EIGHT maker representatives from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Workshop shared their experiences working on enterprise projects, entrepreneurship stage and their expectations for the future development of the Greater Bay Area during the 2018 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Innovation Forum (Futian) & Youth Talent New Year Exchange Meeting on Jan. 18.

The workshop has attracted a total of 23 maker teams developing robot eyes, innovative wearable blood glucose monitors and more.

After working as a post-doctorate researcher for two years at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ding Ke came back to the mainland to start his project. He led a team to do research on robot vision recognition.

“It’s like equipping the robot with eyes and a brain. When there are a lot of delivery goods in the warehouse, the robot can recognize and locate them via the vision system and sort out the parcels instead using of human labor,” said Ding. After looking for a space across the city, Ding decided to settle in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Workshop in July 2018.

Ding’s team has expanded from two people at the beginning to more than 20 now. In his eyes, settling in the Lok Ma Chau Loop Area not only provides proximity to Hong Kong, but also enjoys the convenience of the complete supporting facilities of industrial chains that facilitate their research and marketization.

Though their products are still in the production pilot run phase, the team has already received financing of 20 million yuan (US$2.97 million) and an intention of financing of 80 million yuan.

Sam from Hong Kong is another maker who has settled down in the workshop. He moved to the Lok Ma Chau Loop Area after living in Nanshan for three years. With rent in the workshop just one-third of the market price, Sam got an over-300-square-meter space for his startup. What surprised him more is the resource-matching services provided by the space operator.

“They have a good relationship with the government. After our product was successfully developed, they help promote our product to Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Commission, Shenzhen Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission and some community hospitals,” said Sam.

Luo Gengbiao, secretary of the Futian District Committee of Chinese Communist Youth League, introduced the four main service projects for youth working in Futian including accommodation, study, entrepreneurship and friendship.

“Last year marked the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up. Against this backdrop, we launched the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Workshop,” said Luo, adding that the workshop is a good example of putting into full play the advantages of the Lok Ma Chau Loop Area and its supporting areas, and utilizing the complementary advantages of Shenzhen’s science innovation industry and the international resources of Hong Kong and Macao.

(Chen Xiaochun)