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Community-based Social Innovation for Youth Program in Hong Kong Prize Presentation Ceremony for the Fourth “Social Innovation • Community 4.0” Competition

HONG KONG SAR Media OutReach15 July 2022 A team of four Form 3 students from HKSYCIA Wong Tai Shan Memorial College was crowned champion at this year’s “Social Innovation • Community 4.0” Competition. Their winning solution “Sunshine to Elderly”, is a socially inclusive sustainable gardening system on school campus. It aims to tackle the mental health issues of elderly citizens living in Sham Shui Po District by encouraging them to team up with students to grow plants while also making use of an application to keep track of the growth in the plots. Regular pop-up markets will be held by the students and the elderly for selling the plants with the purpose of enhancing the self-esteem of the elderly. The winning school team will join an overseas tour to visit a cluster of innovative start-ups and social enterprises.

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Mr. Paul Wong Yan Yin, JP, District Officer, Sham Shui Po District Office, Home Affairs Department (first from left), joined by Ms. Susan Kwek, Head of Operations & Technology, Citi Hong Kong, (first from right), presents the award for the fourth “Social Innovation • Community 4.0” Competition to the champion team from HKSYCIA Wong Tai Shan Memorial College for their innovation “Sunshine to Elderly”.

Supported by Citi Foundation and organized by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, the “Social Innovation • Community 4.0” Competition is a pioneering challenge open to all secondary schools to find sustainable solutions to community problems.

Five award prototypes were showcased at the ceremony.

Five award prototypes were showcased at the ceremony.

Mr. Paul Wong Yan Yin, JP, District Officer, Sham Shui Po District Office, Home Affairs Department; Ms. Susan Kwek, Head of Operations & Technology, Citi Hong Kong; Mr. Chua Hoi Wai, JP, Chief Executive, HKCSS and Dr. Jacob Hui Shing Yan, Chief Curriculum Support Officer, Education Bureau officiated at the award presentation ceremony today. Also attending were representatives of the competition’s partnering and supporting organizations, as well as teachers and students from the finalist teams. Five award prototypes were showcased at the ceremony.

Each year, a district in Hong Kong is selected as the focal area – Central and Western District in its first year, Kowloon City District in the second, and North District third. Sham Shui Po District was the focus this year. Through experiential learning in the community and comprehensive training in design thinking, technology and making prototypes, as well as interaction with local citizens with the support of the District Office and NGOs in the area, participating students were challenged to identify a community issue and come up with solutions to address it.

15 prototypes and 44 concept boards are now being exhibited to the public at Form Society and Parallel Space on Tai Nam Street until July 18.

15 prototypes and 44 concept boards are now being exhibited to the public at Form Society and Parallel Space on Tai Nam Street until July 18.

This year, 44 teams from 34 secondary schools around Hong Kong submitted their proposals. 15 finalist teams were invited to produce prototypes, which, together with the remaining teams’ concept boards, are now being exhibited to the public at Form Society and Parallel Space on Tai Nam Street in Sham Shui Po from July 13 to July 18.

Mr. Paul Wong Yan Yin, JP, District Officer, Sham Shui Po District Office, Home Affairs Department, said, “Social Innovation Community 4.0 encourages young people to apply innovative thinking to tackle social issues in Sham Shui Po. It has set out a new paradigm for community building by young people. I look forward to seeing the participants to keep contributing to the community in their future endeavors.”

Ms. Susan Kwek, Head of Operations & Technology, Citi Hong Kong said, “Citi Foundation has been supporting initiatives that improve youth employability and promote sustainability. This program not only enables young people to understand the community and to care about society, but also provides them with a platform to unleash their creativity, learn problem-solving, equip themselves for future career development and comprehend the meaning of team spirt. At the same time, it also helps build a sustainable city by addressing community issues. Young minds are key to shaping a brighter future for all, and Citi Foundation aspires to equip them with the skills and networks, which will contribute to their success in our ever-changing world.”

