Introduction

Are you aspired by the success of technology companies like Google and BGI which bring real impact to humankind? Do you want to start your own company and convert your new ideas and research achievements into commercially viable products and services?

Here comes an opportunity for you to realize your dream by translating your new technologies into business opportunities.

TSSSU@HKU is an award scheme that provides funding support to technology start-up companies formed by HKU members. This is leveraging on a funding scheme, “Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities” (TSSSU), provided by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) for the six local universities, under which ITC will provide each university an annual funding of up to HK$8 million to encourage technology start-ups. We named our award scheme as “TSSSU@HKU” because it is the HKU implementation of TSSSU. Companies awarded under the scheme will be funded for no more than 3 years with a maximum amount of HK$1.5 million per year.

Eligibility

An Eligible Applicant must be from one of the following:

current full-time professoriate staff of HKU;
current full-time or part-time students of HKU;
graduate of HKU for no more than 3 years as of the Cut-off date, unless the alumnus is an awardee of the last round.

＊	The application for TSSSU@HKU must be made by a team (i.e. more than one person), comprising at least one Eligible Applicant.
＊	The cash funding will be provided to a start-up company registered in Hong Kong and formed by the team. The technology start-up company has to be registered by the Closing date of the current application year. The start-up company must also be registered in Hong Kong for not more than two years as of the Cut-off date, unless the company is an awardee of the last round.
＊	Preference will be given to inventions, technologies and intellectual properties developed at HKU.

Closing date / Submission deadline: 25 November 2019 (Monday) 5:00 pm (Hong Kong Time)

Cut-off date: 1 February 2020

How to apply

Please refer to the Operation Plan for TSSSU@HKU to find out more about TSSSU@HKU including the objectives, the eligibility, the assessment criteria, the financial arrangement and audit requirement for successful application.

Eligible Applicant should :-

Read the Operation Plan for TSSSU@HKU.
Attend one session of the Training Workshop for TSSSU@HKU.
Complete and submit the application form with all relevant supporting documents (such as the training workshop's certificate, business proposal and a complete financial plan) electronically to:

Email: tsssu@tto.hku.hk

and return 1 set of signed hardcopy within 3 working days of the Closing date to:

TSSSU@HKU
Technology Transfer Office
The University of Hong Kong
Room 405A, Cyberport 4, 100 Cyberport Road, Hong Kong

NOTE 1: If your team includes HKU students and/or alumni, please attach copies of their student ID cards/graduation certificates for our verification of their HKU identity.
NOTE 2: If your team is not using HKU technology, please submit a declaration of not using any background IP of the University.
NOTE 3: Please attach a copy of the certificate of attendance of the training workshop for TSSSU applicants. The participant must be a team member listed in the TSSSU application.

Important documents:

Operation Plan for TSSSU@HKU 2020 [3 September 2019 edition] (
PDF)
Application Form [March 2019 edition]
( PDF
/
Word )
ITC Guidelines on Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities [March 2019 edition] (
PDF )
TSSSU Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) [March 2019 edition]
(
PDF )

Closing date / Submission deadline: 25 November 2019 (Monday) 5:00 pm (Hong Kong Time)

The governing version of this funding scheme is based on the document titled "Operation Plan for TSSSU@HKU", which shall prevail in case there are any inconsistencies between this online webpage and the document.

Information Session

Session 1 - Briefing Session
Date:	13 September 2019 (Friday)
Time:	1:00pm - 2:00pm
Venue:	iDendron, 1/F, Knowles Building, HKU

Download PowerPoint Presentation: PDF

Session 2 - Sharing Session with TSSSU@HKU Founders
Date:	27 September 2019 (Friday)
Time:	1:00pm - 2:00pm
Venue:	iDendron, 1/F, Knowles Building, HKU

Training Workshop

Session 1 - Financial Modelling and Venture Capital
Date:	24 October 2019 (Thursday)
Time:	2:30pm - 6:30pm
Venue:	Digital Interactive Lab, Library Innovation Centre, 2/F, Main Library
Registration:	https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_regform.aspx?ueid=67546&guest=Y

Session 2 - Financial Modelling and Venture Capital
Date:	7 November 2019 (Thursday)
Time:	2:30pm - 6:30pm
Venue:	Digital Interactive Lab, Library Innovation Centre, 2/F, Main Library
Registration:	https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_regform.aspx?ueid=67551&guest=Y

NOTE: The workshop is a prerequisite for all applicants of TSSSU@HKU Program (Deadline: 25 Nov 2019) and iDendron Incubation Program (application starts in Dec 2019)

Related resources

Information Session of TSSSU@HKU
PowerPower Presentation

List of TSSSU Awardees
https://www.itf.gov.hk/l-eng/TSSSU_directory_u.asp#HKU

HKU iDendron - HKU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub
https://idendron.hku.hk/

HKU DreamCatchers
http://www.dreamcatchers.hku.hk/

HKU Entrepreneurship Academy - co-organized by the DreamCatchers and the School of Business
http://www.dreamcatchers.hku.hk/?page_id=57097

Hong Kong Science & Technology Park - TechnoPreneur Partnership Programme (TPP)
https://www.hkstp.org/en/services/incubation/technopreneur-partnership-programme-tpp/

Cyberport - CCMF (Cyberport Creative Mico Fund) and Incubation Programme
http://www.cyberport.hk/en/about_cyberport/cyberport_entrepreneurs

CoCoon - Born to fly
https://www.hkcocoon.org/

Business Start-up Information Service
https://www.success.tid.gov.hk/english/bus_sta_up_inf_ser/bus_sta_up_inf_ser.html

Write a business plan by GOV.UK
https://www.gov.uk/write-business-plan

Information for TSSSU@HKU Awardees

2019-2020 | 2020-2021

Reminder for TSSSU@HKU 2019 awardees:-

Please submit a half-yearly interim report of your company to TTO no later than 15 October, 2019 (Clause 45 of the Operation Plan) ; and
Please complete the relevant section in Annex D(ii) and submit the completed form with an annual report of your company to TTO no later than 31 May, 2020 (Clause 45-46 of the Operation Plan) ; and
Please submit [1] a completed reimbursement request form (Annex B) and [2] the audited accounts of expenditure and the auditor’s report for the previous Government financial year in accordance with the ‘Notes for Auditors’ at Annex C to TTO no later than 30 June, 2020 (Clause 44 of the Operation Plan).

Application documents for the 2019-20 Government Financial Year:

Reminder for TSSSU@HKU 2020 awardees:-

Please submit a half-yearly interim report of your company to TTO no later than 15 October, 2020 (Clause 45 of the Operation Plan) ; and
Please complete the relevant section in Annex D(ii) and submit the completed form with an annual report of your company to TTO no later than 31 May, 2021 (Clause 45-46 of the Operation Plan) ; and
Please submit [1] a completed reimbursement request form (Annex B) and [2] the audited accounts of expenditure and the auditor’s report for the previous Government financial year in accordance with the ‘Notes for Auditors’ at Annex C to TTO no later than 30 June, 2021 (Clause 44 of the Operation Plan).

Application documents for the 2020-21 Government Financial Year:

Director, Technology Transfer Office
The University of Hong Kong
Phone:	+852 2299 0111
Fax:	+852 2299 0122
E-Mail:	tsssu@tto.hku.hk
Website:	https://www.tto.hku.hk