Innovate for Future (IFF) Competition is an open competition of innovation & technology to inspire our young people in Hong Kong to create innovative products or services for solving and improving our real life challenges, though idea generation to prototype development. The competition may apply to local schools including secondary and tertiary in Hong Kong SAR. Students will pitch how to move human society forward with feasible innovation and products in our coaching process.
This competition is supported by our international partner, San Jose State University (SJSU) Silicon Valley Center for Global Studies (SVCGS). The final champion or winners will have opportunity to submit their projects to SJSU global program such as Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge (SVIC) Competition and Showcase.
This competition is also supported by our global technology partners and as well as other industry, exhibition, and training partners. The final champion or winners will have opportunity to be nominated to join their industry support programs, internship programs and showcase in exhibition and sharing in technology conferences.
IFF2024 Pitch & Conference Day
27 July 2024 (SAT) 9:30am to 5:30pm at Cyberport Function Room 1-2
IFF2024 Competition Theme
Empowering Youth for Sustainable Development
Our Innovate for Future (IFF) Platform aims to cultivate a long-term goal of fostering social innovation and shaping a sustainable future. Social innovators play a crucial role in designing new principles and tools for sustainable development, and more importantly, putting them into practice. With this mission in mind, IFF’s competition event will specifically be designed for young people to create and design innovative products or services that can significantly improve our environment, health, and society as a whole.
Through IFF, students will be inspired to think outside the box and develop their ideas in an innovative way. They will be encouraged to address the pressing concerns of our society and learn to overcome real-life challenges through the competition. With the support of academic partners, industry mentorship, and various global programs, young participants will have the opportunity to turn their innovative concepts into reality.
The IFF2024 Competition will provide a unique platform for young minds to showcase their creativity, problem-solving skills, and passion for sustainable development. Participants will have the chance to collaborate, exchange ideas, and learn from industry experts, academic leaders, and fellow innovators. This multidimensional approach will foster a supportive and nurturing environment where young people can challenge existing norms, push boundaries, and contribute to a sustainable future.
By empowering youth through this competition, IFF aims to create a generation of social innovators who are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to drive positive change. The competition will not only inspire young participants but also encourage them to become change-makers and leaders in their respective fields.
Join us in the IFF2024 Competition and be part of the movement to empower youth for sustainable development. Together, we can create a future where social innovation thrives, and our world becomes a better place for all.
IFF2024 Competition Highlight
- One-Day Competition Pitch & Conference
- Finalist & IFF Project Showcase
- Round-Table Tech Talks & Sharing
- Local & Global Technology Partners Support
- Global Competition Submission to SVIC/SJSU
- Internship Program & Project Extension Support
Awards & Prizes
Total Cash Awards: HK$32,000
Awards with Cash and Certificate (for each stream)
- Champion – HK$8,000
- 1st Runner up – HK$5,000
- 2nd Runner up – HK$3,000
- Certificate of Excellence (2 teams)
- Certificate of Merit (5 teams)
- SJSU Global Program: Winners will be nominated to submit their projects to SVIC Showcase.
- Public Exposure in EXPO: Winners will be invited to our Exhibition Partners to present talks and showcases.
- Industry Support Program: Winners will be nominated to our local & global technology partners to extend their projects through their industry support and training programs.
- Funding Program: Winners will be nominated to our HKETA partners to apply funding scheme to extend their project for commercialization.
Remark : The organizer reserves the rights to make final decisions for the nomination and invitation.
IFF2024 Winners Benefits
- Access HKETA’s Industry Community and Start-up & Mentorship Program
- Join SJSU Global Program & Entrepreneurship
- Project Presentation & Showcase at Exhibition, EXPO & Tech Conference
- Extend Project for Commercialization by Industry Support Program & Training
Opening Remarks
Time : 9:30-10:00am Guest of Honour for Opening Remarks
- Mr Henry LI, Head of Ecosystem Development, Cyberport
Pitching Session
Time : 10:00am-12:45pm Top 5 Finalists of Secondary & Tertiary Pitching to Judge Panel
IFF Round-table Discussion
Time: 2:30-3:30pm
Language: in English
Theme : Technology in Education
What’s next to our Youth in the Technology & AI World
Description:
As technology continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, its impact on education becomes increasingly profound. The theme of “Technology in Education: What’s next to our Youth in the Technology & AI World” explores the next steps in the development of our youth in a world driven by technology and artificial intelligence (AI). This theme delves into the evolving landscape of education, where traditional teaching methods are being transformed by innovative technologies. It examines how AI can enhance personalized learning experiences, promote critical thinking skills, foster digital literacy, and empower the young generation to become active learners in a technology-driven society of tomorrow. It also considers the ethical implications and challenges associated with integrating technology into education, ensuring that our youth are prepared for their work and life in the future.
