HKSTP APAC Innovation Summit 2014

InnoAsia has been the flagship innovation conference of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC). To mark InnoAsia’s 10th anniversary, the event will be renamed as “APAC Innovation Summit (AIS)” with the theme named “Shaping The Future”. In the beginning, our chairman Mrs Fanny Law gave welcome speech to all participants.

The Honourable CY Leung, GBM, GBS, JP (The Chief Executive of the HKSAR) gave an opening remark. He hoped Hong Kong to be Innovation hub and encouraged our young to student in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

Dr. Cao Jianlin (Vice Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology, China) was our Guest-of-Honour and gave us speech about Science and Technology in China. Dr. Cao said China invested about 2.08 GDP in R&D, Science and Technology. It had comparative significant investment among developing countries. He expected to enhance cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong, as well as, between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in Science and Technology.

Opening Ceremony and group photo

The first speaker was Mr. Mehmet Kaplan (Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Sweden) and his topic named “How Sweden is Breeding Innovation in Tomorrow’s Smart Urban Development”. Mr. Kaplan said they employed system approval on both Technology and Non-Technology Innovation for City and Urban area to enhance quality of life. He said their policy to enhance Globle leader of innovation. For smart urban development, their target was zero carbon economy and sustainable urbanization. He told us that they set up an Innovation Council and formula holistic policy approach for innovation.

Summary of Kaplan’s concept in cartoon

The second speaker was Mr. Teo Ser Luck (Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Mayor for North East District CDC, Singapore) and he presented a topic entitled “Nurturing Singapore’s Aspiring Intrapreneurs”. Mr. Teo said Singapore was the most innovative country in Asia and the 7th most innovative country in the world based on Global Innovation Index 2014.

The following diagram showed the investment of Singapore Government over 2011 to 2015 to boost Research, Innovation and Enterprise.

Singapore has 7 Centres of Innovation (COIs) provided laboratory facilities, technology consultancy and training courses. It is similar to HK R&D centres, ASTRI and HKSTPC.

Mr. Teo also introduced Technology Adoption Programme (TAP) which focused on developing horizontal technology platforms in identified sectors for quick implementation, government grants and loans for start-ups; and Block 71 for building Singapore’s Start-up Cluster so as to develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Summary of Teo’s concept in cartoon

The third speaker was Mr. Ido Sharir (Director General Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, Israel) and his presentation was “Spotlighting on Made-in-Israel Innovations”. He said Isreal has the highest number of scientists. They focused on Biotech, IoT and 3D printing. The national budget for R&D upto 10.5B so as to enhance more start-ups and R&D centres.

Summary of Ido Sharir’s concept in cartoon

Then the panel discussion with the topic “Defining the Characteristics of an Asian Innovation Framwork” was moderated by Mr. Nick Edwards (Business Editor, South China Morning Post) (Right).
During the discussion, Mr. So Kam Leung, Gregory (GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR) (Right second) said there were 3 co-working spaces in 3 years ago, but now we had 31 co-working spaces.

During the break, I met Mr. Charles Mok (Legislative Council Member (IT Functional Constituency)) in CLP counter named “Energy Saving Football Striker. We took a photo with CLP members.
(Left: Ir. Thomas MT Chu (Business Marketing & Development Manager – Business Accounts, CLP), I, Mr. Charles Mok and Mr. Simon HM Lam (Deputy Director, Business Marketing & Development, Marketing & Customer Services, CLP))

Prof. David Gann CBE (Vice-President, Development and Innovation, Imperial College London, U.K.) was the fourth speaker and his topic named “Innovation London’s Future”. He briefed the science and technology city called M4 Hi-tech Corridor included Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, Kings and UCL.

The Prof. Gann discussed smart London using the creative power of new technologies to serve London and improve Londoner’s lives. He mentioned four directions to drive innovation and growth included Natural Sciences, Engineering, Medicine and Business.

Prof. Carl Schramm (Former President and CEO, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, U.S.) was fifth speaker and he presented the topic named “How Innovation and Entrepreneurship Influence Each Other: Contemporary Lessons From the U.S.” Prof. Schramn said about falling rate of innovation in the US and other Nations.

Then he introduced 3 types of innovator/Entrepreneurs and they were Spontaneous, Fissioning and Synthetic.

After that Prof. Schramm stated the functional model of how innovation actually happens. Moreover, he also introduced a new approach to learning innovation as the basis for entrepreneurial action within firms and as animating force of new firms through “Innovation 1st – Then Entrepreneurship Challenge Based Learning” (i1eCBL).

The last speaker was Dr. David Ireland (General Manager, International and Innovation Systems, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia) and his presentation was “Global Precincts: Harnessing the Power of Collaboration”.

The theme of second discussion panel in the morning was “Accelerating Innovation from City to City”.

Reference:
HKSTP - http://www.hkstp.org
APAC Innovation Summit - http://www.apacinnosummit.net/en/