Programme Description
The Pre-Incubation Programme (PI Programme) is a 9-month programme for supporting HSUHK aspiring entrepreneurs to realise their new venture ideas. Its objectives are to:
- Assist HSUHK aspiring entrepreneurs to further develop their business ideas into new ventures;
- Provide mentorship to HSUHK aspiring entrepreneurs so that they can be qualified for external incubation programmes or investment; and
- Extend the social network of HSUHK aspiring entrepreneurs.
Students shall participate in the PI Programme as teams. Each team will be assigned with a mentor who will meet the team and provide mentorship support to them from time to time. The teams are required to participate in a number of specific training sessions and workshops offered by WUCIE as well as a range of other activities including guest speaker talks, field trips, networking events, and pitching activities etc. They are also required to submit interim progress reports on a regular basis as well as a final report. Besides, the teams are eligible to use the co-working space offered by WUCIE to work on their venture ideas. Upon successful completion of the PI Programme, they will be awarded with a Certificate of Completion and may be recommended for joining the incubation programmes offered by other local or overseas business incubators.
Eligibility
All current students in HSUHK are eligible to apply for the PI Programme. Each application should be made as a team with 2 to 6 members. Each student shall join one team only. Alumni are also welcomed to apply with at least one team member being a current HSUHK student.
Application and Screening Process
Application shall be made through e-form with the submission of a business concept statement, together with a goal statement, subject to fulfillment of one of the following conditions:
| Finalists of HSMC Entrepreneurship Challenge 2018 or Awardees (Merit or Excellence) of HSMC/HSUHK Innovation Project Competition 2018 | 1) cover page
2) original business plan/proposal submitted for the respective events 3) a goal statement *no need to submit a new business concept statement |
| Finalists of HSUHK X SCMP Entrepreneurship Challenge 2019 or Awardees (Merit or Excellence) of HSUHK Innovation Project Competition 2019 or Finalists of HSUHK-Whittier Social Innovation Competition 2019 | 1) cover page
2) original business plan/proposal submitted for the respective events 3) a goal statement *no need to submit a new business concept statement |
| Finalists of one of the external entrepreneurships and innovation related competitions | 1) cover page
2) finalist certificate 3) the original business plan/proposal submitted for that competition 4) a goal statement *no need to submit a separate business concept statement |
| Other applicants
|
1) cover page
2) a full business concept statement 3) a goal statement |
Requirements of the business concept statement and the goal statement are as follows:
Business concept statement
The business concept statement shall include the following component in no more than 3 pages:
a) Description of the business idea and its product / service
b) The targeted / intended market
c) Benefits of the product / service
d) Description of the positioning of the new venture or its product / service in the market
e) A brief description of your management team
Goal statement
All teams are required to submit a 300-word statement about “Why do you wish to participate in the Pre-Incubation Programme?” and list 2 to 5 goals that you intend to achieve throughout the programme.
Cover Page
Each team needs to prepare a cover page indicating team’s details:
a) Team name
b) Team members’ names, emails and contact numbers
The documents should be submitted in the following format:
Language: English or Chinese
Font size: 12
File name: Team name
File format: PDF
Header: Indicate team name in header
Please combine the cover page, relevant documents and statements in ONE PDF file and upload it via the application link above.
A selection panel will be formed to select the qualified teams for the PI Programme. Award winners of HSUHK Entrepreneurship Challenge will be automatically qualified for the PI Programme. Priority will be given to teams which have already won an internal or external award.
Application Timeline
There will be three calls for applications per academic year in September, January, and June respectively. For the fifth cohort, the application timeline is as follows:
5th September 2019: Open for application
18th September 2019: Deadline for application
23th September 2019: Result announcement
Requirements for the Eligible Teams
All eligible teams are required to sign an Admission Agreement which specifies the roles and responsibilities for participating in the PI Programme. They are also required to comply with the regulations for using the co-working space offered by WUCIE.
Criteria for Completion
To complete the PI Programme successfully, the following criteria must be fulfilled:
- Submission of the interim progress reports (every three months) and the final report with satisfactory achievement of the specified goals;
- At least 70% attendance rate in specified training sessions and workshops AND regular participation in other activities offered by WUCIE; and
- Satisfactory feedback report from the mentor.