yeung (Senior Unity Developer)
for serving as mentors and supporting the programme, although they were unable to attend the event today.
At the event, CIE launched the GBA Programme Badge System, designed by Ms Kathy Chan from the JobRabbit team. Featuring vivid symbols, the badge system recognises teams’ efforts not only in completing milestones but also in proactively gaining exposure beyond campus and across the GBA, and in striking a balance between study, work, internships and personal life. The badges reflect our pride in supporting the teams and witnessing their growth.
This exchange provided CIE's start-up teams with a valuable platform to engage directly with government officials, cross-sector partners and fellow entrepreneurs, building networks and expanding their connections in the Greater Bay Area. Special thanks to Mr Patrick Li Pak-chuen for gracing the event, to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Youth Development Commission for their funding support, and to all organising partners for their thoughtful arrangements in making this event a resounding success.
CIE introduces the GBA Programme Badge System to encourage teams to progress through each milestone step by step.
Subtitle: Social Care Forum: Building Sustainable Social Enterprises
The Social Care Forum brought together five mentors with experience across eldercare, sustainable retail, business and community, entrepreneurship and well-being. The panel featured:
The mentors shared perspectives on developing sustainable social enterprises. Their discussion covered elderly care, community development, the sustainable economy, incubation and social well-being, giving teams practical insights into how mission-driven ventures can grow and sustain impact.
Subtitle: Business Mindset Forum: Breaking Through a Tough Market
The Business Mindset Forum brought together four mentors to explore how to Break through a tough market through the lenses of business models, scalability and operations, marketing and customers, and digital development.
The mentors encouraged students to stay connected to real-world needs, make good use of AI tools, and retain their own judgement rather than letting AI drive the direction of innovation. Their sharing gave teams practical perspectives on navigating challenging markets while keeping human insight at the centre of innovation.
A heartfelt thank you to all the mentors for joining Young Innovators’ Circle and sharing their valuable experiences. The conversations offered our teams practical insights and new perspectives as they continue developing their ideas and ventures.
Teams and mentors continue their conversations and exchange ideas after the forums.
Acknowledgement: This Programme is funded by the HYAB Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area under the Youth Development Fund of the Youth Development Commission, Home and Youth Affairs Bureau.