[BB32] Keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive

Keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive
An MScBM student talks about what can be learnt from entrepreneurship competitions
 
Preparing for three large-scale entrepreneurship competitions, joining various events organised by HKBU’s Student Union and HKBU-CSSA, and keeping up with course work – that’s the portrait of the hectic life of Zhang Huachen, Vincent, at HKBU over the last six months.
 

A postgraduate student of Master of Science in Business Management (MScBM), Vincent arrived in Hong Kong last summer with a burning passion for entrepreneurship. Originally from Mainland China, Vincent is very keen to learn about the business environment in Hong Kong, and the opportunities it offers for entrepreneurs. With this clear goal in mind, he has soon formed a team with kindred spirits, new friends whom he met at student activities sharing the same interest in entrepreneurship.
 
His team, consisting of teammates Mai Guangcan of the Faculty of Science, Mei Minyue of the School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. Justin Yum, Teaching Assistant of the Faculty of Science, clinched “the Best Unit” award in the competition held at the “Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macau-Taiwan Innovative and Young Entrepreneurship Exchange Programme” in mid-December 2014.
 
Their award winning business proposal is the development of a mobile app called “Regimen Steward of Chinese Medicine”, which seeks to provide an interactive platform to facilitate communication between Chinese medicine practitioners and patients/users.
 
As a team leader, Vincent says that the key to success lies in the “rapport” amongst teammates. While the member majoring in Chinese Medicine contributes to the relevant professional knowledge required for developing the app, members from Computer Science are responsible for designing the programme and solving technical problems, Vincent himself is in charge of the business plan and presentation.
 
In his eyes, the greatest reward from the competitions is not the prize itself, but the opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with like-minded young people as well as the rare chance to present ideas in front of real investors. “Every time I talk with fellow contenders, judges and investors at competitions, it is truly a brainstorm! I have learnt more than I could have imagined.”
 
He describes joining these competitions as “a process of growing up mentally”. “What I had before was more like blind passion about business, but now I have become more rational and realistic, and I am able to think more deeply about different aspects of business”, explains Vincent.
 
Does it mean his enthusiasm for entrepreneurship is waning? He flashes a smile, “The passion is still there! I cherish the time being a student and I try to make the most out of my university life. For me, outcomes should be the least of our concerns, because we are still young!”
 
By student reporter Alison
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