2026 HKU International Techno-Entrepreneurship Challenge

Applications are open on 16:00 on 10 Feburary 2026, and the deadline is 16:00 on 21 May 2026 (HK Time/GMT+8).

The competition is divided into the Start-up Track and the Growth Track. The Start-up Track aims to cultivate the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of startup teams, while the Growth Track focuses on discovering future unicorn companies. This year's competition covers various industry domains, focusing on the frontier and key sectors of innovation and technology, including AI & Digital Technologies, New Materials & Manufacturing, Biotech & Medical Healthcare, New Energy & Green Tenhnologies, and Financial Technologies. The judges will evaluate the projects based on their performance in various aspects, such as technical innovation, market analysis and marketing plan, sustainability, and intellectual property. For the Start-up Track, they will also focus on the creativity of the products and services. For the Growth Track, the technical description of the projects, business model, organisational management and team capabilities, as well as financing strategy, financial planning, and risk assessment, these factors will also be considered.

Start-up Track

1. The company or institution to which the participating project belongs must be registered and established on or after 28 February 2025. The projects must have received no more than one round of equity investment from institutions or individuals (including seed or angel investments).
2. There must be at least two core team members.
3. Applicants must be students, staff, or alumni of the University of Hong Kong, or be nominated by any of the aforementioned individuals.
4. Projects must comply with current laws, focus on business model innovation or technological innovation, and possess uncontested proprietary intellectual property rights or key technologies related to the product or technology. They should also exhibit innovation, uniqueness, and potential for commercial development.
5. Projects that have previously participated in the University of Hong Kong’s innovation and entrepreneurship competition are prohibited from re-entering this year's contest. Should there be any violation, the Organiser will revoke their eligibility to compete.
6. Projects that have placed in the top three in HKU innovation and entrepreneurship competitions on or before 10 February 2026, are not eligible to participate.
7. At any time, if the Organising Committee determines or finds that the participant/project does not meet the entry conditions, it has the right not to approve or reject the participant's application, or cancel the participant's/project's qualification/prize presentation.
    

Growth Track

1. The company or institution to which the participating project belongs must be registered and established before 28 February 2025, and the projects have completed at least one angel investment round or higher, with cumulative funding not exceeding RMB 100 million.
2. The participating companies must have at least 10 employees.
3. Applicants must be students, staff, or alumni of the University of Hong Kong, or be nominated by any of the aforementioned individuals.
4. Projects must comply with current laws, focus on business model innovation and technological innovation, and possess uncontested proprietary intellectual property rights or key technologies related to the product or technology. They should also exhibit innovation, uniqueness, and potential for commercial development.
5. Projects that have previously participated in the University of Hong Kong’s innovation and entrepreneurship competition are prohibited from re-entering this year's contest. Should there be any violation, the Organiser will revoke their eligibility to compete.
6. Projects that have placed in the top three in HKU innovation and entrepreneurship competitions on or before 10 February 2026, are not eligible to participate.
7. At any time, if the Organising Committee determines or finds that the participant/project does not meet the entry conditions, it has the right not to approve or reject the participant's application, or cancel the participant's/project's qualification/prize presentation.
    

Chinese or English

The competition schedule is divided into four parts: Registration and Preliminary Selection, Preliminary Competition, Empowerment, and Grand Finale. The overall arrangement of the competition is as follows:

 
1. Application & Preliminary Selection

• Application Deadline: 16:00 on 21 May 2026 (HK Time/GMT+8)
• How to Apply: Scan code above to apply or click here 
• Review of Qualification and Information: After the registration deadline, the competition judges will conduct eligibility review and confirmation for the applied projects.
• Preliminary Selection: The Organising Committee of each region will organise the evaluation of the projects and determine the list of projects that will advance to the Prelimary Competition based on the evaluation results.

• Application materials:
  [Start-up Track]: Application form; Copy of the project leader's ID card/passport, Copy of the highest academic degree certificates, Copy of Business License; Roadshow presentation PPT; Brief introduction of team members; Other relevant materials (if necessary)
  [Growth Track]: Application form; Copy of the project leader's ID card/passport, Copy of the highest degree certificates, Copy of Business License; Business plan, Roadshow presentation PPT; Brief introduction of team members; Other relevant materials (if necessary)

   

2. Preliminary Competition

• Date: July - August 2026
• Venues: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Bay Area, Hong Kong (including Overseas)

• Rules: Offline participation is mandatory, requiring on-site roadshows and oral defenses for participating projects. The Organising Committee will determine the finalists based on the number of applications submitted and the performance in regional competitions

   

3. Empowerment

• Techno-Entrepreneurship Theme Workshop + Industry Leader Sharing: Invite successful entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts to share their experiences. These sessions will address issues encountered during the development of technology-driven enterprises, covering topics such as technology, industry trends, business models, market strategies, and presentation skills. For more details, please follow updates on the official website and official WeChat account
• Knowledge Transfer Forum: Leverage the rich academic resources of the University of Hong Kong to accelerate the intensity and pace of knowledge transfer, promoting the transformation and application of innovative knowledge into products and services, infusing energy into enterprises and the innovation economy
• Exclusive Pre-competition Coaching: Help finalists in identifying project issues and provide optimization suggestions to help improve the quality and competitiveness of their projects

• Entrepreneurial Pioneer Talk: Entrepreneurship experts share their experiences and insights, accompanying the participants throughout the competition

   

4. Grand Finale

• Date: January 2027
• Location: The University of Hong Kong
• Rules: Offline participation – the main participant in the project development are required to conduct the on-site roadshow and oral defense. The Organising Committee will invite industry experts, renowned entrepreneurs, venture capital institutions and other professionals to participate in the evaluation and determines the list of award-winning projects based on the final scores of the projects. The winning projects will be awarded the Champion, First Runner-up and Second Runner-up prizes, and the Intellectual Property Award, ESG Excellence Award, Marketing Excellence Award and Merit Awards respectively. An award ceremony will be held after the Grand Finale.

The 2026 HKU International Techno-Entrepreneurship Challenge places great emphasis on the internationalisation strategy of projects. To assist participating teams, we have prepared the following Internationalisation Guides. Please read it carefully and incorporate these considerations into your competition planning.

1. International Perspective: Embracing an international perspective entails understanding and integrating global market and cultural nuances into project planning. It involves comprehensively grasping the needs and trends in different countries and regions to formulate strategies and make decisions that cater to diverse market demands.
2. International Influence:  By creating a strong brand image, participating in international industry activities, and collaborating with international organizations, projects can generate influence and recognition on a global scale.  Projects with international influence tend to attract more partners and customers, thereby expanding their global market share.
3. International Collaboration: Collaborating with organizations, companies, or individuals from other countries or regions in a transnational, cross-cultural, or cross-industry manner to achieve project goals together. By engaging in international cooperation, projects can share resources, technology and expertise, expand their market reach, and enhance competitiveness.
4. International Team: Members come from different countries or regions and have diverse cultural backgrounds, language abilities, and professional knowledge. They can provide diverse perspectives and ideas. Effectively managing international teams is crucial for the success of a project. It requires addressing language and cultural differences, helping team members adapt to a multicultural environment, and creating effective communication and collaboration mechanisms.

All of the above are important factors for thriving achieving success in a globalised and highly competitive business environment. By adapting to various markets and cultures, and collaborating with international partners, our projects are positioned to expand their global market share and achieve long-term success. We look forward to seeing teams combine creativity with internationalisation and showcase outstanding performance in the competition.