The panel will explore:
- AI and the future of work
- Future skills for next generation to fit into the world
- Multi-disciplinary studies in university
- Career development for college students
- Opportunities & challenges in next few decades of tech world
The panel will have 10-min Q&A session.
Moderator: Ms Grace SIU, Senior Learning & Development Trainer (Career Center), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Grace is a professional career coach and the lead instructor of many of the extremely popular career development programs in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in the recent decade. Also, as the facilitator of the Life Design Studio of Stanford University, her passion is helping and inspiring students to discover and become who they are.
Prior joining the higher education sector, her corporate background includes almost 20 years of experience in human resources and business management. She began her career as a Management Trainee in Hong Kong, she progressed to Senior Human Resources Manager and later to the Head of Operations of a container terminal in China.
Grace has an Honors Bachelor of Arts Degree in Applied Linguistics and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Human Resources Management. She is also a trained ‘Results Coach’ specializing in life and career coaching, and the top 50 honouree of Hong Kong Living Influencer Award 2020.
Panelists:
- Prof Nim CHEUNG, Ph.D., Fellow, IEEE, Our IFF Advisor
Dr Nim Cheung is Chairman and CEO of AIquanta Limited, a technology company he founded at the Hong Kong Science Park specializing in 3D photography, LIDAR and artificial intelligence. He was also director of several listed and start-up companies in Hong Kong and was formerly CEO of Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI).
Cheung received his B.Sc. degree from the University of Hong Kong and Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology. He has held different research and management positions at Bell Labs and Bellcore after graduation. He was a pioneer in high-speed optical communications, having established three world-class research programs in ultra-high speed, coherent and subcarrier multiplexed communications in Bellcore. Cheung was consulting professor at Stanford University and is honorary professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is a Fellow of IEEE, Telcordia Technologies, and Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences.
- Dr Charles CHEUNG, Ph.D., Senior Data Scientist and Deputy Director, NVIDIA AI Technology Centre Hong Kong, NVIDIA, Our IFF Advisor
Dr Charles Cheung is currently Deputy Director in NVIDIA AI Technology Center for North Asia. He works on different projects with universities including computer vision, natural language processing, applied mathematics, foundation of machine learning, etc. Prior joining NVIDIA, he led a research team to develop AI solutions for advanced manufacturing companies.
He received BSc and PhD degree in applied and computational mathematics from HKBU mathematics department in 2011 and 2016, respectively. His research focuses on computational science, partial differential equation, computer vision and artificial intelligence. He is currently an adjunct associate professor in the department of mathematics at HKBU.
- Ms Singmay CHOU, Adjunct Professor, SJSU Lucas College and Graduate School of Business
Singmay Chou is based in Silicon Valley and is an adjunct professor at SJSU Lucas College and Graduate School of Business where she teaches strategy. She is the Director of the Thompson Global Internship Program at SJSU. In addition she consults with various non profit organizations in Silicon Valley.
Prior to joining SJSU, she lived and worked in Hong Kong and China for over twenty years. Her corporate experience includes positions as Director of Kapok Tree Limited, a firm consulting with companies in change management, strategic planning and organizational effectiveness, Vice President of Marketing and Product for Luxottica Retail Greater China, General Manager of Marketing for Dragonair, and consultant for Towers Perrin. Singmay has a BS in Economics from the Wharton School, BA in East Asian Studies from University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
- Mr Lawrence LI, General Manager, IT Services, Hongkong International Terminals Limited, Our IFF2024 Judge
Lawrence Li is the General Manager – IT Services of Hongkong International Terminals, he has more than 30 years working experience in the related discipline. Lawrence oversees the transformation of maritime industry from traditional business operation to value added professional services, and further development of smart port initiatives.
Mr. Li is the CIO board member of Hong Kong Computer Society, where strategic view and challenges are discussed among IT professional practitioner in this region. Apart from the local responsibility in Hong Kong, he plays an advisory role in ports IT projects worldwide.
