In the last issue, we introduced the entrepreneurial journey of two business graduates whose start-ups were selected into the Cyberport Incubation Programme. This issue continues to feature two incubatees, both from our IT discipline, spelling out how they made a breakthrough in their start-up path.
Wai-kong started his career with computer-related work, and kept enhancing himself by learning at work and studying at the then OUHK. He later joined the banking industry engaging in information systems for more than two decades. In 2017, he established a start-up company and joined a competition promoting open banking, in which he contended with over 200 contestants and entered the final. Although he failed to win any prizes, his creative idea has been recognized. He and his team made persistent efforts to compete for the Cyberport Incubation Programme with the same project, and were finally selected.
Wai-kong describes the team as flying by the seat of its pants at the beginning. 'As we lacked experience in running a start-up, we actively participated in various activities, from which we learned a lot about business operations and presentation skills.' He adds that by joining the incubation programme, they gained not only financial support from Cyberport but also useful industry information, which boosted them to take part in the HSBC Safeguard App Competition where they bagged the first prize in the Start-up Category. 'To meet the requirements of the competition, the team has mastered the blockchain technology,' he recalls. 'The company has also begun to transform and focus on banking regulatory technology, which was later applied to our Chinese medicine testing project.'
Wai-kong started his career with computer-related work, and kept enhancing himself by learning at work and studying at the then OUHK. He later joined the banking industry engaging in information systems for more than two decades. In 2017, he established a start-up company and joined a competition promoting open banking, in which he contended with over 200 contestants and entered the final. Although he failed to win any prizes, his creative idea has been recognized. He and his team made persistent efforts to compete for the Cyberport Incubation Programme with the same project, and were finally selected.
Wai-kong describes the team as flying by the seat of its pants at the beginning. 'As we lacked experience in running a start-up, we actively participated in various activities, from which we learned a lot about business operations and presentation skills.' He adds that by joining the incubation programme, they gained not only financial support from Cyberport but also useful industry information, which boosted them to take part in the HSBC Safeguard App Competition where they bagged the first prize in the Start-up Category. 'To meet the requirements of the competition, the team has mastered the blockchain technology,' he recalls. 'The company has also begun to transform and focus on banking regulatory technology, which was later applied to our Chinese medicine testing project.'
Back in 1998, the SAR government proposed setting up a Chinese medicine port in Hong Kong. Wai-kong was therefore intrigued to study relevant programmes and has obtained the qualification of registered Chinese medicine practitioner, followed by a master's degree in Chinese medicine. Seeing that testing of traditional Chinese medicine was mainly carried out using costly equipment in laboratories without any connection with the general public, he pondered over what he could do to bring a little change. 'Technologies developed by the IT industry often seek to pursue popularization and benefit the public. I wonder if such technologies can be applied to the traditional Chinese medicine industry.'
From a conceptual idea to practice, the platform for tracing and verifying Chinese medicine was born one step at a time. Wai-kong started by participating in the Ideation Programme organized by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks in his own name. Later, he established the start-up company Filix MedTech to compete at Cyberport's Block adVenture POC Presentation Day and carried off the first prize. Combining a variety of advanced technologies, the platform provides testing and certification services for manufacturers and facilitates tracing of the origins of product ingredients for consumers. 'We do not invent technologies. We apply them for innovative uses,' he explains. 'The mobile Near-Infra-Red Spectroscopy technology, for example, has been used to facilitate on-spot verification of Chinese medicine, bringing product testing from laboratories to the retail frontline.' Currently the company is in collaboration with local traditional brands in verifying locally-grown medicinal materials such as Ganoderma lucidum, strengthening the quality certification of local products.
Wai-kong admits that joining the incubation programme and competitions is a stepping stone to the impressive accomplishments of the company. 'Participating in competitions is a great way to prove a start-up concept, where we can see if the concept is relevant to the market and what our competitors are working on. It may also hone our marketing skills.' This is how the company has gone from one stage to another, obtaining new resources and continuing to expand. 'Through competitions, we gain useful experience and are able to strengthen our network,' he continues. 'If we win, it means that our concept is recognized, from which we also receive bonus funding and publicity.'
There are numerous competitions in the business world. Wai-kong shares his experience in how to select appropriate ones to join. 'The most important thing is to understand the organizers and the history of the competitions. Every event varies in theme and what they have to offer. We might as well think about whether it will synergize with our own business and drive the development of the company.' He also encourages fellow students to take part in business-related activities organized by institutions. 'You need not necessarily start a business, but you will learn from such activities the skills of business presentation, concept promotion and financial analysis as well as the application of IT tools. This is really good training,' he stresses.
Wai-kong emphasizes that every start-up has its unique characteristics, which make up the core of the company. 'Take IT as an example. We must find out the pain points of the industry and then provide creative solutions supported by technologies,' he says. 'We are not suppliers. We don't provide the same single product for every company, and we don't focus on one single client. This is the core meaning of a start-up.'
