From CityUHK's HK Tech 300 to the world: Turning entrepreneurial dreams into reality

HONG KONG, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is fostering global talent exchange through its flagship innovation and entrepreneurship programme, HK Tech 300, and the Overseas Start-up Technology Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) organised by the CityUHK Academy of Innovation. Together, these initiatives attract students from around the world to explore entrepreneurial opportunities in Hong Kong while enabling local students to gain hands-on experience at overseas start-ups, facilitating the two-way exchange of innovative talent, knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit.

Attracting global talent to Hong Kong to explore entrepreneurial opportunities

HK Tech 300 recently held a new round of entrepreneurship training, attracting more than 110 participants, around 20% of whom came from Europe, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and other regions. During the three-day programme, participants learned how to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable solutions while exchanging perspectives with students from diverse cultural backgrounds, fostering cross-cultural collaboration and inspiring entrepreneurial thinking.

Sanzhar from Kazakhstan and Jessica, from Indonesia, both students in CityUHK's Department of Computer Science, believe that Hong Kong's position as an international technology and financial centre provides an ideal environment for start-up development. Through the training programme, they gained a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship and business planning, and hope to turn their innovative ideas into their own ventures one day.

Théo, a third-year student in CityUHK's College of Business from France, hopes to pursue a career in the Chinese Mainland. He sees Hong Kong's international environment as an ideal place to experience different cultures and languages. He said that HK Tech 300 helped him learn how to assess the feasibility of innovative ideas while connecting with students from diverse backgrounds, broadening his horizons and expanding his entrepreneurial network.

Kim, a student from South Korea studying in the Department of Electrical Engineering, aspires to establish an artificial intelligence (AI)-related start-up. He said Hong Kong's open and multicultural environment, together with its vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem were key factors that attracted him to pursue opportunities in the city.

Taking talent from Hong Kong to the world through hands-on experience

While attracting international students to Hong Kong, CityUHK also actively supports students in gaining experience abroad. Over the past two years, STEP, organised by the CityUHK Academy of Innovation, has arranged internships for more than 50 students at 17 deep-tech start-ups in Melbourne, Australia; London and Cambridge, the United Kingdom; and Beijing. These opportunities allow students to gain first-hand experience of how innovative ideas are translated into products and services.

Winnie, a student in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, joined a start-up in Australia this year through STEP. The company provides rehabilitation support for young stroke survivors. She said that, unlike internships primarily focused on laboratory research, working at a start-up allowed her to take on different roles and gain a deeper understanding of the needs of patients and other stakeholders. The experience enhanced her communication skills and gave her a greater appreciation of how technology can address real-world societal challenges.

Febryan from Indonesia and Mariia from Kyrgyzstan, participated in STEP internships at a UK-based start-up specialising in nanomaterials technology that was incubated by Imperial College London. They helped analyse the procedures and requirements for an initial public offering (IPO), gaining insights into the challenges technology start-ups face in business development and financing. Both found that the overseas experience enabled them to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world business environment, equipping them with valuable skills for their future entrepreneurial pursuits and career development.

Building a global platform for innovation

From attracting international students to explore entrepreneurial opportunities in Hong Kong to supporting local students in gaining overseas start-up experience, CityUHK continues to strengthen connections between Hong Kong and the global innovation ecosystem, facilitating the cross-border exchange of talent, knowledge and innovative ideas.

Since its launch in 2021, HK Tech 300 has trained more than 2,200 participants and nurtured over 1,000 start-up teams. More than 230 start-ups have been approved for Angel Fund investments of up to HK$1 million each. Through the HK Tech 300 International Start-up Competition and partnerships with overseas universities and start-up incubators, the programme continues to connect innovation resources worldwide.

Professor Johnny Ho Chung-yin, Associate Vice-President (Enterprise) of CityUHK, said that the University would continue to bring together global innovation talent and entrepreneurial resources through initiatives such as HK Tech 300 and STEP. By supporting talent mobility and cross-border collaboration, CityUHK aims to nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs with a global outlook and entrepreneurial spirit, further strengthening Hong Kong's position as an international innovation hub and a "super-connector".

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From CityUHK's HK Tech 300 to the world: Turning entrepreneurial dreams into reality

From CityUHK's HK Tech 300 to the world: Turning entrepreneurial dreams into reality

High-efficiency n-type modules will support long-term renewable-energy generation in demanding South African operating conditions

BEIJING, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- JA has been selected as the exclusive photovoltaic (PV) module supplier for Teraco's 120MW Sediba solar project in Parys, in South Africa's Free State province. The company will supply the high-efficiency n-type modules required for large-scale renewable energy development.

Owned by Teraco, a provider of carrier-, cloud- and vendor-neutral data centre environments for colocation services, Sediba will generate renewable electricity that will be fed into the national grid. The corresponding renewable energy allocation will be supplied to Teraco's data centre operations through a power-wheeling arrangement with local municipalities and Eskom.

The project is expected to generate more than 354,000MWh of renewable electricity annually once operational, with operations scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.

Engineered for demanding South African conditions

The Sediba site presents the type of operating environment in which long-term PV performance is critical. High summer temperatures, intense solar irradiation, dust, seasonal thunderstorms and significant temperature variations can place sustained pressure on solar modules over their operating life.

Following technical evaluation and testing, JA was selected as the project's exclusive module supplier based on the performance, durability and long-term reliability of its PV technology.

JA's high-efficiency n-type modules are engineered to maintain strong energy output while withstanding challenging environmental and mechanical conditions, including high temperatures, hail and heavy loads. These characteristics are particularly important for utility-scale projects designed to operate reliably over several decades.

For Sediba, module selection therefore extends beyond initial power output. Long-term degradation, mechanical integrity, product consistency and the ability to perform across changing environmental conditions are all fundamental to the project's lifetime generation profile.

Quality and traceability across the module lifecycle

JA combines module technology with a globally consistent approach to manufacturing quality and supply-chain management.

Key materials used in its modules, including glass and soldering ribbon, can be traced throughout the manufacturing process. Detailed environmental and supply-chain records provide further visibility across the product lifecycle.

This combination of manufacturing control, material traceability and product testing is designed to give project owners greater confidence in module quality and long-term performance, particularly for large-scale installations where consistency across thousands of modules is essential.

Supporting lower-carbon infrastructure

JA's involvement in Sediba also reflects its broader focus on reducing the environmental impact of solar generation across the full value chain.

The company's climate targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, while its manufacturing operations incorporate measures designed to reduce carbon emissions associated with PV production. JA also operates nationally recognised green factories as part of its approach to more sustainable manufacturing.

By combining lower-carbon manufacturing practices with high-efficiency module technology, JA aims to extend the environmental benefits of renewable energy beyond electricity generation itself.

For customers developing large-scale renewable-energy projects, this increasingly means considering not only how much electricity a module can generate, but also product longevity, manufacturing efficiency, supply-chain transparency and lifecycle environmental performance.

A reference project for large-scale solar in Africa

Large commercial and industrial electricity users are increasingly turning to renewable generation and wheeling arrangements to secure cleaner electricity, manage long-term energy requirements and advance sustainability objectives. In this environment, dependable PV performance and predictable lifetime generation are becoming increasingly important considerations.

JA's role in Sediba demonstrates how proven module technology can meet these requirements at utility-scale. As the project progresses towards operation, it will showcase the application of JA's n-type technology in one of South Africa's demanding solar environments and further demonstrate the company's ability to support complex, large-scale renewable-energy projects.

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JA Selected as Exclusive PV Module Supplier for Teraco's 120MW Sediba Solar Project