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沈南鹏/红杉联手香港「超级教授」创立「HONGKONG X科技创业平台」
（本报讯）为发掘香港青年的创新创业潜力、支持科技研发由校园实验室走向广阔市场，红杉资本全球执行合伙人沈南鹏先生、香港科技大学李泽湘教授、香港大学陈冠华教授发起，并联合本港高校科技界十余位科技超级大咖，共同成立了「HONGKONG X科技创业平台暨青年创业服务系统」。该平台成立的启动仪式于7月19日在香港举行。
全国政协副主席董建华先生，香港特区行政长官梁振英先生以及中央政府驻港联络办公室主任张晓明先生等出席并主礼仪式；腾讯主席兼首席执行官马化腾先生，港科院院长徐立之先生以及香港科技大学校长陈繁昌先生等人担任平台顾问，并与香港特区政府创新及科技局局长杨伟雄先生、香港多家青年机构及创业团体等嘉宾，一起参与并见证了平台的正式开启。
HONGKONG X科技创业平台主席、红杉资本全球执行合伙人沈南鹏先生介绍：「X」代表了「未来、无限、想像力」，也蕴含着红杉中国致力于帮助香港年轻人拓宽视野、拥抱科技、感受创业精彩的决心。HONGKONG X科技创业平台创造性地打造了「基金＋创业平台研究院＋创业支持公益机构」的框架，运用「资本的力量」，将「超级教授」 、「青年学生」 、「科技创新」有机链接，有效运用香港科技领域顶尖教授的专业能力，引导在港青年创业，致力于科研成果的产业转化，务实地帮助创业项目走向市场。
香港特区行政长官梁振英先生表示，政府一直大力推动香港创新科技业的发展，故在去年11月份成立创新及科技发展局。政府设立了创新资金为大学提供资助，同时需要私人企业的大力支持。「香港X科技创业平台」的使命之一，是通过提升香港的创新产业，使香港成为国家「一带一路」走出去的重要力量。香港有「一国」和「两制」的双重优势，加上国家大力提倡「大众创业、万众创新」，香港要用好这些机遇，善用两地的人才、资金、技术和创意，加强合作，共同探索海外市场。 希望香港青年人把握机会，发挥科研创造力，为香港培养世界一流科技企业，提升香港创新产业，共同探索海外市场，互利双赢。
中央人民政府驻香港联络办公室主任张晓明先生则表示，青年代表了地方的未来与希望，赢得青年就是赢得了未来，意义深厚。香港邻近深圳，而深圳已经有较为完善的科技创新产业链，香港的创新平台能够把相关力量有效集成，和深圳一起互相集成合作，变成更大力量。现在的青年人赶上了好时代，期待香港的科创产业，在全球领域有所提升。
据香港科技大学李泽湘教授介绍：「目前吸引的导师团队，领域涵盖广泛，已经有大资料、能源材料、机器人、微电子、医药、医学与金融科技等十余个学科，不仅代表本港极具潜力的优势学科，导师本身具有成功创业经历的人也不乏其数。」
据了解，HONGKONG X 基金计划在未来4年中，将支持120个早期项目，50多个天使专案。除基金外，创业支援公益机构将由红杉中国提供捐助扶持，每年将投入200-300万港币，目的是瞄准本港青年科技创新热点，深度激发香港科技创业基因，集成资源打造香港创业的生态体系。在创业场所方面，新鸿基地产作为Hong Kong X创业工作空间赞助机构，将免费为青年创业者提供近一万呎的场地，助推初创期企业。
腾讯主席兼首席执行官、X科技创业平台荣誉主席马化腾先生在致辞中表示, 香港过去一直在不断地转型，从制造业，到外贸，再到金融，相信未来科技产业是香港转型的必经之路。他建议年轻创业者利用好创业平台，寻找合作伙伴，对接资本；同时，他指两个产业跨界的部分往往最有可能诞生创新的机会，值得创业者关注。
正如沈南鹏先生会上所述： 「青年人是社会的未来及栋梁，青年人自主创业是助推经济增长的新引擎。作为创业者背后的创业者，红杉中国深知青年人自立自强、自主创新的精神对于个体发展和社会发展的深刻意义。我们成立创业支援公益机构，希望为香港美好的未来尽绵薄之力」。
本次报名参与活动的本港青年来自众多学府和社团，超过３００人来到现场，并在启动仪式结束后，就与导师展开了面对面的专案对接。
附：关于HONGKONG X科技创业平台简要介绍：
- 基金（资本的力量）——将“导师”“学生”“科技”通过“资本的链接”有机地融为整体。
- 创业平台研究院（专业的方式）——科技转化产品＋导师指导＋物理孵化器。
- 创业支持公益机构（持续的保障）——红杉中国公益捐助扶持青年创业活动＋为创新创业提供务实的帮助，打造良好的生态体系。
更新于7月19日21时28分
Sequoia Capital China joined hands with “Super Professors” of Hong Kong universities to co-found the Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform and X Technology Foundation
The launching ceremony of the “Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform and X Technology Foundation” was successfully held on 19th July 2016 in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform and X Technology Foundation aim at exploring the potential of technological innovations among Hong Kong young entrepreneurs and supporting the knowledge transfer from university laboratories to real market. They are co-founded by Sequoia Capital China (“Sequoia”) represented by Mr. Neil Shen, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia, Prof. Zexiang Li of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (“HKUST”) and Prof. Guanhua Chen of The University of Hong Kong (“HKU”) together with more than ten “Super Professors” in Hong Kong.
