HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 14 December 2021 – “Coronation”, a digital illustration minted by A_Moore for mocking Summit for Democracy, was sold at 2.5 ETH（10,017 dollars on Dec. 12th）on OpenSea, the largest NFT market. He might be inspired by Alan Moore, author of V for Vendetta.

“Coronation” follows the composition of the famous painting “The School of Athens” （completed between 1510 and 1511​）. Raphael used “The Academy of Athens” to embody the humanitarian and liberalism of the Renaissance. And this famous work also expresses Raphael’s admiration for ancient Greek culture.

“Coronation” is a good reference to the composition of Raphael’s “School of Athens”. The whole work adopts a single-point perspective composition. In order to highlight the theme, there is a character in the center of the picture, held the torch so high that the reader’s first attention will be focused on the center of the picture. The buildings of Athens, which were built thousands of years ago, are located at the top of the picture.   At the horizon of the picture, there are several groups of interactive people, which are painted on both sides of the central figure, some people are talking about something, some people are observing something, and some people seem to be expressing something by holding a blue flag. People in each group, from all directions of the picture, are established not only independently, but also fully interact with each other,

The accurate application of perspective method, the beautiful and clear structure, the skilled control of spatial sense and the clear priorities of the frame, all these superb skills brought people unparalleled visual experience. On the other side of the picture is the modern society, which is painted full of riots. The distinction between the top and bottom in this picture creates an era contrast of millennium history. And the sharp contrast also made much impact on character interaction…

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are irreplaceable files on blockchain, and it can verify the ownership of digital art works. Normally, buyers own limited rights of displaying the digital artwork they represent. In March this year, An NFT made by Mike Winkelmann （known as Beeple） was sold for $69 million at Christie’s. With over 90% market share value, OpenSea tops the NFC market.

About Hong Kong International New Eco. Research Institute (INERI)

INERI is dedicated to providing a new financial economy, the popularisation and related solutions of blockchain technology, and the “chain energy economy” theoretical system to government’s regulatory authorities and traditional Chinese enterprises.

Website: www.ineri.net

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

Matching PropTech Startups with Corporates, Investors and Incubators

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 14 December 2021 – Organised and hosted by Hong Kong’s ParticleX, the second edition of ParticleX PropTech Global Challenge (PPGC) is now open for applications. The deadline of the first batch of applications is the 5^th January, 2022.

The PPGC is a strategic matching initiative tailor-made for startups in early to mid-stages. It aims at cultivating and facilitating innovative technology solutions to real-world challenges in the property and real estate industries, which will contribute to achieving ESG goals ultimately.

The initiative uses a multidisciplinary matching approach that seamlessly bridges the gap between startups, corporates, angel investors and incubators, as well as government resources.

The PPGC offers a one-of-a-kind networking model for startups: 1) one that transcends the limitations of physical locations and the pandemic through the use of online meetings; and 2) Selected startups will be directly invited to participate in the online investment committee meeting. No commuting, training, and fees are required – which helps to lower operational costs and enhance effectiveness in communication.

The initiative would not be possible without the support of the following organisations: Chinachem Group, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), StartmeupHK, the Hong Kong Business Angel Network, MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node, Smart City Consortium, Asia PropTech.

PPGC is an ongoing project that accepts applications in three batches every year. Do not miss out on the limitless opportunities this initiative offers. If you are a PropTech startup or have a great solution for an ESG issue, apply now through the following link!

1st Batch Deadline: 5 January 2022, 6pm (Hong Kong time)

Apply Now: www.particlex.com/ppgc2022

【Benefits & Opportunities】

Direct Investment & Business Matching

By participating in the PPGC, startups could be entitled to direct investment and business matching opportunities. Outstanding startups will be chosen by ParticleX, Chinachem Group, the Hong Kong Business Angel Network, HKSTP and other co-investment partners based on their financing plan. The chosen startups will also have the opportunity to be matched with potential clients in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region.