Mr. Chua Hoi Wai, JP, Chief Executive of HKCSS, said, “The Social Innovation Community 4.0 Competition has launched in its 4th year. In addition to the genuine support of Citi Foundation, the engagement of the government departments, supporting NGOs and community partners provides a chance for the students to experience a complete journey of social innovation. Through community visit and stakeholder’s interaction, the teams are able to create innovative solutions in response to the specific social problems. The mindset of “thinking out of the box” and breaking through is definitely the collective goals of the society. It is hoped that more creative proposals could be implemented in the community and all students could continue to pursue your passion towards the society by contributing to the well-being of all communities together with the social sector in the future.”

The finalists’ prototypes will undergo four rounds of testing in the community on July 20 and 22 this year. Teams will demonstrate on-site how their prototypes operate in practice, while residents in Shan Shui Po District will be invited to provide user feedback in order to improve the feasibility and practicality of the prototypes.

The fifth “Social Innovation • Community 4.0” Competition will be open for applications in mid-October, and the new cohort will focus on social issues in Yau Tsim Mong District. It is hoped that the competition inspires the students to turn their ideas into action for the betterment of the community, thereby advancing social innovation in our society.

Hashtag: #Citibank

About Citi Foundation

Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfil our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit

About HKCSS

The HKCSS is an umbrella organization of over 500 agency members that provide over 90% of the social welfare services in Hong Kong. HKCSS strive to build a cohesive society by promoting strategic partnership among business and social service partners and inspiring corporate social responsibility through caring for the community, employees and the environment. HKCSS put much effort in building capacity of social enterprises through the Social Enterprise Business Centre (SEBC) to advance social entrepreneurship and mobilize social innovation. For more information, visit | Facebook:

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5ire raises USD 100 million in Series A Funding at valuation USD 1.5 billion, turns unicorn

  • 5ire, has received funding from UK-based conglomerate SRAM & MRAM to become the fastest growing blockchain unicorn in India and the only sustainable blockchain unicorn in the world.
  • Brainchild of India-origin founders, Pratik Gauri and Prateek Dwivedi

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 15 July 2022 – 5ire, a fifth generation level 1 blockchain network and the world’s first and only sustainable blockchain, today announced that it has raised $100 million in Series A funding from UK-based conglomerate SRAM & MRAM. This investment makes 5ire the fastest growing blockchain unicorn in India and the only sustainable blockchain unicorn in the world, valued at $1.5 billion. 5ire was founded by Indian-origin entrepreneurs, Pratik Gauri and Prateek Dwivedi, along with web3 financier Vilma Mattila, in August 2021.

5ire raised a funding of $21 million in its seed round at a valuation of $110 million with participation from both private and institutional investors like Alphabit, Marshland Capital, Launchpool Labs, Moonrock Capital, and amongst many other investors.

The funds raised will be used for business expansion and extending 5ire’s footprint across three continents including Asia, North America and Europe, with India as the hub of operations and core area of focus. 5ire will continue to invest in strengthening its blockchain further and work towards ensuring this decentralised technology benefits a larger base globally. Additionally, 5ire aims to hire the best talent in the industry across functions like product, engineering, marketing etc.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, Chairman of the SRAM & MRAM group, said, “We have great confidence in moving forward with investments in sustainable technologies. As a scientist, I have always believed in finding better ways to do things, and 5ire is committed to finding solutions for the 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals. We are assured in the abilities of the leadership team at 5ire and wish them all the very best.”

Pratik Gauri, CEO and Founder of 5ire said, “We are on a mission to embed sustainability into blockchain and shift the current paradigm from ‘for-profit’ to ‘for-benefit’. The 5ire team has worked round-the-clock to develop a platform that combines both technology and processes for the benefit of humankind. Becoming the world’s first and only sustainable unicorn born out of India, in just 11 months, is testimony that we are on the right path. We are humbled by the trust shown in 5ire by the SRAM & MRAM group and thrilled to find a partner who also wants to promote the transition of the world from the 4th Industrial Revolution to the 5th Industrial Revolution.”

