CUHK Explores The Future of University Venture at CIV2017HK

(From left) Prof. Yesha Sivan, Executive Director, Coller Institute of Venture; Mr. Albert Wong, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park; Prof. Kalok Chan, Dean of CUHK Business School; Prof. Fanny Cheung, Pro-Vice Chancellor, CUHK; Mr. Laurence Chan, Co-Founder, EV Power Hong Kong; Prof. Benny Zee, Assistant Dean, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK; Dr. Allen Yu, Co-Founder, Codex Genetic Hong Kong

Themed “The Future of University Venture”, the Coller Institute of Ventures Annual Conference (CIV2017HK) brought together many global leaders of venture and innovation to explore the essential role of higher education in venture capital and innovation in late April.

As the sole university partner of the conference, CUHK organized two special sessions during the conference. The first was an Academic Session at CUHK on 22 April which a number of academic scholars featured their new findings on venture research. The second was a Partner Session entitled “CUHK Ventures” held at Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP) on 24 April.

The CUHK Ventures session had a mix of CUHK faculty, CUHK alumni and HKSTP speakers. Mr. Albert Wong, CEO of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and an alumnus of CUHK MBA programs, talked about how universities can turn knowledge to impact in an innovation-driven economy. The relationship between industry and academia was also explored. CUHK staff and alumni presented real life venture examples to illustrate the productive collaboration between the university and the adjacently located HKSTP.

During the key note panel session, panelists further shared about the role of CUHK Business School in the HKSTP Incubation Program. The panelists included: Prof. Dominic Chan, Associate Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship; Prof. Sam Powpaka, Associate Professor Department of Marketing; Prof. Kevin Au, Associate Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship; and Mr. Peter Mok, Head of HKSTP Incubation programs.

“The future belongs to those societies that can successfully promote and support entrepreneurship via venture capital. Universities could be part of such government policies”, said Prof. Kalok Chan Dean of CUHK Business School.

CIV2017HK is an international event dealing with the future of venture, researching its financial, societal and policy aspects, and seeking ways to improve the global venture ecosystem. It brings together the greatest minds in the field to trigger the thinking and discussion necessary to evolve research universities into their new role as centers of venture and innovation.

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