Vice Chairman of the National Committee of CPPCC (The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) Mr. Tung Chee-Hwa, Chief Executive Mr. Chun Ying Leung and Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr. Xiaoming Zhang, attended the launching ceremony as guests of honour. As members of the advisory board Mr. Pony Ma, Chairman and CEO of Tencent Holdings Limited, Prof. Lap-Chee Tsui, President of the Academy of Sciences of Hong Kong and Prof. Tony Chan, President of HKUST launched the Platform and Foundation at the ceremony. Mr. Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Innovation and Technology, as well as other guests of honour, representatives of local universities and organizations, young entrepreneurs and university students attended the launching ceremony.
Mr. Neil Shen introduced the Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform in his speech: “X symbolizes the future, infinity and imagination. Sequoia is dedicated to help the young generation to broaden their horizons, promote a technological entrepreneurial culture, support and incubate technology startups in Hong Kong. The Platform creates a framework consisting of Funding, a Startup Research Institute and an NGO. It connects the established professors, young students and technology with capital, encourages entrepreneurship among younger generation in Hong Kong, promotes knowledge transfer and helps the tech startups with guidance offered by these “super professors” in their respective professional fields.”
Mr. CY Leung remarked that the government has been working on the promotion of innovative high-tech industry by establishing the Innovation and Technology Bureau in November last year. Alongside the innovation fund from the government, the universities also need support from private enterprises. One of the missions of the Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform is to raise the profile of innovation industries in Hong Kong, and make Hong Kong an important element in the “One Belt, One Road” mission. “One country, two systems” is of dual advantage for Hong Kong. We should seize the opportunity of the “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” movement promoted by central government, and make good use of the talent, venture capital, technology and innovation in Hong Kong and mainland China to boost economic cooperation and explore the overseas market. Young people in Hong Kong should grab the opportunity, use their imagination and creativities to kick start the world's leading technology enterprises in Hong Kong, uplift local high-tech industry, and in this endeavour Hong Kong and mainland China should form a win-win partnership to explore together the oversea market.
Mr. Xiaoming Zhang remarked that the young generation is the future and hope. We will decide the future by winning the young people, over which is an important task of significant value. Hong Kong is neighbouring to Shenzhen, where a high-tech innovation ecosystem has been well-established. The Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform is expected to integrate all relevant ingredients, and work together with Shenzhen to maximize the synergistic effects. “This is a good time for the young generation.” Mr. Zhang looked forward to witnessing the leap forward of Hong Kong’s high-tech on the world stage.
Prof. Zexiang Li noted that the mentors are the experts and successful entrepreneurs in promising technical areas including big data/artificial intelligence, materials/energy, robotics, microelectronics, biotechnology, medicine, fintech and more.
The Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform is expected to support 120 Early-Stage Projects and 50 Angel Projects in the next four years. In addition, Sequoia will commit 2-3 million Hong Kong dollars to X Technology Foundation annually, to promote technology innovation culture and ecosystem in Hong Kong.
Sun Hung Kai Properties will be offering rent-free office space, of about 10,000 sq ft, to support young entrepreneurs under the Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform.
Mr. Pony Ma, Honorary Chairman of Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform mentioned that Hong Kong has been going through economic reconstruction in the past decades, from manufacturing to trading, and to finance. He believes that the transformation to high-tech economy is inevitable for Hong Kong, and suggested that young entrepreneurs make use of the Platform to seek co-operators and funding support. Meanwhile, he pointed out that a cross fertilization of two different industries may lead to new opportunities.
As Mr. Neil Shen mentioned, “Entrepreneurship among the younger generation is the new engine of economic growth. As the ‘Entrepreneur behind the Entrepreneur’, Sequoia knows how the independent and innovative spirits can make profound and significant contributions to society and economy. Besides the Hong Kong X-Technology Fund, we would like to make a humble effort for Hong Kong’s future to help establish a non-profit organization, the X Technology Foundation.
Over 300 guests participated in the event. Many of them were students and young entrepreneurs from different universities and organizations in Hong Kong. The mentors and entrepreneurs gathered to discuss the potential projects after the ceremony.
Additional Information: Brief introduction of Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform:
1) Fund (the power of capital): integrate mentors, students and technology.
2) Startup Research Platform (professional manner): technology transfer + mentors’ guidance + incubator.
3) Startup NGO (sustainable support): young entrepreneur activities funded by Sequoia Capital China + pragmatic support of entrepreneurship, to create a friendly ecosystem in Hong Kong.
updated at 12:58, Jul 21, 2016