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The University of Hong Kong (HKU) achieves recognition at the 12th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, securing 19 awards, including the Outstanding Organisation Award, 1 Grand Prize, 2 First Prizes, 2 Second Prizes, 6 Third Prizes, and 7 Merit Prizes.

Showcasing a wide range of groundbreaking innovations, from biomedical advancements and AI-enabled precision medicine to sustainable construction engineering and intelligent healthcare technologies, the HKU teams stood out for both the quality and diversity of their projects. In recognition of its outstanding performance across the board, HKU was honoured with the prestigious Outstanding Organisation Award among all participating institutions.

Professor Alice Wong, Associate Vice-President (Research), said, “We are extremely proud of our students’ outstanding achievements at the competition. Their creativity and dedication have been truly remarkable. This prestigious Outstanding Organisation Award affirms HKU’s strong commitment to empowering students to transform bold ideas into meaningful impact. As a world-leading university, HKU remains dedicated to nurturing cross-disciplinary talent with a global vision and accelerating knowledge transfer for societal and economic benefit. We will continue to collaborate closely with industry and global partners to build a vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.”

The project awarded the Grand Prize and First Prize:

Nose-to-Brain NanoPowder Nasal Spray for Rapid Ischemic Stroke Rescue
In a potential new first line of defence for stroke, HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine (HKUMed) has developed a pioneering nasal spray as prehospital emergency aid. Animal studies show a reduction in brain damage by over 80%, clinical trials in the pipeline. The project is under the supervision of Professor Shing Fung Chow from the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKUMed and the Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre.

The project awarded First Prize:

Next Generation precision medicine platform integrating AI drug discovery and ex vivo organoid validation
Nearly 90% of oncology drugs that succeed in animal models fail during clinical trials, while patient heterogeneity leads to highly inconsistent treatment responses. To bridge this critical clinical gap, the project integrates artificial intelligence (AI) drug discovery with a patient-derived, immunised, and vascularised cancer organoid validation platform. By accurately mimicking the human tumour microenvironment, it accelerates preclinical pipelines for drug manufacturers and delivers targeted, personalised treatments for patients. The project is under the supervision of Assistant Professor Rio Ryohichi Sugimura from School of Biomedical Sciences, HKUMed.

This year’s competition invited 42 leading academics, professors, and experts from Hong Kong’s major universities, along with representatives from the business and venture capital sectors, to form a distinguished judging panel. The panel rated the most significant and outstanding innovative solutions with sustainable social impact.

Organised by the Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association, the Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition is an annual flagship event that brings together students from local universities to showcase innovative projects. Winning teams will represent the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in major national competitions, including the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition and the “Challenge Cup” series, as well as international innovation exhibitions in Singapore, Indonesia and Seoul.  

Please click here for a full list of HKU’s award-winning inventions. 

For media enquiries, please contact:  
Office of Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), HKU
Ms Esther Yiu (Tel: 3917 3949 | Email: [email protected])