FAQ

1. What is the difference between Cyberport Creative Micro Fund (CCMF) and Cyberport Incubation Programme (CIP)?

CCMF and CIP are two distinctive programmes. Applicants should assess their project status and needs before applying for the programme.

CCMF encourages innovation and commitment to grow by sponsoring HK$100,000 grant to support innovative idea and early-stage start-up development over a 6-months project period.

If your project is at idea stage or at early stage development with prototype or minimum viable product(MVP) developed, you are eligible to apply CCMF. If your project is in a scale up and market expansion stage, you may consider applying for CIP.

2. Can I apply both CCMF and CIP at the same intake with the same project?

If an applicant of the same or similar project applying for CCMF and CIP at the same intake, Cyberport shall only consider the application of CIP without further notice.

3. What are the differences between CCMF Professional Programme (CCMF-PP) and CCMF Hong Kong Young Entrepreneur Programme (CCMF-HKYEP)?

The difference between them is mainly the age criterion. Applicants of Professional Programme must be 18 years old or above upon the application deadline. For CCMF-HKYEP, the principal applicant and all members in the project management team of individual applicant; the age of all business owner(s) and management team core members of company applicant must be 18-30 years old upon application deadline.

Applicants can apply as individuals or on behalf of their companies. Individual applicants must be Hong Kong Identity Card holders. Company applicants must have a registered company limited by shares and incorporated in Hong Kong (or in progress of incorporation) upon admission.

CCMF is counted in project basis. Applicant can choose either CCMF-PP or CCMF-HKYEP for the same project in the same intake. If the applicant of the same or similar project applying CCMF-PP or CCMF-HKYEP, Cyberport can only consider CCMF-PP without further notice.

4. If I am not a Hong Kong ID Card holder, can I apply CCMF?

Yes, you can apply as a company applicant in either Professional Programme or CCMF-HKYEP.

For the company applicant in the Hong Kong Young Entrepreneur Programme, all the business owners and management team core members must be aged in 18-30 upon application deadline in addition to the setup of a limited company registered and incorporated in Hong Kong upon admission. In addition, the designated business owner should stay in the team during the CCMF project period.

For the company applicant in the Professional Programme, the applicant is at least 18 years old upon application deadline in addition to the setup of a registered company limited by shares and incorporated in Hong Kong (or in progress of incorporation) upon admission.

5. How long is the application and admission process and how does it work?

Application submission before deadline > Initial screening after application deadline for eligibility check > Shortlisting eligible applications to attend Presentation > Presentation and Vetting (shortlisted applicants only) > Results announcement > Reference check by Cyberport > Sign agreement for admission > Project period get started

In general, it takes around 3-4 months after application deadline to complete the process. e.g. If application deadline is April, the presentation for shortlisted applicants ONLY will be held in May. The result will be announced in June and agreement signing with the awarded projects upon passing the reference check in June; hence, the CCMF start day will be in June/July.

6. Can I receive a similar grant or funding as CIP or CCMF from other publicly-funded organisations/ programmes at the same time?

Applicants cannot and are not allowed to receive any grant or funding from other public organisations/ programmes of the same phase as CIP or CCMF at the same time. This is only applicable to a same or similar projects, but not to individuals, company directors or shareholders.

7. What are the vetting criteria of CCMF?

There are four vetting criteria of CCMF including Management Team Experience and Capability (30%), Business Model and Time to Market (30%), Creativity and Innovation (30%), and Social Responsibility (10%).

8. Will you keep my idea a secret?

All CCMF applications are treated with strict confidentiality. Successful applicants may be required to share their ideas with a broader audience.

9. Is there an application fee?

No, there is no fee for the application process.

10. What do I need to submit to apply?

All applicants need to submit the online application and required supporting documents through our online portal.

11. When can I apply?

We accept applications all year round, applications received will be processed in four batches.

Ask us anything

Email ccmf_enquiry@cyberport.hk

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1. Does the Cyberport Greater Bay Area Young Entrepreneurship Programme have programme co-organisers?

The programme co-organisers include Hong Kong Information Technology Joint Council (HKITJC), PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institution , The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Union for Promoting Science and Technology and the Guangdong Software Industry Association (GDSIA), Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre and The Association for Promotion of Science and Technology of Macau.

This programme is receiving support from Hong Kong and Guangdong governments, ICT industry, education industry, youth and entrepreneurship organisations.

2. When can I apply for the programme?

For details, please refer to Application Timeline.

3. If I do not have any idea nor team, could I apply?

Yes. 1st stage application is to be done on an individual basis. You may form teams during or after the entrepreneurship boot camp. Moreover, mentors, start-ups, entrepreneurs and applicants that you will meet during the boot camp and online platform may inspire you with creative ideas. You may also join others’ team and work on their projects.

4. How to apply the programme if I currently have a team?

Each team member should submit their own 1st stage application online. During the entrepreneurship boot camp, you may recruit new members to your team.

5. How can I apply for the programme?

Stage 1: Individuals should complete the online application form with required documents before application deadline.

Stage 2: You need to form a team of at least 2 members from Hong Kong and Macau or Guangdong region. At least 50% of your team members must be Hong Kong ID Card holder(s). Each project should submit one Joint Application Form.

Details please refer to Application process.

