As one of the members of the CUHK Entrepreneurs Alliance (CUEA), this Centre puts efforts to organising activities on social innovation in order to further the establishment of a quality platform for the exchange of entrepreneurial information among CUHK members. CUEA, initiated by CUHK Alumni Torch Fund with administrative support from the Alumni Affairs Office, aims to cluster together all related University units and alumni groups to drive the growth of CUHK entrepreneurship and innovation. In addition to CUHK Alumni Torch Fund and this Centre, members of CUEA include Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer Services, Center for Entrepreneurship, Centre for Innovation and Technology, Pre-Incubation Centre, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minor Programme, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub, CUHK Alumni Entrepreneurs Association and CUHK Convocation.
Since June of 2020, this Centre has begun co-hosting the “Happy Hour” Talk Series with the aforesaid parties to mainly introduce to CUHK members the social enterprises set up by students and young graduates. The fourth round of this series was completed successfully and met with enthusiastic feedback. The talk coordinated by this Centre and hosted by its Director Ms. Irene Ng was scheduled for the 15th of October last year in the format mixing both face-to-face and online modes. Ms. Florence Chan, who works at TWGHs Jockey Club Rehabilitation Complex as Assistant Superintendent and the Head of iBakery, was invited to speak on “The Social Entrepreneur under a Time-honoured Brand”. As a CUHK alumna, Ms. Chan outlined why and how she was able to begin her intrapreneurship journey within a well-established organisation. She also touched on the challenges and obstacles faced throughout the process as well as some key factors that had contributed to her success. Participants were engaged in a lively discussion during the Q&A session, and some of them even stayed behind to exchange with the speaker.
In September of last year, members of the CUEA served as co-organisers of the CUHK Entrepreneur Day 2021 which was at the helm of the CUHK Alumni Torch Fund. Among all members’ contributions, this Centre recommended teams to join the virtual exhibition for startup companies and vetted the full list of the enrolled exhibitors. A thematic seminar, with Ms. Irene Ng (Director of this Centre) as the moderator, was also lined up to shed light on “The New Thoughts about Social Innovation”. The speakers include the alumni below:
Mr. Eric Yip (Founder, Gravity Capital Partners Company Ltd.)
Dr. Alan Lam (Director and Chief Technology Officer, Gravity Capital Partners Company Ltd.)
Mr. Howard Ling (Chief Consultant, Social Enterprise Business Centre, The Hong Kong Council of Social Service)
The three experienced business founders and social entrepreneurs shared in the seminar how their venture capital funds facilitate the development and growth of social entrepreneurship. At the same time, they rode on their practical experience in social innovation to advise the alumni, who are interested in or are setting up social enterprises, on the existing resources in the market and the tips on securing investors, etc.
To review the “The Social Entrepreneur under a Time-honoured Brand” talk and “The New Thoughts about Social Innovation” seminar, please visit here and here respectively. For enquiries about the Social Enterprise Startup Scheme, you are welcomed to contact Miss Lau of this Centre at 3943 3714 (Tel) or tiffanylau@cuhk.edu.hk (Email).