The 2026 competition will be conducted over 5-weeks, starting from the launch day (19 Sep 2026) and culminating in the pitch/ demo day (24 Oct 2026). The event tests your ability to plan and collaborate effectively across an extended duration.
Student teams will need to satisfy certain milestones to progress in the competition:
1. Attend the launch day and form your team on 19 Sep 2026 @ The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam (See transport instructions)
2. Report on your progress by 04 Oct 2026
3. Submit your pitch deck by 18 Oct 2026. Only 40 teams will be selected by the committee to progress to the final day. Finalists will be announced by 22 Oct 2026.
4. Deliver your pitch to a panel of judges on 24 Oct 2026 @ City University of Hong Kong @ Kowloon Tong.
2026 Master of Ceremonies - Mr. Michael Campion, Quinlan & Associates
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Michael Campion is a Partner and Head of Corporate Training at Quinlan & Associates. He has over a decade of experience performing on stage as a speaker and emcee, sharing the stage with CEOs and celebrities for corporate, educational and not-for-profits events. Michael has been interviewed by BBC World, SCMP, RTHK, and worked on live TV as a sports commentator. He also hosts the business and self-help podcast Playing The Inner Game. Earlier in his career, Michael worked global banking and markets at Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh and was a full-time professional football player in Hong Kong. He holds a Master of Business Management from the University of Edinburgh.
Launch Day Event
Date: 19 September 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Hall II (Opposite Grand Hall Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre), HKU Centennial Campus
What will students do:
- Network with students across all eight public universities in Hong Kong
- Learn about the event rules and prizes
- Form a hackathon team
- Brainstorm ideas and social issues
- Hear from guest speakers around sustainable innovation, design thinking, and identifying your problems.
- Receive free tokens from Tencent for the WorkBuddy AI platform
Indicative agenda
| Time | Activities |
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Participant registration |
| 9:30 – 10:00 | Welcome address and opening ceremony |
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Icebreaking activities |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Overview of rules and prizes |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Keynote presentations |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Networking lunch (Lunch is provided) |
| 13:30 | Quick introduction to workshops and other reminders |
| 13:30 – 16:00 |
Afternoon workshops (Free time for students to plan and collaborate) |
| 16:00 | End of Launch Day |
Morning Keynote Speakers
Professor Hayden So, Director of the School of Innovation, The University of Hong Kong
Keynote 1: Innovate with CARE
The advent of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is bringing rapid changes and drastic disruptions to all walks of life, and even more significant transformations are expected to come. This suggests that many existing norms are going to be modified and innovation is needed. But with GenAI starting to become even competent enough to solve mathematical challenges and the Millennium Prize Problems, how should we prepare ourselves to be innovators? Ensuring humans are in the centre of our considerations, this talk will suggest CARE as a framework of qualities for innovators in the current era.
About the speaker: Professor Hayden So is the Director and Associate Professor of the School of Innovation, the University of Hong Kong. Previously, he has been with the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering since 2007, where he served as the Co-director of the Computer Engineering program until 2024. His research is in the area of reconfigurable computing, hardware/software co-design, computer architecture, embedded systems and AI hardware. He is passionate about STEM education and believes in the transformative power of hands-on innovation projects on a person. His is a “triple bear” — having graduated from University of California, Berkeley three times with Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. When not at work, he is usually traveling around the world looking for great coffee, great food, and great people.
Professor King Chow, Academic Registrar, Prof. Life Science, Chemical & Biological Engineering and Public Policy, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Keynote 2: When the SDGs Become Obsolete, What Should We Do?
Keynote 3: Changing the World with AI (by Tencent Team)
AI is changing the way we learn, create, and prepare for the future. But what does that really mean for students today? In this keynote, the Tencent Cloud Hong Kong and Macau team will explore how AI and digital technologies are opening up new possibilities for learning, creativity, and career development. Instead of focusing only on technology trends, the session will show how students can use AI as a practical partner — to study smarter, turn ideas into projects, and build skills that matter in an AI-enabled world. The keynote will also introduce WeTech Academy’s mission to make digital skills and AI literacy more accessible to young people, alongside Tencent’s broader commitment to using technology for social good. Through real stories, live demonstrations, and student sharing, participants will discover how WorkBuddy, Tencent’s latest agentic AI tool, can support academic success, project development, and everyday productivity. By the end of the session, students will walk away with a clearer understanding of how to use generative AI responsibly, creatively, and effectively, not just as a tool for the future, but as a tool they can start using today.
Speakers from the Tencent Team
Mr Ethan Kwok
Public Affairs Director, Greater Bay Area and Tencent Cloud Industry Solution Expert, Hong Kong and Macau, Tencent
Ethan Kwok is the Director of Public Affairs (Greater Bay Area) at Tencent and an Industry Solutions Expert at Tencent Cloud (Hong Kong & Macau). Passionate about digital transformation and youth empowerment, Ethan focuses on advancing policies and initiatives that strengthen Hong Kong’s position in the global digital economy. He is also deeply committed to enhancing technology education by integrating AI-driven tools into classrooms, from K-12 to universities. In 2025, Ethan launched WeTech Academy, a pioneering initiative dedicated to bridging digital divide by providing free access to technology education, particularly high-quality AI and programming resources. Acting as a strategic connector across sectors, Ethan excels at building collaborative ecosystems that link industry and academia. Through these efforts, he continues to support Hong Kong’s long-term technological advancement and innovation-driven development while empowering the next generation.
