Sino Group and SVhk Connect Start-ups with Northern Metropolis Communities Through 'Impactathon'

To Co-create Technology Solutions for Community Well-being

HONG KONG, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Northern Metropolis is steadily emerging as one of Hong Kong's key growth areas. As development gathers pace, communities have diverse and evolving needs in areas such as older adults' well-being, youth development, community connection, and social inclusion. To gain a deeper understanding of these needs and explore practical responses, Sino Inno Lab and The Spark under Sino Group have partnered with Social Ventures Hong Kong (SVhk) to launch the 'SVhk-Sino Impactathon'. The initiative brings together start-ups, universities, community organisations and residents to explore how innovation and technology can support everyday life, generating practical insights through community engagement and pilot projects to inform the Northern Metropolis's long-term development.

The initiative is supported by the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office (NMCO) of the Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, over 10 start-ups, six local universities, and various community partners, bringing together more than 50 partners in total. It has connected over 1,000 Northern Metropolis residents and stakeholders, including children, youth, underprivileged families, older adults and rehabilitation service users. Direct engagement has provided participating teams with valuable perspectives that have helped refine their solutions for practical application.

Turning Ideas into Community Solutions

Unlike conventional start-up competitions, the 'SVhk-Sino Impactathon' was designed to help innovators better understand the communities they hope to serve. Over five months, participating teams worked alongside seven community partners and engaged directly with residents to gain first-hand insights into local aspirations and community needs. The programme was supported by organisations including the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, together with entrepreneurship and innovation platforms from City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and The University of Hong Kong. These collaborations have enabled start-ups to explore how their technologies could address community needs in real-world settings.

Participating teams applied technologies including artificial intelligence ('AI'), geographic information systems ('GIS'), biotechnology and food technology to address challenges ranging from older adults' health and fall-risk prevention to youth learning and family well-being. Feedback from residents and frontline organisations has helped teams refine their solutions and improve their practical relevance. The programme also attracted start-ups from seven Asian cities, with three regional teams advancing to the finals and travelling to Hong Kong to exchange ideas with local communities and partners, while also gaining insights into the Northern Metropolis.

Supporting the Development of Promising Solutions

The award ceremony was held at One North in Yuen Long, where 11 teams presented their pilot projects and shared plans for future development. To support the further refinement and real-world application of selected solutions, a total of HK$200,000 in seed funding was awarded to winning teams. GOFA received the Grand Prize and Most Innovative Award for its AI-powered health risk assessment technology, while Mapcraft received the Most Community-Driven Award, and Singapore-based start-up N&E Innovations received the Most Scalable Builder Award.

At the award ceremony, residents from different backgrounds, including ethnic minority communities, older adults, children, young people and families from the Northern Metropolis, were invited to experience the projects developed by participating start-ups and universities. Interactive workshops, demonstrations and sharing sessions allowed residents to explore innovative solutions first-hand and provide direct feedback to the innovators, helping inform their future development and application.

Mr Ronald Cheng, Principal Assistant Secretary (Northern Metropolis) of the NMCO, who was invited to attend the award ceremony, stated, 'Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan proposes that we will guide the future spatial layout of our city with the vision of the "South North Dual Engine (Finance IT)". The Northern Metropolis will be developed with the objectives of university town, I&T, industry, and environment suitable for living, work, and travel.  This will require innovative thinking and cross-sector collaboration. The "SVhk-Sino Impactathon" has enabled start-up teams to step into the community, thereby understanding residents' actual needs and proposing targeted solutions. We are pleased to see that the business sector, academia, community organisations and start-ups have been working hand-in-hand on new ideas to contribute to the development of the Northern Metropolis.'

Mr Francis Ngai, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SVhk, shared, 'Community making requires both hardware and software infrastructure. While the physical infrastructure of the Northern Metropolis is gradually taking shape, its community infrastructure should be built with equal urgency to support thriving neighbourhoods.  The needs of older adults, children and youth, agricultural transformation, circular economy and social inclusion also point to new reimaginations for the communities of tomorrow, and call for parallel learning and experimentation as Hong Kong advances its innovation-and-technology and talent-development priorities. The "SVhk-Sino Impactathon" brings together cross-sector partners to identify local needs, work with universities and innovation partners to find suitable solutions, and match them with frontline organisations for real-world testing and refinement. We hope each trial will generate shared learnings within the Northern Metropolis, and build, from the bottom up, the community's capacity to listen, collaborate and address challenges together.'

Mr David Ng, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Sino Group, said, 'As the Northern Metropolis continues to grow and evolve, so too do the needs of its communities. We believe the value of innovation lies not in technology alone, but in how it can improve people's lives. Building on last year's "One North STEAM AI Summer", we launched the "SVhk-Sino Impactathon" to bring together partners across government, industry, academia, research institutions and the community to explore practical solutions that support community well-being. We are grateful to all our partners, community organisations, universities, start-ups and residents for their support, and look forward to seeing these ideas continue to evolve and make a positive impact on communities across the Northern Metropolis.'

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SOURCE Sino Group