5ire is a blockchain ecosystem that brings forth Sustainability, Technology & Innovation to build the 5th industrial revolution (5IR). The mission of the 5ire ecosystem is to embed the for-benefit paradigm at the heart of blockchain, by highly incentivizing practices that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), therefore facilitating the transition from the 4IR to 5IR. 5ire empowers decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and working groups to help accelerate the implementation of the UN’s 17 SDG goals. It assures openness, unity of purpose, and inclusivity. Thus, shaping the ethics of business and collaborations toward sustainability while providing a cross-chain environment as well as advanced governance and rewarding mechanisms for participants.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About 5ire:

5ire is a blockchain ecosystem that focuses on sustainability, technology and innovation to build the 5th industrial revolution (5IR). Founded by blockchain proponents Pratik Gauri, Prateek Dwivedi and Vilma Mattila in August 2021, the missions of the 5ire ecosystem are to embed a for-benefit paradigm at the heart of blockchain, highly incentivise practices that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), facilitate the transition from the 4IR to 5IR, and accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The company’s primary offering is 5ireChain, a first layer, sustainability-driven 5th generation blockchain that ensures adherence to the philosophy of 5IR, creating a net positive impact on the planet and service humanity.

For further information, visit its website at .

About SRAM & MRAM Group:

SRAM & MRAM Group is the brainchild of , and founded in 1995. Dr.Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, holds a Ph.D in Financial Management from UK , is a visionary with a steadfast background in Financial and Risk management in Hedge Funds and Forex Managements. His career started with commodity trading in India and Cambodia and gradually entered FX hedging and rollovers from Tokyo, Hongkong and Singapore. During this time, the world currency markets were rapidly fluctuating and he wanted a reliable system to manage the USD against GBP, EURO and JPY. This led to his acquiring considerable skills in both Financial and the Information Technology market.

Assisted by an able team of and Forex associates, he set up what is today, after two decades, a global conglomerate with 8 international alliances, 10 companies,5 continents, 35+ locations, 300+ employees with a sales turnaround of USD 800 Million (FY 2017-2018). The corporation is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom with branch offices in Cambodia, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bahrain, Georgia, India and Bangladesh. For further information, please visit .

ChainUp Custody and OneInfinity by OneDegree enter strategic partnership to foster collaboration in risk management

SINGAPORE & HONG KONG – News Direct – 15 July 2022 – Blockchain solutions provider ChainUp Group (“ChainUp”) and insurer OneDegree Hong Kong Limited (“OneDegree”) announced today a strategic partnership to provide clients of ChainUp Custody with insurance and technology combined risk management services through OneInfinity by OneDegree. Through this partnership, OneInfinity will officially become ChainUp’s Preferred Service Partner.

Leveraging each other’s industry and technical expertise, both parties are committed to promoting higher standards of security in the digital asset space and facilitating the healthy and sustainable growth of the Web3 community.

As part of the ChainUp Group, ChainUp Custody provides a comprehensive set of highly secure and reliable digital asset custody services with insights and strategies accumulated from servicing over 1,000 enterprise clients in the past five years, including technical product support, wallet interfaces, main chain asset custody, customized main chain integration, node solutions, co-managed wallet, loans, financing, and other financial services.

OneDegree is a licensed virtual insurance company in Hong Kong. Combining its strong underwriting expertise, sophisticated data analytics and technical know-how, OneInfinity by OneDegree offers insurance solutions and risk management technology designed specifically for digital asset trading platforms, custodians, asset managers and technology providers. OneInfinity also leverages Cymetrics’ cybersecurity solutions, which are offered by a sister company of OneDegree. Cymetrics helps companies examine cyber, blockchain and digital asset risks from the perspective of hackers and insiders in a more agile and flexible way.

Mr. Jeff Mei, Chief Marketing Officer of ChainUp Group said, “In the digital asset custody space, security and compliance are two key areas of concerns and risk management is a critical part of our offerings. Not only does ChainUp aim to provide our clients with reliable and compliant products and services, but we also actively seek to collaborate with relevant industry players to leverage one another’s expertise and do our part in creating a more robust ecosystem.”

Ms. Becky Tam, Chief Operating Officer of OneInfinity said, “With the rapid development of the digital asset industry, the establishment and adoption of best practice in risk management are crucial to ensure sustainable growth of the industry. OneInfinity is designed to answer this call, not only to support our clients in building trust and credibility, but also to encourage institutional participation in the sector.”

