Develop Smart Technologies from Scratch
HONG KONG, Aug. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) concluded its Summer Internship Programme on 15 August. A total of 38 interns from top-tier universities worldwide, selected from 2,500 applicants, have successfully completed an enriching eight-week work experience.
"At ASTRI, we are committed to nurturing young talent and driving innovation forward," said Ir Dr Ted Suen, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI. "I'm delighted to see how the internship programme has inspired these bright minds to embark on their innovation and technology (I&T) journey in this vibrant city after graduation."
Industry Engagement
During the programme, ASTRI's talent acquisition team organised a series of events, including a CTO Dialogue, two "Tech Talk" seminars, a presentation skill training workshop, company visits and networking sessions. These activities offered interns valuable exposures to industry experts and insights into Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem.
Visits to organisations such as Bank of China (Hong Kong), Cyberport, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, IBM and HKSTP Experience Centre provided a comprehensive understanding of the industry landscape.
Funded by the STEM Internship Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund of the Innovation and Technology Commission, the programme paired interns with senior researchers to work on hands-on research and development (R&D) projects. These projects spanned diverse areas, including AI-powered solutions, digital health, FinTech, green technologies, robotics and more.
Smart Technologies for Greater Good
Darshbir Singh Kohli developed a real-time monitoring system to track environmental conditions and optimises inverter efficiency. His projects contribute to the development of a solar-powered bi-directional DC-AC inverter and EV charging station, advancing smarter energy management and sustainability.
A first-year engineering student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Darshbir shared, "I felt deeply motivated knowing that my work could make a tangible impact on improving the environment and achieving carbon neutrality."
Russell Lam, a second-year life science student at the University of Toronto, contributed to the development of an electronic nose system to classify food waste based on gas profiles. He conducted rough trials, determined the concentration range for spoilage gases, and experimented with flow and diffusion sensor systems.
This low-cost energy solution efficiently sorts food waste for reuse in energy production or animal feed, promoting sustainable waste management. Reflecting on the internship, Russell said: "The opportunity to develop the electronic nose system from concept to prototype taught me the importance of considering both technical feasibility and practical implementation in innovation."
AI-powered Financial Solutions
Heison Cheung addressed financial fraud by creating a font recognition model to detect fake bank statements. Using real data and a convolutional neural network, he developed a system capable of identifying unusual font styles, even detecting subtle variations that might escape human notice.
A second-year data science and analytics student at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Heison described his experience as transformative: "Working at ASTRI has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic journey. I had the opportunity to apply my knowledge to real-world problems, contribute to meaningful solutions, and learn from seasoned professionals."
Photo Download: https://bit.ly/3JEUouo
About ASTRI
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness through applied research. ASTRI's core R&D competence in various areas is grouped under five Technology Divisions: Advanced Electronic Components and Systems; Artificial Intelligence and Trust Technologies; Communications Technologies; Intelligent Perception and Control Technologies, and IoT Sensing and AI Technologies. It is applied across six core areas which are Smart City, Financial Technologies, New Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Digital Health, Application Specific Integrated Circuits and Metaverse.
Over the years, ASTRI has nurtured a pool of research, I&T talents and received numerous international awards for its pioneering innovations as well as outstanding business and community contributions. ASTRI has transferred close to 1,600 technologies to the industry and has been granted about 1,200 patents in the Mainland, the United States, and other countries. For further information, please visit www.astri.org
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
ASTRI Summer Internship Programme Nurtures I&T Talents
|
The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time
SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVPN Global Conference 2026, Asia's largest convening of social and impact investors will be held from 25 to 27 August 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. The thirteenth edition of AVPN's signature annual Conference, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Asia", convenes global leaders in corporate philanthropy, family offices, private foundations, impact investing and impact organisations. This year, the Conference aligns with India's transformative Viksit Bharat Vision 2047, the government's vision to become a developed nation by 2047. The Conference presents an opportunity for global delegates to experience India's leadership in social innovation, and it also provides a platform for India's leadership and innovation to be included in Asia's social investment growth story.
Asia today faces a stark contrast between immense private wealth and deep, underfunded social needs. The region is home to nearly 40% of the world's billionaires, with 61 new billionaires in 2025, together amassing USD 124.4 billion. This juxtaposes with the fact that Asia Pacific also faces an annual financing gap of USD 1.5 trillion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Traditional development funding has retreated, and the world is experiencing a turning point in terms of resources and leadership. Amidst these challenges, Asia's leaders are stepping up to lead in impact through bold, people-first social development initiatives, powered by cross-sector collaboration, catalytic capital, and digital transformation, alongside other pioneering development models. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will spotlight global and Asian leaders, leverage philanthropy, impact investing, and blended finance as key levers to channel capital towards bold, collaborative opportunities for action.
Achal Agarwal, Chair, AVPN said, "Asia stands at a defining point where leadership must be measured not by aspiration, but by action. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is intentionally designed as a platform where those who influence capital, policy, and institutions come together to shape practical pathways forward. Hosting the Conference in India for the first time reflects Asia's growing confidence in designing solutions at scale, grounded in local realities and relevant to the world. This is about moving from dialogue to execution, and from promise to progress."
Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer, AVPN said, "Even as Asia becomes home to some of the world's fastest-growing pools of private wealth, we continue to face an annual SDG financing gap of well over a trillion US dollars that leaves critical needs in health, education, climate resilience, and livelihoods unmet. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is about changing that trajectory by bringing together philanthropic leaders, funders, investors, policymakers, and enterprises from across Asia to move capital more boldly and more collaboratively into solutions that can transform communities at scale. In a decade that will define the future of our people and our planet, we can no longer afford for Asia's wealth and Asia's social needs to exist in parallel worlds. This Conference is where those worlds must finally converge."
Prominent speakers at the Conference include Ajay Piramal (Chairman, Piramal Group), Boon Heong Ng (Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation), Prof. Larry Kramer (President & Vice-chancellor, London School of Economics & Political Science), Neerja Birla (Founder & Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust), Piyush Gupta (Chairman, Singapore Management University), Tony Tan (Executive Director, CapitaLand Hope Foundation), and more to be announced in the coming months.
Spotlight on Impact Investing
The Conference will feature a dedicated Impact Investing Day, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Impact Investing and Blended Finance". It will showcase projects ready for investment or blended-finance structures, the design and activation of catalytic capital, global investor dialogues linking asset owners with regional pipelines, and transition roadmaps from philanthropy to concessional or market-rate investments. It will also spotlight several signature multilateral and ecosystem initiatives, and offer delegates - leading Limited Partners (LPs), General Partners (GPs), development finance institutions, and multilateral development banks - the opportunities to unlock investment capital for impact.
Be a Part of the Action: Early Bird Registrations Now Open
With an anticipated 2,000 delegates, and more than 100 sessions held over three days, AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be more than a convening, it is a platform for collaboration, the site for action, and the blueprint for a positive, prosperous, and inclusive future.
More information and ticket details are available on the AVPN website at https://avpn.asia/conference/
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 diverse members across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.
For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit our website and read our latest Annual Review 2024 -25.
The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time
SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVPN Global Conference 2026, Asia's largest convening of social and impact investors will be held from 25 to 27 August 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. The thirteenth edition of AVPN's signature annual Conference, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Asia", convenes global leaders in corporate philanthropy, family offices, private foundations, impact investing and impact organisations. This year, the Conference aligns with India's transformative Viksit Bharat Vision 2047, the government's vision to become a developed nation by 2047. The Conference presents an opportunity for global delegates to experience India's leadership in social innovation, and it also provides a platform for India's leadership and innovation to be included in Asia's social investment growth story.
Asia today faces a stark contrast between immense private wealth and deep, underfunded social needs. The region is home to nearly 40% of the world's billionaires, with 61 new billionaires in 2025, together amassing USD 124.4 billion. This juxtaposes with the fact that Asia Pacific also faces an annual financing gap of USD 1.5 trillion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Traditional development funding has retreated, and the world is experiencing a turning point in terms of resources and leadership. Amidst these challenges, Asia's leaders are stepping up to lead in impact through bold, people-first social development initiatives, powered by cross-sector collaboration, catalytic capital, and digital transformation, alongside other pioneering development models. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will spotlight global and Asian leaders, leverage philanthropy, impact investing, and blended finance as key levers to channel capital towards bold, collaborative opportunities for action.
Achal Agarwal, Chair, AVPN said, "Asia stands at a defining point where leadership must be measured not by aspiration, but by action. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is intentionally designed as a platform where those who influence capital, policy, and institutions come together to shape practical pathways forward. Hosting the Conference in India for the first time reflects Asia's growing confidence in designing solutions at scale, grounded in local realities and relevant to the world. This is about moving from dialogue to execution, and from promise to progress."
Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer, AVPN said, "Even as Asia becomes home to some of the world's fastest-growing pools of private wealth, we continue to face an annual SDG financing gap of well over a trillion US dollars that leaves critical needs in health, education, climate resilience, and livelihoods unmet. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is about changing that trajectory by bringing together philanthropic leaders, funders, investors, policymakers, and enterprises from across Asia to move capital more boldly and more collaboratively into solutions that can transform communities at scale. In a decade that will define the future of our people and our planet, we can no longer afford for Asia's wealth and Asia's social needs to exist in parallel worlds. This Conference is where those worlds must finally converge."
Prominent speakers at the Conference include Ajay Piramal (Chairman, Piramal Group), Boon Heong Ng (Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation), Prof. Larry Kramer (President & Vice-chancellor, London School of Economics & Political Science), Neerja Birla (Founder & Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust), Piyush Gupta (Chairman, Singapore Management University), Tony Tan (Executive Director, CapitaLand Hope Foundation), and more to be announced in the coming months.
Spotlight on Impact Investing
The Conference will feature a dedicated Impact Investing Day, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Impact Investing and Blended Finance". It will showcase projects ready for investment or blended-finance structures, the design and activation of catalytic capital, global investor dialogues linking asset owners with regional pipelines, and transition roadmaps from philanthropy to concessional or market-rate investments. It will also spotlight several signature multilateral and ecosystem initiatives, and offer delegates - leading Limited Partners (LPs), General Partners (GPs), development finance institutions, and multilateral development banks - the opportunities to unlock investment capital for impact.
Be a Part of the Action: Early Bird Registrations Now Open
With an anticipated 2,000 delegates, and more than 100 sessions held over three days, AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be more than a convening, it is a platform for collaboration, the site for action, and the blueprint for a positive, prosperous, and inclusive future.
More information and ticket details are available on the AVPN website at https://avpn.asia/conference/
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 diverse members across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.
For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit our website and read our latest Annual Review 2024 -25.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Asia's Largest Social Investment Conference Urges Global Changemakers to Convene and Set the Impact Agenda for Asia
