We wrapped up our GBA Innovators Day Trip 2026 with our BSc(I&T) students on 9 March 2026, spending a packed day in Shenzhen connecting classroom learning with real-world innovation and careers.

Our first stop was the HKU Techno-Entrepreneurship Academy (TEA) HKU TEC | iDendron in Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub, HKU’s entrepreneurship hub that bridges Hong Kong and Shenzhen’s vibrant startup ecosystems. Students toured the space, learned how TEA supports young founders through training and themed accelerators, and heard first-hand startup stories from founders based in Qianhai.

Over lunch, CEOs from two TEA-supported startups joined our group and engaged in meaningful discussions with students about their entrepreneurial journeys, cross-border opportunities in the GBA, and the skills needed to build impactful tech ventures.

In the afternoon, we headed to Tencent’s Binhai Mansion, where the campus recruitment and business teams shared insights into Tencent’s mission “Value for Users, Tech for Good” and the scale of its platforms from WeChat to cloud, fintech, and digital content. Students gained a clearer picture of career pathways in Mainland tech giants, what skills are in demand, and how innovation in the Greater Bay Area is reshaping the future of digital life.

Huge thanks to colleagues of HKU TEA and Tencent for their warm hospitality and inspiring conversations, and to our BSc(I&T) students for their curiosity and great questions throughout the journey. We look forward to creating more experiential learning opportunities that connect HKU talent with the GBA’s fast-evolving I&T landscape.