BUS News

The HKBU School of Business held the Grand Final of the Dean's Cup Business Innovation Gymnasium (BIG) 11.0 at Cyberport on 27 May 2026, bringing together the brightest student entrepreneurs for a conclusion to this year's competition. After a highly competitive series of pitches, three outstanding teams emerged as winners, taking home well-deserved recognition for their innovative business ideas.

This year's edition marked a significant milestone. In his address, Professor Zhang Han, Dean and Chair Professor of the School of Business, highlighted two transformative elements introduced in BIG 11.0. For the first time, the competition welcomed students and mentors from the Beijing Normal University Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) as a sister institution, with seven HKBU-BNBU teams competing together and expanding the innovation network into the Greater Bay Area. Prize funds were also significantly increased, with HK$30,000 for the champion, HK$15,000 for the first runner-up, and HK$10,000 for the second runner-up. This year’s prize pool was made possible through the generous support of Mr Jerry Yu, Executive Director of Harbour Advisory (Hong Kong) Limited and alumnus of the School, who contributed HK$29,000. 

The competition drew 170 proposals, with 28 teams advancing to the semi-finals and six competing in the Grand Final. 

● Champion – From Game to Gain: This project transforms underutilised university students into mentors by training them as gamification tutors. Through workshops in schools, NGOs, churches, and community centres, they use games to foster emotional resilience and interactive learning.

o Team members: Ian Chan Siu-wai (Bachelor of Business Administration, Year 4) and Panlilio Chloe Bautista (Bachelor of Business Administration, Year 4).

● First Runner-up – Croomate: A photo-based social fitness app designed for Gen Z, tackling issues like lack of support and unrealistic portrayals on social media. By sharing daily workout photos and tracking streaks instead of calories or steps, it builds motivation and community. 

o Team members: Mikadze Lizi, Nanikram Siddhant Jacky, Chan Long Ching Abbie, and Das Dipyoman (all Bachelor of Business Administration, Year 1).

● Second Runner-up – MetaFarm: A peer-to-peer platform connecting users directly with high-quality farm products while streamlining the supply chain. 

o Team members: Zhang Guoxi (Bachelor of Innovation in Health and Social Wellbeing, Year 1), Yang Rui (Bachelor of Science, Year 1), Zhong Nanshan William (Bachelor of Business Administration, Year 1), and Zeng Haoyu Zena (Bachelor of Business Administration, Year 1).

The School of Business congratulates all winning teams and participants on their outstanding achievements. The competition continues to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, and the School looks forward to seeing the impact these young innovators will make in the years ahead.

Dean's Cup BIG is an annual business idea competition organised by the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre (EIC) of the School of Business, offering students a platform to develop and pitch their business ideas. From March to May every year, the EIC equips participating teams with essential skills through workshops on innovation, pitching, coachability, and self-efficacy.