Incubation & Onboarding Support

In collaboration with HKSTP and HKAI Lab, the PPGC also offers participating startups incubation, onboarding support, and acceleration programme opportunities. StartmeupHK, a government division of InvestHK, will provide assistance to overseas startups in setting up their business in Hong Kong. Asia PropTech offers onboarding support and advisory services, while Smart City Consortium provides a resourceful platform to connect with various PropTech industry stakeholders from China and Hong Kong.

Startups interested in participating in this edition’s PPGC are required to provide advanced solutions to issues surrounding the property life cycle.  These could range from solutions to the promotion of technical innovation that helps enhance efficiency, visibility, experience, flexibility, and productivity, to ones that tackle ESG and sustainability issues. With an aim to reach the goals of peak carbon emission in 2030 and carbon neutralisation in 2060, the focus of this edition’s PPGC is on green energy and low carbon development; and together with efforts from the PropTech startups, the idea is to create a world where man and nature live in harmony.

The first edition of ParticleX PropTech Global Challenge was a resounding success. Out of the 130 startups from 33 different countries, 70% startups companies were founded in or before 2018; 74% of startups were in seed or early stage; 50% of startups were seeking investment funding; and 40% were looking for business opportunities.

Nearly 41% of startups came up with technology or solutions that can help lower costs for corporates, and more than 37% of the solutions can assist in increasing customer engagement, improving customer relationships, raising revenue and market share; and 22% of the solutions addressed environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, which effectively married their solutions and their impact on the environment and the society.

Two of the outstanding startups, Alpha’a from the United States and viAct from Hong Kong, have received ParticleX investment support and are exploring more collaborations with corporates and business partners.

Alpha’a

Alpha’a is a community-oriented PropTech and art technology company that offers an online trading platform for tailor-made art collections. The clients are from, but not limited to, the real estate industry such as hotels, office buildings, co-working and co-living spaces. Alpha’a strives to address the complex challenges that arise from the purchase of art pieces for property owners.

Alpha’a holds no inventory, reducing overhead costs that are usually included in charges to the client. Additionally, the crowd-sourced and pre-curated platform provides artwork directly to the customers.

viAct

viAct develops and applies its renowned proprietary Scenario-Based AI vision technologies to improve workplace safety and increase productivity in the construction industry. The platform uses computer vision to detect potential safety hazards, construction progress and the location of machinery and materials. viAct’s cloud facilities could create in-depth detection reports from real-time data analysis based on videos and photos generated by cameras and mobile applications, thereby automating the process of on-site monitoring and management.

Suitable candidates:

Startups 

• With a primary business focus on providing PropTech solutions
• With a solid foundation for exponential growth, developing new business opportunities, or seeking next round of funding
• At the current fundraising stage from Seed to Series A

1st Batch Deadline: 5 January 2022, 6pm (Hong Kong time)

Apply Now: www.particlex.com/ppgc2022

About ParticleX

ParticleX, a tech-based startup investor and innovation enabler based in Hong Kong. ParticleX combines network, capital and research resources, accelerating the pace of innovative technology and helping the early-stage startups to win cross-border opportunities across Asia.

For more information, please visit our website. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.

#ParticleX #Startups #AngelInvestor #VC #InvestmentFunding #PropTech #ESG

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

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 13 December 2021 – After successfully isolating the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant from clinical specimens, researchers at the Department of Microbiology at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) are now collaborating with governments and vaccine manufacturers in order to quickly advance the development and production of vaccines against the variant.  

The team said it is willing to share its findings with any qualified organisation that is working to develop Omicron vaccines or treatments.   

HKU is also working with overseas research institutes to export to them the virus isolate for research purposes.  

The HKU research team was the first known group in Asia to isolate the Omicron variant, which has been designated as a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is fast spreading throughout the world.  

Today, the HKU microbiology team announced that it has exported the isolated virus to both the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Chinese-based vaccine manufacturers, Sinovac Life Sciences Co., Ltd. and China National Biotec Group Company Limited (ChinaPharm) for research on the variant and the development of vaccines targeting Omicron.  

HKU is also making plans to export the virus isolate to a leading US organization at its request. “We are open and ready to share the isolate with anyone who needs it and has the expertise to work with it,” said Professor Kwok-yung Yuen, HKU microbiologist and leader of the research team.  

