Programme Description
The Pre-Incubation Programme (PI Programme) is a one-year programme for supporting HSUHK aspiring entrepreneurs to realise their new venture ideas. Its objectives are to:
- Provide mentorship support to HSUHK aspiring entrepreneurs;
- Assist HSUHK aspiring entrepreneurs to further develop their business ideas 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 CIE 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 CIE to work on their venture ideas. Teams may get the chance to be admitted into the HSUHK x HKSTP Co-Ideation Programme after the final decision of the Joint Panel of the HSUHK x HKSTP Co-Ideation Programme. Upon successful completion of the PI Programme, they will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.
Eligibility
All current students in HSUHK are eligible to apply for the PI Programme. Each application should be made as a team with 1 to 6 member(s). Alumni are also welcomed to apply. Each team must assign a team leader and he/she must be a current HSUHK student. Each student shall join one team only.
Application and Screening Process
Application shall be made to CIE with the submission of a business concept statement, together with a goal statement, subject to fulfillment of one of the following conditions:
| Category | Documents needed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finalists of HSUHK Entrepreneurship Challenge 2022 or 2023 | 1) cover page 2) the original business plan/proposal submitted for the respective competition 3) a goal statement *no need to submit a new business concept statement | |||
| Awardees (Winning teams and Honourable Mentions) of HSUHK Innovation Project Competition 2022 / Awardees (Winning teams and special prizes) of HSUHK Innovation Project Competition 2023 | 1) cover page 2) the original business plan/proposal submitted for the respective event 3) a goal statement *no need to submit a new business concept statement | |||
| Finalists of one of the external entrepreneurship or 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 components in no more than 3 pages:
- Description of the business idea and its product / service
- The targeted / intended market
- Benefits of the product / service
- Description of the positioning of the new venture or its product / service in the market
- 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 your team’s details:
- Team name
- 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: Your Team’s name
File format: PDF
Header & footer: Indicate your team’s name in header and page numbers in footer
Please combine the cover page, relevant documents and statements in ONE PDF file and upload it below:
A selection panel will be formed to select the qualified teams for the PI Programme. Award winners of the HSUHK Entrepreneurship Challenge 2023, the shortlisted teams of the HSUHK x HKSTP Co-Ideation Programme (second cohort) and the applied teams of the HSUHK x HKSTP Co-Ideation Programme (third cohort) 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
For the 9th cohort, the application timeline is as follows:
6 November 2023 (Monday): Open for application
27 November 2023 (Monday), 12:00 noon: Deadline for application
4 December 2023 (Monday): 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 CIE.
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 CIE; and
- Satisfactory feedback report from the mentor.