HKSTP launches City Challenge to call for novel ideas that turn Hong Kong into a smart city

(Hong Kong, 18 January 2016) - A city is smart when the allocation and deployment of social resources is done efficiently through extensive adoption of solutions and applications sprung from Internet of Things (IoT), Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and environmental-friendly technology. For Hong Kong to transform into a smart city, the efforts of government are as important as the contributions by the public. Fortunately, Hong Kong has many talented and innovative individuals ready to contribute to such transformation.  

In view of this, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (“HKSTP”) today launched Hong Kong’s first City Challenge, a territory-wide competition to encourage Hong Kong’s creative citizens with innovative and novel ideas to get involved in the making of a more efficient, liveable and sustainable Hong Kong.  

The “City Challenge – Bridge to a Smarter City” competition invites participants to tackle one of the five smart city challenges, namely, Integrated Transportation, Energy Management (Reduction, Generation and Efficiency), Waste Management, Public Service Digitisation and Smart Home Living. Their innovative ideas shall illustrate how the adoption of IoT, ICT and environmental-friendly technologies can resolve the challenge identified.  

The competition is divided into three groups and calls for submissions in the form of drawings, essays, proposals and prototypes. The divisions are Primary Group (for primary 1-6 students from local primary schools), Intermediate Group (for secondary 1-6 students from local secondary schools) and Open Group (for Hong Kong citizens aged 18 or above) (See appendix for details).

Be informed, get inspired and take action

To ensure participants understand the urbanisation issues that our city is faced with and the technologies that can help alleviate the situation, HKSTP will provide shortlisted contestants in the Intermediate Group and the Open Group with training workshops and visits to leading innovation and technology stakeholders in the city. The workshops, which will be held tentatively in April 2016, will cover topics including product design, application development, maker skills and presentation skills. Through this series of training and industry exposure, participants will be empowered to convert their initial ideas into practical solutions that can benefit Hong Kong.

The winners of the competition will be determined jointly by a panel of industry professionals and the public through voting tentatively scheduled in June 2016. On top of a prize pool of over HK$400,000, winners will have the opportunities to attend internship offered by Science Park’s companies, be admitted into HKSTP’s Incubation Programmes, and be exposed to many more great opportunities provided by City Challenge’s supporting organisations.

Allen Ma, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP said: “City Challenge – Bridge to a Smarter City presents a great opportunity for everyone in Hong Kong interested in contributing to a better, smarter and more sustainable tomorrow to take action. Interested individuals do not have to be a skilled professional to enter the competition because we will provide training for the necessary practical skills. All they need is a great idea and the desire to make a positive impact on Hong Kong. We welcome every citizen in Hong Kong to participate in our journey to transform Hong Kong, and look forward to seeing all the innovative concepts in action later this year.”

To connect, to collaborate and to catalyse are the three strategies underpinning HKSTP’s efforts to drive growth in Hong Kong’s innovation and technology sector. HKSTP has put tremendous effort to help build Hong Kong into a smarter city and to support Hong Kong’s reindustrialisation. In November 2015, HKSTP began hosting the Smart Living@Science Park exhibition, a year-long exhibition showcasing solutions innovated, designed and made in Hong Kong, to demonstrate the city’s established R&D and high-value manufacturing capabilities, and to shine a spotlight on Hong Kong’s home-grown innovators.

More competition entry details can be found at http://www.citychallenge.hkstp.org.  

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