A group of university students applied what they have learnt and analysed their selected issues with geographic information system (GlS), and sought solutions. They participated in this year’s Esri Young Scholars Award competition. When you look at their award-winning works, you will admire their broad vision, care for society and creative thinking.
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While venture capital funds in the United States raised a strong $21 billion during the first quarter of this year, compared to a total of $51 billion raised for the full year of 2019, a recent National Venture Capital Association report expected a “capital crunch" in the coming months as most VC firms would flee to safer, more liquid assets, like public securities in view of the covid-19 pandemic. In other words, startups will find it more and more difficult in fund raising. Therefore, how to conduct a successful pitch becomes even more critical than before. That’s the reason why the success experience of a recent pitch of an entrepreneur is worth sharing.
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Over the years, Science Park and Cyberport have nurtured many unicorns (i.e. privately held startups valued at no less than US$1 billion, and established for less than 10 years), such as SenseTime, WeLab, TNG, GoGoVan and Klook. Some have raised the point that if the three major R&D organisations – Science and Technology Park Corporation (including Science Park and several industrial villages), Cyberport and Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) – were consolidated as one organisation, it would boost Hong Kong’s scientific research power on advanced technologies, e.g. artificial intelligence, internet of things, and big data. They can also complement each other, as Science Park is good at biomedical technology while Cyberport is strong in financial technology (FinTech).
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The Hong Kong government has invested more than HK$100 billion to support innovative technology development and boost the start-up ecosystem in the last five years. However, the Covid-19 epidemic has disrupted the capital chain. A local survey found that nearly 40 per cent of the start-ups interviewed had laid off employees.
The COVID-19 epidemic cast a deep shadow over the global economy, and the situation startups are faced with is tragic. Startup Genome, a consulting firm, interviewed more than 1,000 startups across 50 countries around the world from March to April, it was found that more than 70 percent of the startups interviewed were forced to lay off employees due to the epidemic.
The new secretary for innovation and technology, Alfred Sit Wing-hang, has proposed a “bridge of innovation and technology" that comprises three elements: collaboration, communication and an innovation talent pool. The last element no doubt represents the most critical and challenging task (“New faces Carrie Lam has enlisted to help Hong Kong tackle Covid-19 impact", April 22). 繼續閱讀
The first global COVID-19 dashboard by the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) of the United States has received enthusiastic response around the world. The dashboard attracts an average of 1.2 billion views per day. It is an exemplar of the benefits of open data – and how quickly it can be deployed to good effect when the will is there. Hong Kong cannot use the COVID-19 crisis or other pettier considerations stand in its way to securing the obvious benefits of open data. 繼續閱讀
