For any tech start-up, gaining exposure can be the first step towards finding success in an increasingly competitive market. To cut their teeth in the industry today, young innovators need look no further than the InnoCarnival, organized by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR. Themed ‘Innovation & Technology Empower Our Dreams’ this year, it showcased ‘made-in-Hong Kong’ inventions alongside research achievements by local universities, government departments and organizations. More than 100 online workshops, seminars and interactive games were organized in addition to exhibition booths at the Hong Kong Science Park, where families and leaders in the education sector could enjoy fun and engaging learning experiences over nine days in October.

Under CityU’s booth, ten start-up projects from the university’s HK Tech 300 programme were showcased alongside a student project. Initiated and carried out by HK Tech 300 Seed Fund and Angel Fund recipients, the selected projects covered innovation across a wide range of fields, including education, artificial intelligence, local culture, and life-enhancing devices.

Throughout the exhibition, the start-up teams were on hand to introduce their work to the public, while promoting the idea that innovative technology could be integrated into their everyday lives, instead of remaining a nebulous concept beyond their reach.

Novel Multiple-purpose Detection Machine by LUMAT-SERS Limited
 

One of the highlights at the InnoCarnival this year was the novel SERS detection machine project. Featuring enhanced sensitivity and a significantly shorter time to detection, the device can be broadly applied in a variety of areas, including food safety, personal care product safety, and early disease detection.

Harnessing the SERS (Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy) innovative technology originally developed by CityU, the research team invented a silver needle-based SERS sensor, contributing to a new rapid detection solution. 10 to 100 times more sensitive, the novel sensor reduces detection time to less than 5 minutes at an impressively lower cost, as compared to the sensors commonly used today which would typically take around half an hour for the same detection. Despite its wide range of applications and functions, the sensor itself is both easy to use and portable.
To commercialise the technology and enable more applications, the research team established LUMAT-SERS Limited, which later became a recipient of financial support from CityU’s HK Tech 300 Angel Fund.

Super Bamboo by Super Bamboo Limited
 

Another project that received much well-deserved attention at the InnoCarnival this year was the award-winning Super Bamboo™ material developed by Super Bamboo Limited. As more organizations take up the call to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, there has been a growing demand for new and innovative high-performance materials that are also eco-friendly and, better yet, economical – making Super Bamboo™ one of the top choices for meeting the pressing need.

Although they look similar, Super Bamboo™ has superior dimensional stability that makes it three times stronger than regular bamboo; and is even tougher than industrial steel or titanium alloy. Water-resistant and fire-retardant, it is also considered eco-friendly due to its ground-breaking manufacturing process which does not utilise formaldehyde, toxic glue, or other toxic chemicals.
Super Bamboo™ can be used flexibly in construction as well as in the production of furniture, automobiles, and more – with the space industry being its next goal.

No less notable, the rest of the CityU projects that were exhibited at InnoCarnival 2022 were:

• ARISE Kids – A platform for providing parents and educators with information relating to their children’s development
• MotoNerv – A cloud-based artificial intelligence solution providing insightful analytics on driving
• Myth of Aquatics Adventure – An edutainment solution for kids that turns facts about sustainability and environmental protection into immersive gaming experiences with illustrated aquatic characters 
• Moodie.ai – An easily accessible and affordable training platform in communication and presentation skills
• VR Panda – A web-based platform for creating avatar models for the metaverse and converting them to NFTs
• NeuroGym Gamified Cognitive System – An interactive tool for promoting health and wellness to facilitate healthy ageing while assessing elderly patients and patients with dementia in a fun way
• ChakFoto – An augmented reality platform utilising 3D imaging and contactless interactive technology to take photos
• QualiFly Education: Smart AI Learning System – A website that promotes adaptive and smart learning by integrating learning strategies
• Jook-sing Noodle – An interactive device for preserving and promoting the special art of Jook-sing noodle-making, through which visitors could try out the noodle-making process in person

CityU Accelerates Start-up Success with All-rounded Support
 

Events like the InnoCarnival are important platforms for encouraging local innovation and the exchange of knowledge, so that young innovators can receive valuable feedback from the public and potential customers to refine their work for the common good.

Along with these events, CityU is also providing these innovators with a host of opportunities to grow – among them being the HK Tech 300 Seed Fund and the HK Tech 300 Angel Fund under the HK Tech 300 programme. Through this programme, start-ups are able to receive different levels of financial support and assistance in the form of consultations, mentorship and network-building with key industry players, with the aim to enhance their businesses and facilitate the transformation of CityU’s research output into impactful applications that will benefit society.