6. Will you keep my idea a secret?

All CCMF applications are treated with strict confidentiality. Successful applicants may be required to share their ideas with a broader audience.

7. If I have more than one idea/project, could I apply at the same time?

Yes, provided that the idea(s)/project(s) are totally different. You may also join different teams as long as application requirements are fulfilled.

8. Is there an application fee or fee for joining the entrepreneurship boot camp?

No, there is no fee for the application process. If you are shortlisted to join the entrepreneurship boot camp, Cyberport will provide transportation, accommodation and meals to the participants during activity. No training fee will be charged.

9. If the project has been completely rolled out to the market or in well-developed sales pipeline, can I apply?

Yes, the programme sponsors high potential digital tech ideas and early-stage start-ups with financial assistance and a comprehensive nurturing system to facilitate development in a pre-incubation stage. It accepts project with minimum viable product (MVP) or prototype.

Kindly remind the project must be applied by cross-region team applicant and fulfil all the application eligibility requirement in the 2nd stage.

10. How is the CCMF grant distributed?

The HK$100,000 is provided in three stages to the Hong Kong Principal Applicant (Individual Applications) or the Hong Kong company (Company Applications). You get HK$10,000 when you sign the agreement. You get another HK$45,000 after Cyberport approved the interim report. Your final HK$45,000 is paid after Cyberport has approved the final report.

11. What do I need to submit to apply?

All applicants need to submit the online application form and hard copy application form (if required) with supporting documents through our online portal and via mail.

12. Can I apply CCMF Cross-Boundary Programme and Cyberport Incubation Programme at the same time?

You cannot apply for CCMF with a project that is incubating. However, you can apply for CCMF with an entirely different project.

When teams complete their projects in CCMF, they can apply Cyberport Incubation Programme for project continuity.

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1. What is Cyberport University Partnership Programme (CUPP)?

The Cyberport University Partnership Programme (CUPP) is a life-changing experience to unleash participants’ full potential and gain insights into the global market! This digital tech-focused entrepreneurship programme offers students who are nominated by CUPP Co-organising Universities a unique chance to participate in Overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp and receive mentorship from industry elites.

2. What will I learn from CUPP?

A series of digital tech pre-camp nurturing sessions and industry mentorship in developing digital tech knowledge and prepare for the Overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp co-host with prestigious overseas university. The Boot Camp will take place in summer and focus on entrepreneurship for young talents with lectures, case studies, group work, guest speaker and mentoring. The programme activities will enhance your knowledge in digital tech and entrepreneurial skills, guide you towards your pitch presentation.

3. When do we pitch the FinTech ideas?

After the Overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp, the CUPP teams will pitch the project ideas to judging panel at the Demo Day. The winning teams result will be announced at the Graduation Ceremony. Eligible CUPP students will receive a jointly issued certificate of completion by Cyberport and Entrepreneurship Boot Camp Partner.

4. Who is eligible for CUPP?

• Project must be rooted in digital tech.

• Applicants must be nominated by CUPP Co-organising Universities.

• Applicants must be between 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) upon the nomination deadline.

• Applicants must be undergraduate or postgraduate students nominated by the Co-organising Universities, either currently enrolled university students or recently graduated within 3 years prior to the nomination deadline from the Co-organising Universities.

• Applicants must have a good command of English.

• Team members could be a mixture of students from the CUPP Co-organising Universities.

• Each team could have up to 5 members. Suggested team structure:

  • 1 Team Leader (i.e. principal applicant) with Hong Kong ID Card

  • Up to 2 Core Team Members with technical/UIUX knowledge, who will be joining the overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp

  • Up to 2 Supporting Team Members, who will NOT be joining the overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp

  • Maximum 3 members per team can join the overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp

5. How to join CUPP?

CUPP is a nomination-based programme. Interested applicants should contact CUPP Co-organising University representatives for nomination. Applications should provide their academic performance, award received, entrepreneurial experience and proposed digital tech project to the university representatives for consideration.

Cyberport will contact the nominated teams for written test and interview. Emails will be sent to teams that are successfully admitted to CUPP.

Please refer to CUPP official webpage for the contacts of Co-organising Universities.
For general enquiry, please contact training@cyberport.hk.

6. What if I don’t have a team? Or looking for more team members?

Cyberport and CUPP Co-organising Universities will arrange networking session for like-minded students to form teams, join existing teams or search for additional members.

Please contact training@cyberport.hk for more details.

7. Do I have to pay to join CUPP?

Students successfully admitted to CUPP are required to pay a non-refundable HK$1,000 admission fee. The admission fee covers CUPP administrative costs and all the fee collected would be used in the training programmes.

Refundable HK$6,000 deposit will be collected from individuals joining the overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp or refundable HK$3,000 from individuals NOT joining the overseas Entrepreneurship Boot Camp. The deposit is refundable upon full attendance and performance in CUPP, as assessed by Cyberport.

8. What is the prize?

Cyberport Creative Micro Fund (CCMF) HK$100,000 will be disbursed to the CUPP winning teams in 3 stages:

Stage 1: HK$10,000 shall be paid to the CCMF Grant Recipient upon the signing of the CCMF Agreement.
Stage 2: HK$45,000 shall be disbursed upon successful completion and approval of the Interim Report by Cyberport.
Stage 3: HK$45,000 shall be disbursed upon the prototype is completed and the final report is approved by Cyberport.