AIR Fellows' Field Trip To Pearl River Delta | ASTRI - Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Company Limited

The ASTRI Innovation Runway (AIR) Entrepreneurship Fellow Programme organized a field trip to Pearl River Delta on 18 January, whereby the AIR fellows took a closer look at the entrepreneurship environment in the Chinese Mainland.

Led by the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI), the AIR fellows visited a number of successful companies in Guangzhou Nansha and Shenzhen, including Huawei Technologies, Tencent, ZTE and APT Electronics, where the young entrepreneurs observed and learnt from the innovation, business models and strategies of these iconic enterprises in China.

The AIR fellows also met with representatives from Shenzhen Micro & Nano Research Institute of IC and System Applications (MNI) and Micro & Nano Stone2Gold Angel Fund during the trip. MNI, ASTRI and Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks jointly established the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Micro-electronics Co-innovation Alliance in 2015 to promote the Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation microelectronics industry. Mr. Johnsheen Zhang, President of MNI and Executive Partner of Micro & Nano Stone2Gold Angel Fund, remarked that the field trip was an important platform for exchanging entrepreneurship ideas. Mr. Zhang urged AIR fellows to seize the opportunity to start their businesses and to stay focused upon their own strength. “As a young and small startup, it would be better to concentrate on small and innovative project with your competitive advantage.”

The group also visited institutes and incubators that inspire and nurture young entrepreneurs, such as Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub, Galaxy Bothwin Research for Innovation, Startup & Investment, HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute and HKUST Shenzhen Industry, Education and Research Base. During the visit, the AIR fellows met with some incubatees to learn from their start-up experiences.

The AIR fellows were impressed by the establishment and supports provided to entrepreneurs in the Mainland. They found the trip inspiring as they could understand more about the entrepreneurship environment in the Pearl River Delta Region.

The AIR fellows meet with Mr. Johnsheen Zhang (front row, third from left), President of Micro & Nano and Executive Partner of Micro&Nano Stone2Gold Angel Fund.