The National Co-working Space Unveiling Ceremony and the Annual Achievement Fair was held today (8 October 2018) at the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre for the first “The National Co-working Space” ever designated in the Hong Kong and Macao regions, with Chief Executive Chui Sai On and Vice Minister of Science and Technology Zhang Jianguo officiating at the ceremony. As Mr Zhang Jianguo pointed out in his speech, The National Co-working Space was expected to deepen exchange and cooperation between Mainland China and Macao in the cause of innovation and entrepreneurship and promote the coordinated development of the two regions. According to Mr Tam Pak Yuen, Chairman of Board of Directors of Parafuturo de Macau Investment and Development Limited (PFM Macau) that operates the Centre, the ceremony marked an important milestone in the Centre’s efforts to improve services and realise professionalism.
The National Co-working Space Unveiling Ceremony and the Annual Achievement Fair took place at 10:00 this morning at the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre. Chief Executive Chui Sai On, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Zhang Jianguo, Deputy Director-General of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR Zhang Rongshun, Secretary for Economy and Finance Leong Vai Tac, Deputy Director of the Exchange Department of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Chen Wei, Director of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Centre under the Ministry of Science and Technology Zhang Zhihong, Director of Macao Economic Bureau Tai Kin Ip, Chairman of Board of Directors of PFM Macau Tam Pak Yuen, and Chairman of the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre José Chui Sai Peng officiated at the Unveiling Ceremony and toasted the first anniversary of the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre operated by PFM Macau.
In his remarks, Mr Tam Pak Yuen expressed his gratitude to the central government and the Macao SAR government for their support, thanks to which the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre had been listed by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China as a“The National Co-working Space”, the first of its kind in the Hong Kong and Macao regions. According to Tam, this move shows that our country supports and attaches great importance to the cause of innovation and entrepreneurship in Macao, which will be of great significance for promoting Macao’s mass entrepreneurship and innovation in the future. It will also help the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre integrate into the standard system of national co-working spaces, thus marking an important milestone in its efforts to improve services and realise professionalism. It will surely further strengthen the alignment between Macao and Mainland China in regards to innovation and entrepreneurship resources, young entrepreneurs, and enterprises. It will also accelerate Macao’s integration into the pattern of “mass entrepreneurship and innovation”.
Mr. José Chui Sai Peng introduced the priorities and the blueprint for the future development of the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre. He noted that, of the over 70 registered membership projects, the majority is from the science and technology sector (47%), followed by projects from the trade and commerce services sector (18%) and those from the cultural sector (13%). The centre provides services for entrepreneurs based on 24-hour-per-day operation. Over the past year, it has launched several signature projects such as “CEO Training Camp”, “CEO Lunch”, and “Start Up” for its members to share and exchange entrepreneurial experience. The centre encourages entrepreneurs to integrate into national development, engage themselves in famous international platforms, and sign cooperation agreements with several youth entrepreneurship societies, universities, investment funds, and enterprises both at home and abroad. In addition, it has set up “Macao Interactive Zones” in Zhongshan city and Portugal and recommended excellent projects to participate in famous international innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, with three teams having gone through to the global final.
At the ceremony, representatives of three membership projects of the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre, namely the “protein molecular detection” project, the “nano silver-based flexible touch” project and the “Viking Lok Chi” project, introduced their operations to all guests in attendance. They said the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre has provided them with venues, legal advice and professional guidance, and display opportunities necessary for the incubation and development of their projects. Afterwards, guests of honour visited membership projects exhibition zones and the Garden and listened to on-site introductions.
As a new product of the new policy of “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” rolled out in 2015, “The National Co-working Space” are referred to as work spaces, cyberspaces, communication spaces or resource-sharing spaces. Through market-based mechanisms, professional services, and capitalisation approaches, they create a new type of entrepreneurial service platform for entrepreneurs that features low cost, convenience and comprehensiveness. As the first national co-working space in the Hong Kong and Macao regions, the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre will further promote integration into national development scheme, support Macao’s youth in their diversified development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and ensure success in their endeavours.
