The spirit of enterprise starts early in Hong Kong, thanks to HSBC which sponsors The Young Entrepreneur Awards competition. The competition invites ideas from graduates from all of the leading universities in Hong Kong on how to utilize business opportunities - however unusual they may be – which are drafted up as a commercial proposition and presented to experts. Dr. Thomas Tang, Executive Director of Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), took part in the judging panel for this year’s inaugural section of the competition, the Eco-Business Innovation Award section, which is focused on enterprises with an environmental product.

“It is a great honour for me,” said Tang, “the promotion of young entrepreneurs aligns with the spirit of GIFT’s YLP and I am pleased to be part of the new award that HSBC have introduced this year.” HSBC has had an active interest in the environment and has linked many of its banking products to themes of global environmental concern such as climate change. GIFT recently facilitated HSBC’s Corporate Sustainability Regional Conference, where corporate managers from throughout Asia were briefed on how to integrate sustainable development in their business operations.

The winner of this year’s Eco-Business Innovation Award competition went to graduates from the Chinese University of Hong Kong who presented a business plan on setting up a company selling eating utensils made up of used corn cobs. The idea makes use of what would otherwise be waste materials to become a resource. “I liked the idea,” said Tang, “but more importantly I liked the positive can-do attitude of the students. This is what gives me a good feeling for the future of our young people.”

HSBC’s follow up regional competition will take place in June where winners of the Young Entrepreneur Awards from different countries in Asia will be invited to Hong Kong to compete against each other in a grand finale.