MedTech Co-innovation Conference and Hackathon

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Recap

The MedTech Hackathon, created by HKU Techno-Entrepreneurship Core, is an innovative program that offers researchers a comprehensive platform for medical technology commercialization. Spanning a duration of six months, from December 2023 to May 2024, the program is designed to address the three essential elements of a successful technology start-up: management, market, and money. As such, the program unfolds in three distinct phases, ensuring participants receive the necessary support in each crucial area.

The first phase of the program focused on addressing the hiring needs of the start-ups and helping them build their teams. The MedTech Talent Connect event held on Mar.8th drew over 100 participants, including top talents, current students, and alumni, who came together to discuss potential opportunities.

The second phase aimed to help the start-ups understand the market, starting with the MedTech Accelerator Masterclass held on Mar.23rd. The class provided valuable training on critical topics such as local ecosystem, funding milestones, patent strategies, and common challenges.

The MedTech Co-innovation Conference, held in Beijing from Mar.29th to 31st, was the second event in this phase, and it was attended by many of our start-ups. During this conference, our teams gained valuable insights from the nation’s leading experts in MedTech Commercialization and established strong connections with HKU’s executive education alumni network and industry connections through our Beijing branch.

The third and final event of Phase 2 was the HKU Shenzhen hospital tour on April 12th. Our teams engaged in knowledge exchange, gaining a deeper understanding of clinical demand and better evaluating the application value of their innovations in real-life healthcare settings.

The third event in the program was the HKU Shenzhen hospital tour, which took place on April 12th. This tour provided our teams with a valuable knowledge exchange opportunity, enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the clinical demand and evaluate the practical application of their innovations in real-life healthcare settings.

Moving on to Phase 3, the objective was to assist the start-ups in gaining support to accelerate their progress. On April 22nd, the participating teams submitted their pitch videos. After a thorough evaluation by our panel of judges, the top 10 teams were selected to advance to the grand finale. These teams had the opportunity to exhibit their projects at the prestigious Asia Summit on Global Health and make their final pitch on stage.

The grand finale took place on May 16th and was attended by senior management from the university, including associate vice-presidents Prof. Alice Wong and Prof. Anderson Shum, as well as deans and representatives from the faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, and Science, as well as Directors from HKU TEC, TTO, and InnoHK@HKU. All strategic partners of the program also supported by joining the judging panel and presented their specialty awards to selected teams. The event reached its climax with the announcement of the champion: “Precision Diagnosis for NASH and Liver Fibrosis,” led by Prof. Aimin XU from the Faculty of Medicine.

The MedTech Hackathon has come to a successful close, but its impact continues to reverberate. We are thrilled to see the enduring connections forged by this program and the exciting prospects that lie ahead for our research teams. With optimism and anticipation, we eagerly await the next iteration of this program, confident that it will surpass even this year’s success.

• Organizers and Sponsers

  

• Framework

  

• Timeline

  

• Eligibility

  • A team of at least TWO persons, with the Person-in-Charge being an HKU researcher (staff member)

• MedTech Co-innovation Conference

  

  

  

  

• MedTech Show

  Learn More

• Prizes and Follow-up Support

  

• About HKU Beijing Center

  

  香港大学北京中心于2021年4月9日启动开幕仪式，选址于北京中轴线的新地标——亚投行总部的亚洲金融大厦。

  The HKU Beijing Center kicked off its opening ceremony on April 9, 2021. It is located at the new landmark on the central axis of Beijing-the Asian Finance Center at the headquarters of the AIIB.

  港大北京中心秉承着【立足北京、连接香港、拥抱世界】的宗旨，致力于加强香港和中国内陆在学术研究和行业实践领域的合作与交流，积极为各类人才提供国际化教育服务与终身学习平台。港大北京中心的成立，可以帮助学校扩展现有的活动，与位于中国内陆的高校和公司加强合作关系，开展各类主题的论坛及研讨会；支持学校各个学院和部门的研究和教学活动；成为校友和各类人才的聚集地；

  Adhering to the purpose of [based on Beijing, connecting Hong Kong, and embracing the world], the HKU Beijing Center is committed to strengthening the cooperation and interchanges between Hong Kong and Mainland China in academic research and industry practice, and actively providing international education services and lifelong learning services for all kinds of talents. The establishment of the HKU Beijing Center can help to expand academic activities, strengthen cooperation with universities and companies located in mainland China, conduct forums and seminars on various topics, and support the research and teaching activities of various colleges and departments of the university; To become a gathering place for alumni and talents.

  我们期望，中西交融的独特定位，享誉国际的研究实力，世界顶尖的师资以及强大的学术和行业伙伴网络能够让港大北京中心成为高端人才的培养和聚集地、基础科研创新的重要推动者、中国与世界学术文化交流的重要衔接者。

  We hope that the unique positioning of the integration of eastern and western culture, the internationally renowned research strength, the world’s top academic competence and industry partner network can make the HKU Beijing Center a place for the cultivation and gathering of high-end talents, an important promoter of basic scientific research and innovation, and an important linker of academic and cultural exchanges with China and the world.