We are thrilled to announce that HKUST startup teams have bagged 3 out of 7 awards, the most of the awards at the JUMPSTARTER 2023 Global Pitch Competition, including the Winner, Social Impact Award and Diversity & Inclusivity Award. Congratulations to our incredible innovators for their outstanding achievements and for making the HKUST community proud! 

Melody Chung, Co-founder and CSO of Allegrow Biotech which won the JUMPSTARTER 2023, expressed her gratitude to her colleagues in the Entrepreneurship Center and Office of Knowledge Transfer for their invaluable guidance and support throughout their pitching and startup journey. She acknowledged their role in helping Allegrow transition from the lab to the real world. Looking ahead, Allegrow's next milestone is to launch its product and make a positive impact on cell producers worldwide.

🥇 Winner: Allegrow Biotech Limited - Allegrow Biotech is revolutionizing cell manufacturing with a proprietary platform that enables cost-effective, high-volume production of therapeutic cells. Their hydrogel microparticles and biomimetic coatings create an optimal environment for generating therapeutic cells, such as tumour-killing cytotoxic T cells, potentially accelerating access to life-saving cell therapies for patients.

🏆 Social Impact Award: AI Guided Limited - With a track record of 15+ awards and 8+ patents in 2 years, AI Guided pioneers a groundbreaking AI wearable. This innovative technology assists visually impaired individuals in navigating indoor and outdoor spaces, enhancing their mobility and independence. By seamlessly integrating AI vision, edge computation, and haptic actuation, this invention has promising applications not only in healthcare but also in enhancing accessibility across various domains.

🎖️ Diversity & Inclusivity Award: Vidi Labs Limited - Vidi Labs' Seekr is a compact wearable designed to assist the visually impaired and elderly. This real-time vision aid uses AI algorithms to provide intuitive feedback on surroundings, enabling independent living and enhancing the quality of life for those with visual impairments.

These achievements are a testament to the hard work, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit present at HKUST. We remain dedicated to nurturing the next generation of trailblazers and supporting their innovative journeys.

Join us in celebrating the success of our HKUST startup teams!  

#HKUST #EntrepreneurshipCenter #Jumpstarter #HKUSTer #HKUSTStartup #GlobalPitchCompetition #AllegrowBiotech #AIGuided #VidiLabs #Innovation #Success