Making great strides in the area of start-up, Wai-kong affirms the positive significance of studying at the then OUHK back in those years. 'It opened my eyes. What I learned in the courses was practical and suited my needs, which helped me to develop my career in the IT industry.' At that time, he was working at a bank and had rare opportunities to handle projects in new areas due to the limited business nature in banking. ‘Further studies had been an eye-opener for me,' he says. 'For instance, business case studies had deepened my understanding of e-commerce and laid a good foundation for my future entrepreneurial endeavours.'
Ching learned a lot while working in a start-up company after graduation, where she had a chance to participate in the development of iSEE, a mobile application specially designed for the visually impaired. During that period, she continued to develop her own projects and set up two companies. Diggin', which aims at promoting street dance culture and provides technical support, is one of them. Even though the platform was still at an infancy stage back then, she had decided to compete in the Cyberport Incubation Programme. Ching recalls, 'I didn't think too much about the result. I just tried to explain to the judges what we had achieved at that point and to explore opportunities for further development.' The team hit the nail on the head, which was due not only to luck, but also the business experience earned from iSEE as well as being open-minded. 'That's my interest, and I believed it was feasible. So I just did it. Don't be a snowflake,' she stresses.
Diggin' makes an exception with its focus on street dance when compared with her other social welfare projects. Ching admits that in the eyes of Hong Kong people, the image of street dance enthusiasts is relatively negative. 'It's completely different in Taiwan and South Korea. Street dance benefits both the physical and mental development of teenagers, and I hope to promote it in Hong Kong so as to let more people learn about its positive value.' After becoming fond of street dance in her teenage years, Ching gradually transformed from an introverted girl to a bright and bubbly youngster. She says with a grin, 'At that time, I discovered my interest and found the opportunity to express myself. Since then, I've become more cheerful and gregarious, and no longer decadent!'
Diggin' provides one-stop services, from gathering dancers, and promoting street dance culture, to launching products in the business market. 'There are many local street dance groups, but they are quite scattered,' Ching elucidates. 'As a sport, it lacks a systematic structure and is therefore hard to promote.' The platform is committed to uniting street dance enthusiasts and at present, it has more than 10,000 registered members in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It also archives an introductory guide and nearly 800 teaching videos of street dance, aiming to promote exchanges and encourage more people to dance. In addition, the platform provides information on all dance venues in Hong Kong and supports a venue management system, which is also the major source of income of the start-up.
Since the launch of the platform, Ching has been keeping an eye on the market and exploring solutions and new initiatives to cater for its needs. For example, she noticed that many event organizers are still using pen and paper to score manually. 'This may lead to temporary suspension of games as it takes time to score performances,' she explains. 'On the other hand, doing so with a computer takes only a few seconds. That's why we decided to develop a scoring system.' To cope with the inclusion of breakdancing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the team also assisted Hong Kong DanceSport Association in designing a scoring system for the Hong Kong team trials. 'This is a tailor-made system for street dance which helps athletes compete in the Olympics. It's suitable for different types of competitions and has already been put in use,' says Ching.
Inevitably, the current epidemic has affected the business of the company. Yet, it is still fairly stable in terms of its overall operations. Ching sums up the start-up's performance, 'At this stage, the company can still go along its original direction. We have a committed team and are able to connect with our member dancers while gaining recognition in the coterie. However, I've set a higher standard. There's still room for improvement in our overall ability of execution, but I'm confident to go forward.'
Ching had played multiple roles when Diggin' was first founded, but her main focus was still on computer programming. In response to a question about the challenges faced in terms of technology development, she thinks for a while and answers firmly, 'We didn't encounter any special difficulties indeed.' She recalls that, in addition to the assistance sought from her teachers, the knowledge she learned at university has helped her a lot. 'My university studies have laid a solid foundation for me while internships gave me exposure to the industry.' She admits that she was rather confused after completing secondary education and had no idea which university programme to apply for. She eventually enrolled in an Internet Technology programme simply because of her good exam grades in Mathematics. 'Once started, I found that the programme really suited me, and that the teachers were all very friendly and taught with heart. We still stay in touch,' she says.
Apart from mastering basic IT knowledge, Ching was fully aware of the importance of honing her business skills practically. 'I participated in many business activities and learned from industry players. I also read relevant books to enrich my knowledge,' she adds. For those who are interested in starting a business, she reckons that they may consider working in different fields before determining the way forward. She also suggests adjusting the pace of the business according to different situations. When there are limited resources, be cautious in making decisions. When there is room for development, be bold and take a step forward. 'I believe opportunities are everywhere in life. Whether we start a business or not, as long as we exert our strengths and attend to market needs, we will surely find a stage to play,' concludes Ching.
