Group photo of CUHK’s award-winning teams alongside representatives from the Knowledge Transfer Office and the Centre for Entrepreneurship, CUHK. (from left to right)
Dr. Frank NG (Executive Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship, CUHK), Dr. Eric LEUNG (Associate Director, Knowledge Transfer Office, CUHK), Ms. Poonsook WATTANAKUL (Thorani, CUHK Team), Mr. Cheuk Tong LAI (Thorani, CUHK Team), Mr. Chun Ho WONG (Thorani, CUHK Team), Ms.Tsing Yin Provides NG (Digital Common(s), CUHK Team), Mr. Kelvin WONG (Deputy Director, Knowledge Transfer Office, CUHK), Dr. Gene MAN (Head of Knowledge Transfer Events Management, Knowledge Transfer Office, CUHK), Ms. Tracy WONG (Knowledge Transfer Events Officer, Knowledge Transfer Office, CUHK) (Photo: HKUST)
On 18 April 2026, the HKUST Entrepreneurship Center hosted the Hult Prize Hong Kong Summit 2026 at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. This regional event brought together outstanding student entrepreneurs, global mentors, and impact investors in a vibrant platform dedicated to social innovation and sustainable change. As part of the world’s largest student startup competition — often hailed as the “Nobel Prize for Students” — the Summit celebrates purpose-driven ventures that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and showcases how business can be a force for good.
This year’s challenge invited participants to pitch bold, world-changing ideas for social enterprises that advance at least one SDG, with 17 semi-finalist teams competing for the top honors. Two outstanding teams from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) — Digital Common(s) and Thorani — reached the final round and impressed the judges with their innovative solutions. In the end, Thorani won the Champion, while Digital Common(s) secured the position of First Runner-up, earning CUHK both of the top two prizes at the Summit.
Thorani’s victory propels them forward to the global stage, advancing to Digital Incubator and bringing them one step closer to the Hult Prize Global Accelerator for the chance to win USD $1 million in seed funding.
About Hult Prize:
The Hult Prize is a global startup program that challenges young people to build for-profit businesses that create measurable social and environmental impact. Since 2010, it has grown into one of the world’s largest student movements for social entrepreneurship, engaging millions of participants in more than 130 countries. Participating teams hone their ideas, receive mentorship, and compete to win USD $1M in seed funding.
Award List: CUHK Teams at the Hult Prize Hong Kong Summit 2026
|
Award |
Project |
Team Members |
|
Champion* |
Thorani |
Mr. Cheuk Tong LAI (Undergraduate Student, The Chinese University of Hong Kong) Mr. Chun Ho WONG (Undergraduate Student, The Chinese University of Hong Kong) Mr. Ching Hei Arthur CHEN (Undergraduate Student, National Tsing Hua University) Ms. Poonsook WATTANAKUL (Undergraduate Student, National Tsing Hua University) |
|
First Runner-up |
Digital Common(s) |
Ms. Tsing Yin Provides NG (PhD student, The Chinese University of Hong Kong) Ms. Elizaveta DORRER (PhD student, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) |
*Chanpion team Thorani will be advancing to Digital Incubator.
Useful Information
Hult Prize: Official Website