Five undergraduates studying BSc in Business Computing and Data Analytics (BCDA) and BSc in Computer Science (CS) of the Department have made their mark in the esteemed Cyberport University Partnership Programme (CUPP) 2023. Among them, Billy Hui, a year 4 student studying BSc in BCDA, teamed up with peers from local universities under the name “Decryptgo”, won the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund (CCMF), securing HK$100,000 seed funding to advance their innovative Fintech project.
Apart from rigorous local training, all five undergraduates had the privilege of participating in an intensive entrepreneurship bootcamp at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School from 10 July to 14 July. The training covered entrepreneurship, regulatory trends, and pitching skills, and also equipped them with the necessary skills to commercialise their FinTech innovations and lay a solid foundation for future entrepreneurship. Finally, a total of 10 winning teams were selected by a panel of judges and received a grant of HK$100,000 each from the CCMF.
Billy expressed his excitement, saying, “I am thrilled about securing this seed funding with my team. I want to express my deep gratitude to the professors at the University of Cambridge for their patient guidance, invaluable insights, and critical feedback. Furthermore, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the professors at the Department and University for their invaluable encouragement and mentorship, which have bolstered my confidence. With the backing of the CCMF, our team will be able to put our ideas into action and continue to pursue our entrepreneurial journey.”
Professor Jianliang Xu, Head of the Department of Computer Science, is delighted to witness students embark on life-changing experiences and gain a global perspective through their participation in CUPP. He added, "I take immense pleasure in witnessing the profound growth of our students as they embrace diverse learning opportunities. The Department is dedicated to fostering a supportive environment that empowers students to venture beyond their comfort zones, explore new horizons, and ultimately shape a university experience that is both enriching and truly unforgettable."
CUPP is one of the flagship initiatives of the Cyberport Academy to support young entrepreneurs since 2015. It is a FinTech-focused elite entrepreneurship programme for local university students to unleash their potential and offers students with a comprehensive FinTech education through bootcamps, mentorships, and competitions. This year, a total of 66 students in 20 teams were nominated by the local universities.
List of Participating Students
| Full Name |
Study Year |
Study Programme |
| HUI Chi Hin, Billy |
4 |
BSc in BCDA |
| UCHE, Destiny Nnanna |
2 |
BSc in CS |
| SHALABAYEV, Bexultan |
2 |
BSc in CS |
| MUZURAIMOV Baiel |
2 |
BSc in CS |
| GAUTAM Martas The Atom |
3 |
BSc in CS |
