Co-organized by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Sino Group, the HKUST-SINO One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition 2026 Final and Award Ceremony was held today at Shaw Auditorium, HKUST. During the ceremony, HKUST and Sino Group also announced the launch of the HKUST InnoBay 1M PLUS program, extending the competition beyond a one-off contest into an ongoing platform for start-up incubation and technology commercialization. The initiative will provide promising teams with access to real-world application scenarios, industry networking, partnership matching and proof-of-concept opportunities, helping innovative solutions progress from technology validation to market adoption, while creating greater opportunities for commercialization and scalable growth.
This year's entries showcased innovation across artificial intelligence and smart living, life and health, as well as green technology and sustainable development. Covering application areas such as smart buildings, healthcare technologies, clean energy, and sustainable transportation, the projects demonstrated how young entrepreneurs are leveraging innovation and research to address real-world industry challenges and societal needs. The 15 finalist teams presented their innovative solutions and exchanged views with representatives from industry, the investment community and academia.
Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST remarked, "HKUST is committed to advancing knowledge and translating discoveries into real-world impact that benefits society. This competition empowers our students, researchers, alumni, and aspiring entrepreneurs to turn innovative ideas into practical solutions that address societal needs. We extend our warmest congratulations to the winning teams, who have demonstrated the creativity, resilience, collaboration, and perseverance - qualities vital to any entrepreneurial journey. We are also deeply grateful to Sino Group for its steadfast support, and we look forward to continuing our joint efforts to cultivate a thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Hong Kong. By deepening collaboration across academia, industry, investors, and entrepreneurs, we can unlock new opportunities, drive technological advancement, and contribute to a more prosperous, sustainable future."
Mr. David NG, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Sino Group, said, "It is encouraging to see teams from Hong Kong and around the world present solutions that respond to the evolving industry and societal needs. Sino Group believes that innovation creates meaningful impact through collaboration and real-world application, and we are delighted to partner with HKUST once again on the HKUST-SINO One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition. Through the HKUST InnoBay 1M PLUS program, we hope to connect promising teams with start-ups, industry partners and investors, opening up more opportunities for collaboration, application and commercialization. Together, we look forward to contributing to the continued development of Hong Kong's innovation and technology ecosystem."
In the HKUST Track, Refined Motor Company received the Platinum Award (Champion) for its Modular EV Conversion Solution, designed to deliver Hong Kong's only approved EV conversions while reducing carbon emissions and extending vehicle lifespans. The Gold Award (1st runner-up) went to Advent Gene Therapeutics for its AI-Powered Viral Vector Design Platform, which focuses on overcoming gene therapy delivery challenges. Syntrak received the Silver Award (2nd runner-up) for its project aimed at enhancing ski performance through smart motion-capture apparel and live AI coaching. The three winning teams will represent the Hong Kong region and compete against the winning teams from Beijing, Shanghai, Foshan, Guangzhou and Shenzhen at the Grand Final on 18 December, showcasing their innovations and exploring cross-regional collaboration opportunities.
In the International Student Track, the Platinum Award (Champion) was presented to MirrorSpace Technology for its Plug-and-Play Embodied Spacetime Brain Module for Robots. Electromaim received the Gold Award (1st runner-up) for its In-Pipe Micro-Hydroelectric Generation System, while Waveity claimed the Silver Award (2nd runner-up) with its Offshore Wave Energy Generation System.
In response to global innovation and technology trends, three new awards were introduced this year: the Transformative AI Award, the NextGen Biotech Award, and the Societal Influential Award. The awards aim to encourage participating teams to leverage innovation and technology to address industry needs and societal challenges. The awards were presented to Cresento, Advent Gene Therapeutics, and BeyondCare, respectively, while Refined Motor Company received the Sustainability Impact Award.
An audience voting session was also introduced during the Final, allowing attendees to vote for the entrepreneurial teams they believed demonstrated the greatest potential and impact based on their technologies, business models and application potential. Ultimately, Syntrak and Advent Gene Therapeutics from the HKUST Track, together with BAEPR from Singapore in the International Student Track, received the most audience votes and were presented with the People's Choice Award. For the full list of winners and project descriptions, please refer to the annex.
During the ceremony, HKUST and Sino Group also announced the launch of the HKUST InnoBay 1M PLUS program, leveraging Hong Kong's position as an international innovation and technology hub to connect high-potential enterprises from the competition's Mainland regional contests with Hong Kong's industry, investment and business networks. The program will bring together competition alumni, HKUST start-ups, industry partners and investors, with support from ecosystem partners including The Hon. TANG Ka-piu, Legislative Council Member (Kowloon East), Samsung Electronics, Hong Kong Cyberport, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and the Smart City Consortium. With "Smart City" as its inaugural theme, the program will facilitate access to real-world application scenarios, partnership opportunities and proof-of-concept projects, helping promising innovations accelerate their path from development to deployment and commercialization. It also aims to support participating teams in using Hong Kong as a springboard for international expansion while fostering cross-regional innovation and collaboration.
For more details about the HKUST-SINO One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition 2026, please visit: https://ec.hkust.edu.hk/one-million/hk/2026/.
