17 Jan 2020
Technology Ventures from HKSTP’s Smart Airways and Smart Operation Accelerator Programmes Get Off to a Flying Start
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The Smart Airways and Smart Operation accelerator programmes were carried out in close collaboration with corporate partners Cathay Pacific Airways, Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd, Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, and Regal Hotels International. Representatives from Cathay Pacific Airways, Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Regal Hotels International shared their experiences over innovation journeys. (From right):
- Ronald Choi, Head of Digital, Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd
- Roy Chan, Senior Manager, Technology, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
- Colman Ho, VP Group Marketing, Century City Holdings Limited (Representative of Regal Hotels International)
- Lawrence Fong, Group General Manager, Information Technology and Digital, Cathay Pacific Airways
- Aldous Mak, Chief Financial Officer, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
- Peter Mok, Head of Strategic Partnership, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
- Francis Pun, Team Lead, Programme Promotion, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
- Michael Au, Senior Manager, Corporate Partnership, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong, 17 January 2020 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) announced the completion of the latest cohort of accelerator programmes under the Global Acceleration Academy (GAA), namely the Smart Airways and Smart Operation accelerator programmes. The two GAA programmes were carried out in close collaboration with corporate partners Cathay Pacific Airways, Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd, Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, and Regal Hotels International. 20 high-potential tech ventures demonstrated their innovative solutions for the travel and hospitality industries at the Demo Day, the finale of the acceleration programmes, attracting around 200 stakeholders at the event.
GAA is HKSTP’s international business acceleration programme and open to high-potential local and overseas startups and technology companies, including non-Park companies. The Smart Airways and Smart Operation accelerators were each a 13-week acceleration programme that started in October 2019 till mid-January 2020. The two programmes attracted a total of 116 tech ventures and 124 proposals from around the world during the application period. Of these tech ventures, 53 were admitted to the two programmes, with more than 20% coming from overseas, such as North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Peter Mok, Head of Strategic Partnership of HKSTP, said, “I’m immensely proud to see that we continue to attract such an international cohort to our GAA programme, bringing new ideas and innovation to our corporate partners, and aiming to solve the pressing problems that persist within the travel and hospitality industries.
HKSTP is glad to play the role of growth enabler for the innovators and for corporations on their innovation journeys. With GAA’s revamped focus on industry-driven programmes, we are ready to work on our eight focused industry verticals to explore more solutions for corporates and assist tech ventures in developing their market-proven proof-of-concept innovations and their future business. We aim to nurture the overall ecosystem by creating more opportunities for tech ventures, and energising our corporate partners with innovation and technology.”
Recently expanded to focus more on industry-driven accelerators, GAA worked closely with the five corporate partners in the Smart Airways and Smart Operation programmes to identify their operational challenges or innovation needs in their digital transformation journeys. The two batches of relevant tech ventures were then matched with the five partners to co-create solutions to address problem statements these corporations have identified. Along the way, the tech ventures received mentorship from the corporate partners, as well as proof-of-concept opportunities to conduct trials. For the corporate partners involved in the programmes, they received an easy entry into the innovator community to seek solutions and foster corporate innovation.
At the Demo Day, 20 out of the 53 tech ventures were shortlisted to showcase their proof-of-concept implementations in a real-life environment to an audience made up of the participating corporate partners, investors and tech companies invited by HKSTP. Representatives from Cathay Pacific Airways, Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Regal Hotels International shared their experiences over their innovation journeys over fireside chats.
In Q1 2020, GAA will launch a new, industry-driven acceleration programme that will focus on the hotel sector – one of the eight focus verticals under the revamped GAA. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Hotels Association, the GAA-Hotels Project Solution Day was successfully concluded in December 2019, bringing together 100 participants from 12 hotels and 17 tech ventures. That event provided an opportunity for hotel groups to meet a broad spectrum of market-proven solutions for enhancing guest experience or improving operational efficiency. The application period for the upcoming GAA hotels-focused programme will commence in mid-January.
Since April 2017, GAA has expanded to 19 acceleration programmes and engaged more than 180 startups and tech companies from all over the world, with 55 partners on board.
Shortlisted tech ventures from the Smart Airways accelerator programme at Demo Day:
Company |
Solution |
AR Phoenix (Hong Kong) |
Build your brand today with augmented reality |
Asiabots Limited (Hong Kong) |
Omni-Channel AI ambassador assists CS to turn traffic into engagement |
KaChick AI Limited (Hong Kong) |
Local photographer concierge in Asia |
Motive Force Technology Limited (Hong Kong) |
VirCube the immersive VR solution – from passive learning to engaging immersion |
Pecutus Technologies Limited (Hong Kong) |
Making multi-currency travel money preparation easy for airlines, aircrews and travellers |
Veer Immersive Technologies Incorporated (The Philippines) |
Aviation training for airline cabin crew using virtual reality |
Shortlisted tech ventures from the Smart Operation accelerator programme at Demo Day:
Company |
Solution |
Achiever Big Data Limited (Hong Kong) |
Real-time, accurate location analytics for smart city |
Animae Technologies Limited (Hong Kong) |
Design and develop creative, innovative, and interactive solutions with emerging technologies |
Carnot Innovations Limited (Hong Kong) |
AI-powered HVAC fault prediction and building life cycle cost optimisation |
Dayta AI Limited (Hong Kong) |
Business intelligence tool with the application of AI and machine learning |
Kazoo Technology (Hong Kong) Limited (Hong Kong) |
Connecting customers with intuitive touchscreen experiences |
Motherapp Limited (Hong Kong) |
Smart applications to engage customers and improve operations |
Neoma Limited (Hong Kong) |
World-class AI staff assistant delivering VIP journey at scale |
OneWatt Solutions BV (The Netherlands) |
AI acoustic sensors for predictive maintenance |
Origami Labs (Hong Kong) |
An audio and gesture-based mobile computing solution for enterprises with deskless workforce |
RBL Ventures International Limited (Hong Kong) |
Customer data APIs to help hotels understand guests and grow their business |
ROLLOGO Limited (Hong Kong) |
Providing innovative safety and tracking solutions using off-grid kinetic energy |
Titanology Limited (Hong Kong) |
Self-sanitising products protect everyone from infection |
WeavAir (Canada) |
Making our cities breathe and adapt to the environment and us |
Well Target Investments Limited (Hong Kong) |
The next avenue for travel retail answering guests’ travel and shopping need |
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