EdUHK entrepreneurship fund backs five teams and adds Cyberport as partner

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) held the final pitching event for the 2023/24 round of its Education+ and Social Entrepreneurs Fund, known as the EASE Fund, on March 18, 2024. Five startup teams made up of students, staff and alumni were selected as winners. The round was the first in which Hong Kong Cyberport partnered with the fund, adding to the university's existing collaboration with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP).

Each winning team is eligible for a support package worth up to HK$300,000, made up of seed funding, expert consultation, training and other resources. Separately, through the EdUHK-HKSTP Co-Ideation Programme, 11 teams have been placed at Hong Kong Science Park, where they receive mentoring and business development support. The university announced the results in a press release dated March 19, 2024.

The EASE Fund was established in 2018 to support entrepreneurship among the university's students, staff and alumni. Since then, according to EdUHK, more than HK$16 million has been allocated, 38 winning startups have been supported, and over 165 teams have received guidance from mentors. The university presents the fund as a channel for knowledge transfer, helping participants turn ideas developed at an education-focused institution into ventures that address needs in society.