YOUNG CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR (YCE) AWARD 2025- 2026
To encourage students and recent graduates of the Academy of Visual Arts (AVA) to turn their innovative ideas into feasible business ventures, the Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) Award, funded by Mr. Brandon T.C. Liu, JP and organised by the AVA, was established in 2014. This annual business start-up competition provides participants with an opportunity to obtain funding or loan, to build their own prototypes and kick-start their businesses.
YOUNG CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR (YCE) AWARD 2025–2026 Prizes ELIGIBILITY APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION APPENDICES FINAL COMPETITION (Project Pitches) SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS IMPORTANT DATES OBLIGATION DISCLAIMER ENQUIRY

To encourage students and recent graduates of the Academy of Visual Arts (AVA) to turn their innovative ideas into feasible business ventures, the Young Creative Entrepreneur (YCE) Award, funded by Mr. Brandon T.C. Liu, JP and organized by the AVA, was established in 2014. This annual business start-up competition provides participants with an opportunity to obtain funding, to build their own prototypes and kick-start their businesses.

Prototyping Award – HK$5,000

  • Cash prize of HK$5,000 to support a pilot run of a concept or the production of a prototype (e.g. a book, a mobile app, a sample product, etc.).
  • Suitable for applicants who have an initial creative concept or product and would like to test its practicality.

Business Start-up Award – Up to HK$50,000*

  • Cash prize of up to HK$50,000* to the winner(s) to implement an original, innovative and well-thought-out creative business concept.
  • This award is intended for applicants who have a comprehensive creative business plan but lack the initial seed funding.

    *Subject to judging panel’s final decision.
  • Applications can be made on an individual or group basis.
  • All applicants must be HKBU students or recent graduates (within 4 years of graduation), with individual applicants or principal applicants of group applications having completed at least one AVA course.
The submitted proposals should be original and should not infringe any copyright owned by any third parties.

Complete the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM *, with the following documents ready, if applicable:
 
  1. Business Proposal (written in English, in PDF format: no more than 10 A4 pages), should include information listed in the APPENDICES below.
    File Name: Principal Applicant’s Name_BusinessProposal.pdf  (e.g.ChanTaiMan_BusinessProposal.pdf)

  2. CV(s) of all team member(s)
    File Name: Applicant’s Name_CV (e.g. ChanTaiMan_CV)

  3. (For individual applicant or principal applicants of group applications) Scanned copy of transcript or grade record, which indicate the completed AVA course(s)
    File Name: Principal Applicant’s Name_AVAtranscript (e.g. ChanTaiMan_AVAtranscript)

  4. (For group applications) Team List
    Please download the template HERE

* Please submit your application once only; duplicate applications may not be considered. 

31 May 2026 (SUN), 23:59

Appendix A

Required information on business proposals for applying Business Start-up Award (Up to HK$50,000):

  1. Project title
  2. Executive summary
  3. Project objectives and description
  4. Anticipated outcome and benefits of the project to the applicant’s development
  5. Project timeline and execution plan
  6. Targets, market analysis and marketing plan
  7. Budget plan – project expenses and/or possible income and amount requested
  8. Expected long-term impact to the community
  9. Methods for measuring performance
  10. Description of applicant’s experience and knowledge in the field of the project and short backgrounds of the core members

 

Appendix B

Required information on business proposals for applying Prototyping Award (HK$5,000):

  1. Title of the prototype
  2. Objective of the prototype
  3. Description of the prototype
  4. Blueprint of the prototype
  5. Prototype development timeline
  6. Future planning for the prototype
  • All shortlisted team member(s) are expected to be present at the Final Competition (Project Pitches) in the 2nd week of Jun 2026, unless prior approval is obtained from the YCE Award Judging Panel. All presentation should be in English.

  • Each team will be given 15 minutes to present their proposals, followed by a 15 minutes Q&A session. (i.e. 30 minutes in total) 

Seminars and workshops are designed to equip you with knowledge and insights on developing a business plan and starting creative business in Hong Kong.

  

1. Plenary Seminar: Developing a Business Proposal and Budget Plan  (CCL-recognized)  

Date: 6 Feb 2026 (Fri) 
Time: 15:30 – 17:00 
Venue: iCafe (WLB301) 
Speakers: Mr. Jeremy Ip (Founder of WURE AREA), Ms. Doris Li Tak Yung (Founder of Good Evening Ceramics), Mr. Kenny Wong (Founder of Things That Move Ltd.)

Language: English


2. Incubation Mingle: Starting Your Own Creative Business in Hong Kong (CCL-recognized)  
 
Date: 24 Feb 2026 (Tue) 
Time: 15:30 – 17:00 
Venue: iCafe (WLB301) 
Speakers: Mr. Shawn Pak Hin Tang and Ms. Karie Tsui Ka Yee (Founder of interval:in studio & production), Ms. Tim Tim Lam (Jewlery Designer & Founder of Affection), Mr. Parry LING (Founder of Post-Tree Lifestyle) 
Language: English
 
 
3. Pitching Workshop: How to master an effective and persuasive pitch with confidence (CCL-recognized)

Date: 14 Apr 2026 (Tue) 
Time: 16:00 – 18:00 
Venue: TBC
Speaker: Ms. Laura Cozijnsen 
Language: English 

Date Event
   
   
6 February 2026 (FRI)
 
 
Plenary Seminar
Developing a Business Proposal and Budget Plan
 
24 February 2026 (TUE)
 
 
Incubation Mingle
Starting Your Own Creative Business in Hong Kong 
 
14 April 2026 (TUE)
 
 
 
Pitching Workshop
How to master an effective and persuasive pitch with confidence
 
 
31 May 2026 (SUN) 23:59
 
 
Deadline of Proposal Submission
 
 
1st week of June 2026 
 
Shortlist Annoucement
 
Mid June 2026 
 
 
Final Competition (Project Pitch)
 
 
September 2026 
 
 
Award Ceremony
 
 

Winners of the YCE Award – Business Start-up Award (Up to HK$50,000) are obliged to submit a comprehensive report upon the completion of the project (i.e., within 1 year, up to 2 years); while winners of the YCE Award – Prototyping Award (HK$5,000) are obliged to submit a report on the development and result of the prototype. All winners are expected to share their experience with AVA students and graduates at seminars to be organized by the AVA.

By submitting your application, you, as the principal applicant, acknowledge that project and/or proposal is originally developed by yourself and your collaborators as named in the application, and that it does not infringe on any copyright and/or intellectual property rights of other third parties. Should there be any copyright dispute regarding your project and/or proposal in the past, present or future, it is your sole responsibility, and the AVA shall not bare any obligation to any legal complaint.

Email: ava-research@hkbu.edu.hk