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Supporting Youth Innovation
Innovate for Ageing:
HK-Japan Youth Tech Competition
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Lessons
Learning the ABCs for product design
Engagement
Interact with elderly people to understand their needs
Research
Study the current market situation, including supply and demand
Coding
Use simple block-based programming to realize functions
Development
Create and refine prototypes
Pitching
Present proposals to industry professionals
May 2, 2026
Hong Kong Local Selection Competition : Showcasing Market Acumen and Technological Prototypes
Held at the Hong Kong Hong Kong Productivity Council Building, the local selection competition featured inter-school exchanges and a preliminary screening process. Participating teams showcased their initial design concepts and physical prototypes through interactive booth exhibitions and on-stage presentations. The judging panel conducted professional assessments based on three core criteria: the "Silver Economy," "STEM Technology," and "Artistic Expression." The event not only tested the students' abilities to apply technology but also emphasized their genuine insights into the needs of elderly care. The students delivered impressive performances, successfully transforming complex technological requirements into thoughtful, user-friendly product features.
Updates
May 9, 2026:
The subsequent event was held at the Hong Kong Innovation Centre, focusing on the commercial logic and implementation feasibility of the proposed solutions. The competition adopted a poster presentation format, where 8 teams have around 8 minutes talking with the judges. Students were required to clearly articulate the core value, technological advantages, and market potential of their products. The judging panel, composed of industry experts, provided highly valuable professional feedback on each solution's silver market data, innovative iterations, technical feasibility, and human-centric design, propelling the students from campus innovators to real-world entrepreneurs.
Partners
Applying design thinking and STEM skills to realize STEM+A learning through product design
Hands-on Social Innovation
150 hours
Cumulative Teaching Hours
130
Core Students
Participated in 12-hour in-depth workshops
930
Seminar Participants
Broad exposure to intergenerational inclusion concepts
8,500+
Total Beneficiaries
Cumulative reach, continuously growing
GAF x BNET Smart Ageing Tech
Intergenerational Inclusive Practice Integrating STEAM Education
In today's rapidly aging society, the definition of "caregiving" is no longer limited to physical labor; it is a social innovation combining creativity and empathy. The Golden Age Foundation (GAF) and BNET have joined hands, dedicating themselves to bringing young students into the world of the elderly to become cross-generational caregivers and innovators.
1. Youth Power and Social Momentum
The creativity and vitality possessed by students are society's most precious treasures. We should not let this energy remain confined to the classroom, but rather transform it into a substantial driving force for social progress. By providing a broad stage, students can put their ideas into practice, build their careers, and discover their self-worth while serving society.
2. The "1+1 > 2" of Experience and Innovation
Although young people are full of ideas, they often lack life experience and deep social empathy; meanwhile, the rich experience and interpersonal networks possessed by golden-agers are priceless gems. When the two meet, intergenerational collaboration can produce a 1+1>2 synergistic effect, making up for each other's shortcomings and sparking unprecedented innovation.
3. Redefining "Caregivers"
We firmly believe that the role of a "caregiver" is not just about frontline physical contact or daily care. Through in-depth communication, directly addressing the needs of the elderly, and starting from the improvement of their living environment, students can enhance the quality of life from a broader, more feasible perspective.
4. Cultivating STEAM Literacy through Practice: Smart Ageing Tech Innovation Program
The "International Secondary School Smart Ageing Tech Innovation Program" is by no means just a simple competition; it is a comprehensive developmental process:
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Empathetic Observation: The program starts with subtle observations, guiding students to build empathy and uncover the true pain points in the lives of the elderly.
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Conceptualization and Practice: Students collaborate with BNET's professional mentors to gradually refine their imaginative problem-solving ideas, validate concepts, and turn their visions into reality.
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Feedback and Optimization: Students receive direct feedback from golden-agers to continuously improve their products or services, ultimately presenting them in a professional business pitch format.
The entire process is not merely about sharing experiences with others; it allows students to integrate their learning through organization and summarization. It cultivates STEAM literacy, enhances humanistic care, boosts tech innovation capabilities, and fosters an entrepreneurial spirit.
5. Looking to the Future: Aligning with the Silver Economy Strategy
The interaction between golden-agers and students is a vital journey in practicing humanistic care. This collaboration between GAF and BNET has created a precious opportunity for communication for both parties.
Students participating in the competition will be eligible to join more in-depth "Smart Ageing Tech" training and experiential activities. BNET will continue to organize creative communities, actively responding to the Hong Kong SAR Government's silver economy strategy. This provides young people with more practical opportunities for entrepreneurship and tech innovation, jointly building a new society characterized by intergenerational inclusion and smart aging.
