We’re excited to share that eight HKUST members from six startups have been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 list — a proud moment for our innovation and entrepreneurship community! 

These rising stars were recognized across diverse categories, including AI, Consumer Enterprise Technology, Industry, Manufacturing & Energy, Social Impact, and The Arts — showcasing the strength and diversity of HKUST’s entrepreneurial talent.

Several of these ventures have grown from ideas to impact through the dedicated support of the HKUST Entrepreneurship Center, including incubation programs like IPIC – Chan Dang Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Award, Co-Ideation Program, Dream Builder Program, and investment from HKUST E-Fund.

- Libpet Tech – creators of AI-powered stair-climbing smart wheelchairs, co-founded by Patrick Cheung (SSCI 2021) and Alex Yuen Yik Lam (SENG 2022), incubated through multiple EC programs.

- Vidi Labs – developing wearable AI to assist the visually impaired, co-founded by Turzo Bose (ISD), and nurtured through EC’s social impact pathway.

- D-Engraver AI, founded by Jack SHING Ngai Man (SSCI 2018), leverages blockchain for legaltech solutions and is a proud E-Fund portfolio company.
 

- Comfy Deploy, co-founded by Benny Kok (CPEG), is an AI-powered platform that simplifies the creative process for content creators using multiple generative AI tools. Benny paused his studies at HKUST to pursue this venture, which has since raised US$2.2M from Y Combinator and Haystack VC.

- Turing Space, co-founded by Jeff Hu Yao-chieh (SENG 2018) — also a member of the HKUST Founders’ Club — uses blockchain technology to issue tamper-proof digital certificates for institutions like WHO and NTU. The company raised over US$3M for global expansion.

XOXO Beverages, founded by Ricky Chan (SENG 2018) and Peter Yau (SENG 2018), is revolutionizing the beverage tech space with its smart cocktail machines XO1 and XO2. The duo were Silver Award winners at the HKUST-Sino One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition 2022.

These founders exemplify the global mindset, technological excellence, and visionary thinking that define HKUST’s startup ecosystem.

👏 Congratulations to all the honorees — your achievements continue to inspire the next generation of changemakers at HKUST and beyond!