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Start-Up Incubation – MetroChallenge

what we do
Empower Changemakers

MetroChallenge

Project Partner: Student Affairs Office, Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Duration: June 2018 – Present

 

Challenge

The fast-changing world today requires new mindsets as well as agility to address its evolving challenges and needs. Young people are an important source of creativity and innovation in every society; yet traditional schooling is often lacking in terms of cultivating young people’s entrepreneurial spirit as well as trial-and-error mentality. Good Lab is committed to promoting social innovation and we believe in youth’s potential to make a difference. In MetroChallenge, we share with these budding young entrepreneurs our experience in innovating for good to help them put their creative ideas to action. On this journey of changemaking, we also hope young people can develop a broader imagination of the role they can play in society and a dedication to bringing about positive influence.

 

Our Approach

This start-up incubation programme was curated by the Student Affairs Office of Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) in partnership with Good Lab. Through providing practical guidance, our seasoned mentors embark with the young participants on a journey that focuses on both doing and their personal growth. In each cohort of the programme, the goal is to shape with them feasible and sustainable business plans. The process involves using Design Thinking tools to help pinpoint user needs and setting realisable milestones for constant evaluation and refinement. We also believe this programme is not the only stage where they can unleash their potential. That is why we do not only focus on their business plans and start-up progress, but also their personal development and well-being. To broaden participants’ personal and professional network, we organise events that connect them with fellow young entrepreneurs to facilitate knowledge exchange. It is our aspiration that this programme prepares the young entrepreneurs for a lifelong changemaking journey using their creativity and innovative minds.

 

Impact to Date

  • Groomed more than 20 teams of young entrepreneurs, with innovative projects covering a wide range of aspects including sustainability, inclusive education, accessibility, etc.

- Let’s Create—an initiative focusing on upcycling through transforming rabbits’ faeces into organic fertilisers

- Voiceless—designing simultaneous interpretation tools for the hearing impaired

  • Facilitated cross-disciplinary and cross-project knowledge exchange to build young entrepreneurs’ network
  • Inspired entrepreneurial spirit and changemaking mentality among members of HKMU

For details, please refer to the project website at https://www.hkmu.edu.hk/sao/metrochallenge/