AANews | CUHK EMBA (Chinese) Alumni International Technology and Innovation Forum successfully held in Beijing
On 13 June 2025, the CUHK (Chinese) Alumni International Technology and Innovation Forum was successfully convened at the at No.8 Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing. The forum was organised by the CUHK EMBA (Chinese) Alumni Association (EMBA Chi AA), with guidance from the CUHK Business School’s EMBA (Chinese) programme office, and coordinated by the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Study Society. Centred on the theme “building a Belt and Road innovation bridge to support Beijing’s development as a global technology and innovation hub”, the forum brought together dozens of entrepreneurs, start-up founders, investors, and alumni from the sectors to explore emerging opportunities at the integration of industry and innovation. Prior to the forum, , president of the EMBA Chi AA, led alumni on a tour of the venue — the General Health Industrial Park at No.8 Houshayu. He outlined the park’s strategic vision, highlighting its future positioning as a hub for regenerative medicine and anti-ageing technologies. The park is also set to provide technology transfer services and business incubation support for alumni-led ventures. The forum was hosted by Cao Rui [EMBA (Chinese) 2024]. President Chen Jun [EMBA (Chinese) 2018] delivered a welcome address in which he reflected on the association’s achievements in supporting alumni innovation and entrepreneurship. He emphasised the importance of building a collaborative platform that fosters mutual support and co-creation among alumni, and of fully leveraging CUHK’s strengths as a world-class research university. By closely integrating technological achievements with alumni entrepreneurship, the aim is to cultivate a internationalised innovation atmosphere at CUHK. Constance Yi from the EMBA (Chinese) programme office gave a speech titled “From a spark of inspiration to true synergy”, highlighting the programme’s 20-year journey in advancing the integration of industry and education. She underscored the programme’s commitment to creating a value loop where academic knowledge empowers industry, and alumni in turn contribute back to the ecosystem. Steve (BBA-Marketing 1988), renowned angel investor and founding partner of Eagle Fund, delivered the forum’s keynote address on “trends and insights for the next five years”. Drawing from his extensive experience, he shared his investment philosophy in and healthtech, stressing that “technological breakthroughs must be closely aligned with real market needs”. By tapping into CUHK’s global alumni innovation network and the industrial resources of the Houshayu Industrial Park, the forum seeks to build an integrated platform that links technology R&D, business incubation, and capital access. Before the start of the project showcase, President Chen, Steve Lau Siu Ying, Derek Ho, president of the Beijing-Tianjin Alumni Association, and founders of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Study Society — Li Deyong [EMBA (Chinese) 2024], Li Bailin [EMBA (Chinese) 2024] — along with Constance Yi, jointly officiated the unveiling ceremony of the CUHK EMBA Innovation Base at No. 8 Houshayu. The opening of this Beijing hub marks a major step forward in accelerating the local transformation of CUHK research outcomes and alumni-led ventures. A key segment of the forum featured five alumni presenting their pioneering science and technology ventures, sharing insights into their team backgrounds, business models, core technologies, social impact, and future outlooks: The five featured projects spanned key emerging sectors — including agri-tech, ageing societies, smart living, and enterprise services — showcasing both forward-looking vision and significant social value. Following the showcase, alumni, entrepreneurs, investors, and other distinguished guests engaged in a round of concise yet compelling self-introductions, which sparked lively, in-depth dialogue and idea exchange. Angela Liang from the CUHK Beijing Centre and from HICOOL Business School also attended the forum. Both expressed their strong commitment to supporting CUHK’s innovation ecosystem, offering to connect alumni entrepreneurs with institutional and regional resources in Beijing. Although the forum drew to a close, the spirit of innovation continues to thrive. This event marked the first major gathering in Beijing dedicated to showcasing the innovation strengths of CUHK alumni and laid a solid foundation for cross-regional collaboration among innovation hubs across the country. Looking ahead, the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Study Society will continue to champion CUHK’s outstanding alumni ventures by organising a series of innovation forums across major innovation centres — including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. These events will further amplify CUHK’s international innovation presence and contribute meaningfully to China’s national innovation strategy. Far more than a single event, the forum was a symphony of ideas and collaboration — and its resonance now serves as the overture to even greater things to come. Repost from CUHK EMBA (Chinese) Alumni Association WeChat official account ( [港中大EMBA中文校友会]公众号: gh_c88edd7dbbdf)
United by purpose: Empowering the innovation ecosystem
Showcasing innovation: Five alumni projects at the forefront of tech and entrepreneurship
Li Deyong [EMBA (Chinese) 2024]: An embodied-intelligence robot for fruit and vegetable harvesting, tackling the challenge of labour shortages in agriculture
Cao Rui [EMBA (Chinese) 2024]: An AI-powered companion robot for the elderly, reimagining eldercare through emotional interaction
Li Bailin [EMBA (Chinese) 2024]: A smart water solution delivering safer drinking water and shaping the next paradigm in water management
Cai Changchun [EMBA (Chinese) 2017]: An intelligent payment and finance automation system, enabling enterprises to reduce costs and boost efficiency
Ding Chunfa: The iMakerbase deep tech international accelerator, committed to advancing the international commercialisation of transformative technologies
The organising committee of the CUHK EMBA (Chinese) Alumni International Technological Innovation Forum (Beijing) was jointly initiated by Chen Jun, Steve Lau Siu Ying, Lu Lili [EMBA (Chinese) 2015], Ding Chunfa, Li Deyong, and Li Bailin.