Contact Details:

ChainUp Group
Xue Zhen Yeo
+65 9325 6483
xuezhen.yeo@chainup.com

OneInfinity by OneDegree
Lisa Lin
lisa.lin@onedegree.hk

About ChainUp Group

Founded in 2017, ChainUp is a leading end-to-end blockchain technology solutions provider covering infrastructure development and ecosystem support. Built on the mission to empower businesses through blockchain technology, ChainUp’s innovative and all-around compliant solutions include digital asset exchange systems, NFT trading systems, wallet solutions, liquidity solutions, and digital assets custody and management. Headquartered in Singapore and with offices around the world, the company has served more than 1,000 clients in 30 countries, reaching over 60 million end-users.

For more information, please visit: www.chainup.com.

About OneInfinity by OneDegree
OneInfinity is the digital asset insurance business of OneDegree Group, operating under a general insurance licence from the Hong Kong Insurance Authority. OneInfinity’s insurance products are specifically designed for digital asset trading platforms, custodians, asset managers and technology providers. They protect digital asset wallets against crime and specie risk and cover enterprise cyber security risk and directors & officers liabilities. OneInfinity utilizes CymetricsTM, a proprietary blockchain-compatible cyber security technology solution developed by the OneDegree team, to help businesses manage cyber, blockchain and digital asset risks from the perspective of hackers and insiders in the dynamic Web3 space.

For more information, please visit: digitalasset-insurance.onedegree.hk/en-us.

MEM and the Carbon Trust Promote Energy Efficiency As Campaign in Laos

The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) and the Carbon Trust, an international climate consultancy, have joined forces to raise awareness of energy efficiency and share expertise to accelerate the Laos’s transition to resilient and low carbon energy.  

Southeast Asian Central Banks to Connect Payment Systems via QR Code

Central banks in Southeast Asia hope to link payment systems across the region this year using QR code technology.

TECNO CAMON 19 Releases in India! The Best Partner to Get Artistic with Night Photography

NEWDELHI, INDIA – Media OutReach – 15 July 2022 – On July 12, TECNO released the CAMON 19 in India. Describing in one sentence – it features fashion aesthetics combined with cool technology.

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CAMON 19, a high-performance, high-value smartphone designed for Gen Z, won the German iF Design Awards 2022 with the industry-first slimmest bezel of 0.98mm. Holding the rear shell with 200 million stars diamonds is like holding the entire milky way in hands. It has three options: Eco Black, Sea Salt White, and Geometric Green.

In addition to the stylish appearance, CAMON 19’s professional camera is powerful. Its lens adds white pixel to the traditional RGB to form an RGBW pixel arrangement, and uses ISOCELL to improve light sensitivity and reduce light crosstalk. RGBW technology, hailed as another major progress of mobile cameras, takes the new generation of mobile cameras closer to professional ones. This new technology can highlight the natural features and colors of portraits in low light and night conditions, bringing users subtle night shooting experience.

As the industry-first 64MP Triple Rear Camera with RGBW sensor, it can easily shoot pictures at night. Simply with the night mode and multiple night mode filters like cyberpunk can users get the best lowlight pictures through RGBW so that CAMON 19 enables everyone to shoot night scenes bright and clear enough and undistorted. With amazing portraits, CAMON 19 will surely increase social media followers of users.

Furthermore, CAMON 19 equipped with 5000mAh battery and offers 18W Fast Charging. Users can enjoy level up speed with ultra large 11GB RAM memory fusion as well. The quality of CAMON 19 is guaranteed, and it has passed TÜV Rheinland certified for Blue Light and Widevine l1 certified for 1080P OTT Contents consumption.

India’s Gen Z always looking for new social connections, but few smartphones can capture their glamour at night or lowlight environment. After discovering the pain point of night shooting, TECNO is committed to solving the problem of blurred focus due to dark light, and finally developed CAMON 19, the best partner to get artistic with night photography.

In a nutshell, it has made remarkable improvements in photography, trend and technology. With the strength of fashion technology, CAMON 19 has become the first choice for India’s Gen Z, which is currently available for order in India.

Hashtag: #TECNO