- Mr Perry TANG, Global Principal Training & Education Specialist, Medtronic, Our IFF2024 Judge
Perry Tang has been at the forefront of biology and cardiac procedures since 2014, following his graduation with a BSc in Biology from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. His dedication to healthcare and empowering the younger generation is evident through his involvement with Dream Possible and various youth initiatives at HKUST. With over a decade of experience in cardiology, Perry has been instrumental in advancing patient care and supporting healthcare professionals. His work spans cardiac surgery, clinical research, interventional cardiology, and cardiac electrophysiology. As a key member of the Global Medtronic Training & Education team, Perry has played a vital role in disseminating innovative medical technology across Asia. His expertise in ablation techniques has been pivotal to the success of clinical trials such as STOP AF PAS and CAP AF.A passionate advocate for educational innovation, Perry’s enthusiasm for Instructional Design & Technology is particularly pronounced in the emerging fields of Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning within medical education. His analytical acumen and compassionate approach enable him to devise creative solutions to complex challenges, always with a focus on patient safety and well-being.
Perry’s commitment to cultural diversity and inclusion is also reflected in his active participation in Asian Impact at Medtronic (AIM) and the Medtronic Culture Circles. His talent for building strong collaborative relationships across diverse regions and functions is invaluable to the progress of the medical technology industry and the nurturing of future talent
IFF Project Showcase
Time : 3:30-4:30pm The Top 5 Finalists Show Up Prototypes in IFF Project Showcase
IFF2024 Top 5 Finalists of Secondary for Showcase (by Project Ref# Order)
| School | Project |
|---|---|
| Lai King Catholic Secondary School | AQUA Draw |
| St. Mary’s Canossian College | Smarty Puppy Mapper |
| St. Stephen’s Girls’ College | Potential+ |
| Diocesan Girls’ School | SignMaster: Bridging the Gap, One Sign at a Time |
| St. Paul’s Co-educational College | Colourful Seniors |
IFF2024 Top 5 Finalists of Tertiary for Showcase (by Project Ref# Order)
| School | Project |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Haking Wong) | HealthNav: Advanced Hospital Asset Tracking and Streamlined Patient Pathfinding |
| The Hong Kong Polytechnic University | Hear Inclusive |
| Hong Kong Metropolitan University | Gyming HK |
| Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Sha Tin) | Improving Forward Head Posture using Spatial Audio Technology |
| Lingnan University | A Real-Time Smart Traffic Allocation System |
Awards Ceremony
Time : 4:30-5:20pm Guest of Honour for Presenting Awards
- Mr Alvin LEE, Chairman, HKETA
- Mr Nelson WOO, Axis Communications, Our Gold Awards Sponsor
- Ms Singmay CHOU, Adjunct Professor, SJSU Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, Our Panellist
Closing Address
Time : 5:20-5:30pm Closing Remarks by IFF2024 OC Chairman
Photo Taking & Winners Interviewing
Time : 5:30-6:00pm
Timeline for IFF2024
Registration Deadline : 30 Apr 2024 12:00 nn (Closed)
Project Submission Deadline : 31 May 2024 12:00 nn (Closed)
- Judging Session by Mentor Panel
- 25 Jun 2024: Announcement Result by Email/Post for Top 5 Finalists for Pitching and 5 of Certificate of Merit
- 12 July 2024: IFF Partners & Champions Talks at Business GoVirtual Expo & Conference 2024
- 13 July 2024: Coaching Session for the Finalists by Zoom
(Click here for more event photos)
9:30am to 5:30pm at Cyberport Function Room 1-2
- 10:00am-12:45pm Pitching Session
- 2:30-3:30pm IFF Round-table Discussion
- 3:30-4:30pm IFF Project Showcase
- 4:30-5:20pm Awards Ceremony
- 5:20-5:30pm Closing Address
IFF 2024 Pitch Video Promotion
Pitch Day Rundown Program
Final Judging Result
Judges
- Dr Jeff AU YEUNG, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Department of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, School of Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Metropolitan University
- Mr Dennis HO, Industry Specialist, Biomedical & Healthcare Industry Sector
- Dr Albert LEE, Ph.D., Lecturer, Dept of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
- Mr Lawrence LI, General Manager, IT Services, Hongkong International Terminals Limited
- Professor Eric Wing Kuen SEE-TO, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Computing & Decision Sciences, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
- Mr Perry TANG, Global Principal Training & Education Specialist, Medtronic
Mentor
- Mr Dennis HO, Industry Specialist, Biomedical & Healthcare Industry Sector
Partners & Sponsors
Organizer
Premium Supporting Organization
Venue Sponsor
Exhibition Partner
Gold Awards Sponsor
Global Technology Partners
Innovation & Training Partners
Micro-E in STEM Partner
SJSU Global Program
Supporting Organizations
