The Cyberport University Partnership Programme (CUPP) 2024, organised by Cyberport Academy and Web3Hub@Cyberport, was officially launched on 15 June.

In response to the Hong Kong SAR Government’s allocation of HK$50,000,000 to foster the growth of the Web3.0 ecosystem, this year’s Cyberport Academy programme incorporates Web3.0 elements to cultivate young talents in the field. The programme, supported by 11 local universities, has admitted 20 teams comprised of about 50 university students and recent graduates.

These participants, called CUPPers, will attend an entrepreneurship boot camp at Draper University in Silicon Valley, USA. The camp includes seminars, company visits, mentorship, business coaching, pitching sessions to Silicon Valley investors, and networking events.

Following the boot camp, participants will present their business solutions to the Cyberport judging panel in August, with up to 13 winning teams receiving a HK$100,000 grant from the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund (CCMF).

“The Hong Kong SAR Government has committed substantial resources to enhancing I&T infrastructure, research and development capabilities, and talent cultivation. Fintech, at the intersection of finance and I&T, is now of paramount importance on the road to Hong Kong’s development of I&T,”

said Lillian Cheong, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry.

“Talent is the most important resource for I&T development. To align with the HKSAR Government’s objective of establishing Hong Kong as a Web3.0 hub, this year’s CUPP has incorporated Web3.0 elements to strengthen the cultivation of local talents and further enhance the Web3.0 ecosystem.”

said Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport.

The Cyberport University Partnership Programme, which incorporates Web 3.0 elements, is supported by 11 local universities, including the City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, and more. Participants have submitted preliminary Web 3.0 and blockchain-related business proposals in areas such as FinTech, Smart Living, and NFTs.

Since its inception in 2015, CUPP has provided professional fintech training to over 530 local university talents, and 87 teams funded by CCMF have embarked on their entrepreneurial journeys.

This year’s programme is sponsored by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and supported by regulatory partner the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong. Industry partners include the FinTech Association of Hong Kong (FTAHK), Fund Kernel, and the Hong Kong Digital Asset Society (HKDAS).

The Cyberport Academy, established in 2020, aims to expand Hong Kong’s tech talent pool and enhance the city’s I&T ecosystem. It offers various entrepreneurship and internship programmes, providing young people with opportunities to upskill and gain hands-on experience managing start-ups. Cyberport is also developing major I&T infrastructure, including an AI Supercomputing Centre and the Cyberport 5 expansion, to support innovation and attract outstanding technology talents to Hong Kong.

Featured image credit: Edited from Wikimedia