Our Approach
Design Thinking
Originating from Stanford University and the IDEO team, it is a user-centric approach to innovation. Through the five stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test, it helps uncover problems and create creative solutions.
5 minutes to spark your imagination!
We will evaluate the teams based on the following criteria
Market and user demand analysis
Evaluate how well the team understands market trends, target users’ needs, and how the product meets real demand.
Creativity and innovation
Assess originality, uniqueness, and how creatively new ideas or technologies are applied to solve the identified problem effectively.
Effectiveness of the solution
Measure how directly, efficiently, and realistically the proposed solution solves the defined problem with practical and measurable outcomes.
Team presentation skills
Evaluate clarity, confidence, teamwork, and visual communication during presentation; judge how well the concept is conveyed to audiences.
Investment and development value
Measure how directly, efficiently, and realistically the proposed solution solves the defined problem with practical and measurable outcomes.
Balance of Theory and Practice
Our curriculum is centered on Design Thinking, incorporating various creative tools to guide students in understanding the design process and stimulating innovation.
Teamwork and Collaborative Learning
We simulate the structure of a startup team, where some students focus on technical development, while others take charge of product promotion and marketing.
13 teams have been selected to present in the final competition, which will be held on 2026.6.28 (Sun) at Komagome Junior & Senior High School.
The final Pitching will be conducted in English.
We expect our students to use English fluently, enabling them to thrive amid global competition and stand out in diverse international contexts as future global leaders.
Reward
Take a Step Foward Your Future Career
This activity allows students to experience the process and enjoyment of product design.
Aiming to promote international exchange, it also provides students with the opportunity to build a global network and lay a solid foundation for their future career and academic development.
Realization
The organizers will contact manufacturers to bring the top three teams’ ideas to life, producing five prototypes for the students.
Engagement
During the competition, students will connect with like-minded young people in Hong Kong and Japan interested in innovation and technology. The event also provides opportunities to meet manufacturers and entrepreneurs from around the world.
Study Tour
The top two teams with the highest scores from Japan will receive partial sponsorship to participate in a study tour in Hong Kong.
They will visit universities, meet professors, and tour startups to learn about Hong Kong’s business ecosystem.
Our Educators Voices
Curriculum Consultant
Mr. Cheng is an experienced secondary school teacher from Hong Kong. He graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and obtained a Master of Education in STEM Education from The University of Hong Kong. His curriculum designs align with educational needs, emphasizing both theory and practical application.
Rono, Cheng Chun Yip
Programme Consultant
Dr. Joe Hug is the Managing Director of a firm specializing in organizational strategy consulting to executives of Japanese multinationals. He holds two MBA degrees and a PhD in Leadership.
He is an adjunct professor in the Global MBA program at Hosei University Graduate School of Business and at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) MBA program, where he teaches entrepreneurship to students worldwide. He is also an entrepreneurial mentor at the Founder Institute, the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator from Silicon Valley.
Dr. Joe Hug
Gerontechnology Expert
Mr. Leung is the founder of a technology company in Hong Kong, with many years of experience in developing gerontechnology. He holds a patent for a fall-detection smart cane, which is marketed to the elderly community in Hong Kong. He is also dedicated to promoting STEM education in Hong Kong, introducing the needs of the elderly to the education sector so that more students can understand the potential and opportunities of gerontechnology.
Richard Leung
Our Character - Proto
Proto (プロト) is the official character for this competition, symbolizing the seamless blend of empathy and technology. Through Proto, we aim to convey the warmth and care embedded in our designs for the elderly.
Strong Connection
BNET-TECH works closely with NGOs, charities, chambers of commerce, and leading corporations in the senior services sector. These connections offer students tremendous opportunities to explore this market and bring their product ideas to life.
BYD Education (Japan)
NGOs, Charities and Chambers
Industrial Partners
Organizer(HK):
BNET-TECH
BNET-TECH is a Hong Kong startup focusing on aging-in-place technology, established in 2016. It has developed several smart products for the elderly and has won multiple innovation awards. Since 2019, it has been offering STEAM courses to cultivate students' human-centered innovative thinking, allowing them to experience the value of technology serving society.
Co-Organizer(JP):
BYD Education
BYD Education is an education company located in Tokyo, Japan, dedicated to promoting educational innovation. Its core goal is to cultivate students who can think about and express "what kind of person I want to be." The company emphasizes communication skills for collaboration and mastery of cutting-edge technology, and creates the most suitable environment for children, the educational field, and society through self-exploratory learning.
