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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Shenzhen Research Institute (SZRI) Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub (InnoHub) was officially opened on 12 May 2018. The opening ceremony was well attended with about 200 guests including Ms. Qiu Xuan, the Party Secretary of Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee, Ms. Wang Yan, the Researcher of the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee, Mr. Y. K. Leung, the Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Liaison Unit of HKSAR, Mr. Wang Jianhua, the Director of Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Strategic Research Center, Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Professor Fanny Cheung, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, Professor Edwin Chan, Associate Vice-President of CUHK, Professor Christopher Cheng, Director of CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, CUHK management from the Business School, Centre for Entrepreneurship, Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer Services, Human Resources Office and Communications and Public Relations Office, representatives from other research institutes, and CUHK alumni.

The ceremony began with a warm welcome from Professor Christopher Cheng in which he thanked all for their support of InnoHub.

Professor Rocky S. Tuan said in his opening remarks that CUHK, a comprehensive research university, has been actively promoting innovation and technology. In 2017, CUHK was once again named the most innovative university in Hong Kong in Reuters’ ranking of Asia Pacific’s Most Innovative Universities. CUHK has put great emphasis on enhancing academia-industry collaboration, encouraging knowledge transfer to translate scientific research into practical use, and cultivating young entrepreneurs. The University’s mainland strategy started in Shenzhen. The opening of InnoHub in CUHK SZRI marked a new milestone in CUHK’s development in Shenzhen, especially in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship. Aiming to strengthen the cultivation of innovative and entrepreneurial talent, InnoHub offers an effective platform and startup incubators to CUHK researchers, alumni and students. Professor Tuan encouraged CUHK members to grasp the opportunity to realise their dreams of starting their businesses.

Ms. Qiu Xuan said in her speech that now that collaboration between the two cities is in full swing, Hong Kong and Shenzhen are one pillar in the partnerships involved in the development of the Greater Bay Area. The opening of InnoHub in CUHK SZRI embodies the University’s further progress in innovation and entrepreneurship education, talent fostering, and knowledge transfer. With the support from the University, SZRI has made remarkable achievements and laid a solid foundation for future development.

Professor Fanny Cheung explained the future development strategy of CUHK in the Greater Bay Area. Apart from SZRI, the University will gradually establish footholds in other cities in the Greater Bay Area, expanding CUHK’s presence in the entire area. Through collaboration with various government departments, alumni and industrial partners, CUHK hopes to contribute to the development of the education, technology, economy and society of the Greater Bay Area. SZRI, an important base for CUHK’s mainland development, will play its pivotal role in assisting in the University’s innovation and entrepreneurship projects in the mainland, at the same time serving as a bridge between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. 

Dr. Lin Huangquan, Associate Director of SZRI, introduced the facilities of SZRI and InnoHub, the background to the startups and projects in InnoHub, and the future plans for promoting  greater collaboration between academics and enterprises in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, especially in the area of information technology, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence.  

Professor Tuan concluded the ceremony and once again extended gratitude to all supporting departments and alumni for the opening of InnoHub. He encouraged alumni to grasp the opportunity to achieve their career goals and hoped they would continue to support the development of SZRI as they always have.

About the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub (InnoHub)

Against the background of mass entrepreneurship and innovation and in line with its  strategy for development in Mainland China and the Pearl River Delta, CUHK set up InnoHub at SZRI. Serving as an essential part of CUHK’s innovation and entrepreneurship facility and based in Shenzhen, InnoHub will be a brand-new platform for CUHK scholars and alumni who aim to be entrepreneurs  and seek an innovation opportunity in Shenzhen. InnoHub incubates start-ups by combining the industrial advantages of Shenzhen with excellent research results from CUHK, and by promoting in-depth cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in industrialization, education, and academic research. InnoHub will boost the innovation and development of a new generation of information technology, biological science, smart manufacturing, and their strategic industries, in order to contribute to the development of the Greater Bay Area.