Ms Bella Shih
Assistant Manager of Tencent Cloud Operations in Hong Kong and Macau
Bella Shih is the Assistant Manager of Tencent Cloud Operations in Hong Kong and Macau. Passionate about Technology for Good, Bella is dedicated to expanding AI’s influence in education and advancing the vision of AI for All — making high-quality AI knowledge and tools accessible to students, educators, and communities across Hong Kong. An award-winning hackathon competitor, Bella brings first-hand experience of learning through competition to her work bridging industry and academia. With a background spanning computer science and business, she supports initiatives that bring AI-driven learning into classrooms from K-12 to universities. Through these efforts, Bella works to empower the next generation with the digital skills and confidence to thrive in an AI-enabled world.
Ms Kayce Shek
Tencent Cloud Business Operations Project Assistant, Hong Kong & Macao
Kayce Shek is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration at the University of Hong Kong and serves as a Project Assistant at Tencent Cloud. Passionate about public policy and governance, she is particularly interested in how collaborative governance and resource sharing can be leveraged to address complex social challenges. Her areas of interest include public sector innovation, Greater Bay Area (GBA) policy, and the application of technology in governance. Through her academic studies and professional experience, Kayce has developed a deep interest in understanding how organizations can better serve local communities and create positive social impact to various social groups. She believes that AI has the potential to empower individuals, enhance collaboration, and transform innovative ideas into meaningful realities.
Afternoon Workshops
Workshop 1: Introduction to using Tencent's WorkBuddy AI platform
In this session, Steven will introduce AI agents and demonstrate how WorkBuddy can support students in learning, problem-solving, and project development. Through practical examples and real-world use cases, he helps learners understand how AI and cloud technologies can be applied with confidence — with or without a strong technical background.
Mr Steven Kwok, Tencent Cloud Training and Certification Expert Instructor
Steven is the Principal Instructor for Training and Certification at Tencent Cloud. With extensive experience in engineering and cloud architecture, he is passionate about making advanced technologies more accessible to learners from diverse backgrounds.
Workshop 2: Solve the Right Problem: The ClockWise™ Innovation Workshop
Great solutions begin with better questions.
In this fast-paced, hands-on 90-minute workshop, you’ll use Koru’s ClockWise™ Everyday Innovation model to transform a broad sustainability theme into a focused, human-centred problem statement. A quick ClockWise™ diagnostic will reveal your individual and team strengths, highlight potential blind spots, and show how different thinking styles can work together more effectively. You’ll identify the people affected by your challenge, explore their needs and pain points, and sharpen the problem your team is setting out to solve. You’ll leave with a stronger problem statement, a clearer understanding of your key stakeholder, and a practical framework you can use throughout Hack4SDG and beyond.
No coding is required—this is a low-tech, high-participation session. Come with a full team, as a team representative, or while you’re still finding your team and idea.
Mr James Bishop, Koru Consulting
James is a Learning Experience Designer from Koru Consulting who helps people and teams turn complex challenges into engaging, practical learning experiences. He has worked with all of Hong Kong’s universities, as well as institutions and organisations around the world, designing and facilitating programmes in innovation, collaboration and human-centred problem-solving. Known for his energetic, highly participatory style, James makes powerful frameworks accessible, memorable and immediately useful.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bishop-koru/
Workshop 3: How to design the right thing and design the thing right?
Mr Jasper Hilkhuijsen, Asia Pacific Innovation Lead, Arup
Jasper leads Arup’s innovation programme in APAC. His works ranges from identifying, developing and implementing innovative solutions into Arup’s work, to driving a culture of innovation in the firm where members continuously enhance their skills and capabilities. Jasper has a background in Architecture, Master Planning and also worked for several years managing Arup’s Ventures programme across APAC.
Transport
You are encouraged to take the MTR, public transport to the University of Hong Kong, Lecture Hall II. If you take the MTR, please get off at HKU Station and exit from C1, from there you can walk to the Centennial Campus. If you take a bus or minibus, you should get off at the bus stop outside Haking Wong Building on Pokfulam Road. Click here for the campus map (search for “Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre”).
Lecture Hall II is located on the LG level, Centennial Campus. Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DJzU2XBmoRYNMbjP7
MTR
HKU Station, use Exit C1.
Take the escalators up to the footbridge. The escalators on the other side of the bridge will take you to the Centennial Campus.
Parking
Suggested drop off points are at Centennial Campus Car Park or at the back of the Jockey Club Tower.
The best carparks on campus for Grand Hall visitors will be the Centennial Campus Carpark (47 spaces) or the Composite Building Carpark (145 spaces). For further enquiries, please contact Security & Parking Unit at +852 3917 2882 or click here.