The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Gobi Partners have announced the first close of the Gobi-HKU Fund I and its initial investments, marking the launch of a joint fund under HKU’s Entrepreneurship Engine Fund (EEF).
Structured as a fund-of-funds, the initiative aims to support startups and contribute to the development of Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem.
The fund will focus on HKU spin-off startups, providing capital, talent, and strategic support to help translate research into commercial applications.
Prof. Stephanie Ma, HKU’s Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) (Interim), said:
“Our collaboration with Gobi Partners will further strengthen our mission to turn breakthrough research into real-world solutions. With new investments already underway and more support on the horizon, we are accelerating the growth of high-potential HKU spin-off startups.”
Chibo Tang, Managing Partner of Gobi Partners, said:
“Some of the world’s most disruptive technologies are being built in the halls of Hong Kong’s universities. We are excited to partner with HKU to help bridge the gap between research and commercialisation, bringing breakthroughs in AI, robotics, biotech, and other critical sectors to the world.”
Initial portfolio companies include Manifold Tech, which develops AI-driven 3D reconstruction and robotics technologies, and AilsynBio, which uses a peptide-based AI drug discovery platform to identify disease targets and accelerate development timelines.
Featured image credit: HKU press release
