HKU Launches “Frontier Builders Programme” with HK$10 Million Donation

The University of Hong Kong has launched the “Frontier Builders Programme”, a five-year initiative supported by a HK$10 million donation from Guangzhou Yiyu Network Technology Co., Ltd., to provide students with hands-on experience building technology ventures from concept to market.

The donation agreement was signed on Oct 16 at a ceremony at the HKU Foundation Chamber, attended by representatives from both organisations, including Professor Yang Wang, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) of HKU and Co-Director of HKU Web3 Institute; Professor Chen Lin, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Business) of HKU and Co-Director of HKU Web3 Institute; Ms Haibing Yan, Assistant to the Chairman and Senior Vice President of Yiyu Network; and Ms Wenyuan Chen, Board Member and Secretary-General of Guangzhou Eyu Foundation.

The programme will be spearheaded by the HKU Web3 Institute, which is co-directed by Professor Wang and Professor Lin. With annual funding of HK$2 million, it is expected to support 30 to 50 student teams each year, guiding them through the full innovation pipeline — from initial ideas and prototype development to market validation. Focus areas include artificial intelligence, Web3, financial technology, decentralised applications, and data governance. The programme will host an annual Demo Day, inviting venture capitalists to connect with outstanding teams and help them bridge to the market.

The initiative is open not only to HKU students but to exceptional young talent worldwide, positioning HKU as an anchor for cross-disciplinary, international collaboration in emerging technology.

Professor Wang praised the programme as reflecting HKU’s commitment to supporting student innovation without commercial constraints. "As long as students have great ideas and potential, we will give them full support”, he said. "The donation of HK$2 million per year over five years provides the first set of resources and practical opportunities for the creators of tomorrow’s tech giants, further igniting HKU's innovative spirit and cultivating future talent to new heights.”

“We support opening up industry scenarios, mentors, and internship resources to transform great ideas from the laboratory into marketable products”, said Ms Haibing Yan, Assistant to the Chairman and Senior Vice President of Yiyu Network. “We uphold a bottom-up and open environment to provide fertile ground for youth innovation.”