In addition to vaccine production, the virus isolate will also be used in research on the transmissibility, immune evasion capability, and pathogenicity in animal models, and could also be used to test the efficacy of existing vaccines and treatments, said Professor Yuen. 

The HKU microbiologists succeeded in isolating the variant on 29 November, just four days after the first two Omicron cases were confirmed in Hong Kong on 25 November, and five days after the variant was first reported to the WHO.   The WHO designated the variant, initially identified as B.1.1.529 a variant of concern, and named it Omicron on 26 November.  

“It is our duty to get this isolate into the hands of scientists around the globe as quickly as possible,” said Professor Max Shen, Vice President (Research) and Acting Director of the Technology Transfer Office at HKU.  “We must work together to diminish the damaging effect of the Omicron variant on the global population, to promote global health and socio-economic recovery.” Professor Shen added. 

Omicron variants have since been reported from around the world and spread to 57 nations and territories as of 9 December.  

Governments around the world have since imposed strict travel bans and heightened surveillance in an effort to slow the advance of Omicron, with many hoping for the quick development of a new and effective vaccine.   

Separately, the research team at the microbiology department is also working with China-based Wantai Biological Pharmacy for the development of an intranasal vaccine for COVID-19. A phase two clinical trial of the vaccine in Hong Kong and a phase three trial in South Africa and the Philippines will soon commence.  

Other leaders of the research team include Professor Honglin Chen and Professor Kelvin To, head of the Department of Microbiology.  

Virus isolation and incubation were conducted at the biosafety level 3 laboratory (P3 laboratory) of HKU, following standard operating procedures. The university currently has the only P3 laboratory in Hong Kong.  

About Professor Yuen Kwok-yung

Professor Yuen is currently the Chair of Infectious Diseases of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong. He is also the Co-Director of the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases. His publications on emerging infectious diseases and microbial hunting have received more than 85,000 citations and h-index of 120 (Scopus). He was ranked by Clarivate Analytics as one of the world’s most highly cited researchers and top 1% scholars. He is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (Division of Medicine & Health) and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. 

He has discovered over 80 novel viruses of which 35 are coronaviruses. During the outbreak of SARS in 2003, he led his team in the discovery of the SARS coronavirus as co-principal investigator. Subsequently he discovered the natural reservoir of bat SARS related coronaviruses, which are predecessors of human SARS-CoV-1 of 2003 and SARS-CoV-2 of 2021, in Chinese horseshoe bats. His findings renewed the interests of bats as the source of novel microbes causing emerging infectious diseases. 

The success in finding novel microbes in human and animals is exemplified by his other discoveries of human coronavirus HKU1(still circulating globally as common cold coronavirus), bat coronaviruses HKU2 (related to farm outbreaks of porcine diarrheal disease), HKU4 and HKU5 (related to MERS coronavirus), and HKU15(related to the suspected porcine deltacoronavirus jumping into human in 2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his team was the first to report in The Lancet on the identification of the first familial cluster of COVID-19, confirming person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2, which led to major policy changes for controlling the pandemic worldwide. 

About The University of Hong Kong

Founded in 1911, The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is the first and oldest institution of higher learning in Hong Kong, China. For over a century, the University has dedicated itself to creating knowledge, providing education, and serving society. Today, HKU is a research-led comprehensive University with 10 faculties and a strong commitment to intellectual freedom, liberty and diversity.

A research-led comprehensive university – 139 of our professors have been ranked as the world’s top 1% scientists by Essential Science Indicators, Thomson Reuters. HKU is ranked 22nd in the world according to QS World University Rankings 2022, with 6 subjects placed amongst the top 20 in the QS by Subject 2021.

HKU students hail from 96 countries, with 60% from outside Hong Kong. For the last 11 years, more than 99.4% of our graduates have received at least one job offer in every consecutive academic year, with many embarking on diverse careers fields such as finance, law, engineering and technology, culture, management. English is the medium of instruction.

#HKU #TheUniversityofHongKong