Over 5,500 participants and 100+ speakers converged at HKCEC, connecting global I&T ecosystem through speaking sessions, interactive booths, and experiential zones
 
Hong Kong, China, March 16, 2026 – Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund’s JUMPSTARTER for One Earth 2026 (“JUMPSTARTER 2026”) concluded at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) on March 12–13, crowning Qarbotech as the champion of JUMPSTARTER for One Earth 2026 global pitch competition. More than a finale for the Top 30, this year’s event continued to build upon JUMPSTARTER’s evolution as a global platform that brings founders, investors, corporates and ecosystem partners into one place to build ideas and accelerate outcomes.
From 5,500 participants and a program featuring over 100 speakers, JUMPSTARTER 2026 was anchored by three core pillars that shaped the experience end to end: The Experience, The Insights and The Connectors. Across two days, attendees engaged with immersive showcases and frontier thinking on AI and sustainability with curated opportunities for business matching and collaboration.
A global stage for AI and sustainability, built for execution
JUMPSTARTER 2026 brought together a diverse cohort of innovators tackling real-world challenges across sectors, including healthcare, fintech, green tech, consumer, creative industries, construction and property tech, and more. The Top 30 finalists selected from 700+ submissions spanning more than 60+ regions, pitched live for the opportunity to access up to US$5 million in investment, connect with the Alibaba ecosystem and accelerate growth through strategic partnerships.
After a live pitch finale evaluated by a panel of judges spanning technology, investment and industry, Qarbotech was selected for its advancing impactful, sustainable, and scalable solutions for the sector.
Qarbotech’s winning solution, QarboGrow, is a photosynthesis enhancer extracted from agricultural waste that can boost crop yields sustainably by up to 60%. The technology improves carbon uptake efficiency, helping farmers increase income while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers. This creates a holistic ecosystem that supports broader food security goals as agriculture adapts to climate and resource pressures. With plans to scale commercial rollout in the region and expand into crops and markets, Qarbotech will leverage the JUMPSTARTER platform and the Alibaba ecosystem to accelerate pilot deployments with agribusiness partners, strengthen distribution channels and secure strategic partnerships to support larger-scale adoption.
The top five finalists of JUMPSTARTER for One Earth 2026 highlight how diverse innovation is driving real-world impact across sectors. TG0 is reimagining human-device interaction with sustainable, customizable touch-sensitive solutions that help reduce material waste. OsseoLabs pioneers AI-assisted surgical planning and 3D-printed, patient-specific implants to revolutionize bone and facial reconstruction. 10Life empowers consumers in the insurance market with AI-powered analytics, providing transparent, data-driven comparisons for better financial decisions. Kedoom Technology is transforming reproductive health by making advanced, hospital-grade semen analysis accessible, portable, and affordable. These startups exemplify how JUMPSTARTER for One Earth 2026 serves as a launchpad for AI solutions capable of making a real-world difference in technology, healthcare, and education.

TG0, Qarbotech, OsseoLabs, 10Life, and Kedoom as the JUMPSTARTER 2026 Grand Finale Top 5
(from left to right)
ZPIRE: Rooting for the Next Generation of Innovators
Launched for the first time this year, JUMPSTARTER ZPIRE (ZPIRE) was built specifically for university student founders and emerging builders at the earliest stages. The program provides a platform for participants to test ideas, sharpen their storytelling and connect with mentors and ecosystem partners, all in support of innovation and entrepreneurial growth.
This year, the ZPIRE Award was presented to NeuroFlow, with Spark Up named First runner-up and Ssafe named Second runner-up. NeuroFlow won with an AI-powered emotional wellness platform designed for Hong Kong’s overworked professionals, transforming wearable biometric data into personalized, proactive mental health support. Judges recognized NeuroFlow for a solution with a clear target community, a credible real-world use case and strong potential to translate everyday signals into meaningful support at scale.

 Ms. Cindy Chow, Executive Director and CEO of AEF (left) and Dr. Bernard Charnwut Chan, Chairman and President, Asia Financial Holdings (right) presenting the ZPIRE winner prize to NeuroFlow
  Representatives from the strategic partners, including Cyberport, HKSTP, and HSITPL, as well as impact partner IST, joined this year as judges, exhibitors, and speakers.

 
Ms. Cindy Chow, Executive Director and CEO of AEF said, “Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem is entering an exciting phase. With strong policy support, growing investor confidence, and deeper regional collaboration, we are seeing startups move from technological momentum to real-world impact. Platforms like JUMPSTARTER bring together founders, capital and ecosystem partners to help the next generation of innovators scale their ideas. Build globally competitive companies.”
 
Dr. Rocky Cheng, CEO of Cyberport said “Our 8-year ongoing collaboration with JUMPSTARTER is a powerful statement of how we help visionary founders turn ideas into impact. Continued support for the next generation of AI and sustainability leaders will be key to foster a vibrant ecosystem where bold solutions can take shape, benefiting Hong Kong and the world. As more enterprises embrace AI, Cyberport’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre and ecosystem resources will continue to empower founders to scale their solutions and position Hong Kong as a trusted leader in AI adoption across Asia.”
Mr. Terry Wong, CEO of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) said, “We believe breakthrough innovation thrives in a connected ecosystem built on strong collaboration across government, industry, academia, research and investors. As a strategic partner of JUMPSTARTER, HKSTP is committed to turning Hong Kong’s I&T strengths into real momentum, enabling ideas to move and scale across borders. We are thrilled to see such a strong line-up of innovators in this year’s competition, with nearly half of the top 30 finalists from our park companies, and some even making it into the Top 5, a true testament to the calibre of our I&T community. With AI and sustainability as core priorities, HKSTP will continue to enrich the I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong to accelerate R&D to commercialization and to nurturing startups to scale by leveraging Hong Kong as a launchpad for creating global impact.”
Mr. Vincent Ma, CEO of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (HSITPL) said, “Empowering entrepreneurs with world-class resources and fostering cross-boundary collaboration are key to driving breakthrough innovation. As a world-class I&T hub bridging the Mainland and the rest of the world, HSITPL is dedicated to connecting talent and opportunities across Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and international markets—serving as a springboard for startups to scale and succeed.”
“The Institute of Sustainability and Technology (IST) has launched the One Earth initiatives with a mission to advance systemic innovations for a thriving population and planet. We gather global thought leaders at the One Earth Summit and catalyze impactful tech-for-good solutions through our One Earth NextGen programs. Our goal at the One Earth Institute is to empower a new generation of impact leaders aiming to co-create a robust wellbeing economy,” said Ms. Poman Lo, Founder of The Institute of Sustainability and Technology. “The solutions presented at JUMPSTARTER for One Earth 2026 deliver a powerful message: there is a compelling business case for disruptive tech solutions that can address the world's most urgent challenges. As Hong Kong emerges as a global leader in green finance, sustainability is coming to the forefront of the economy. We eagerly look forward to supporting purpose-driven founders dedicated to transforming ambitious ideas into tangible, bold solutions, ready to scale and amplify their impact through the public-private-philanthropic partnerships fostered by the One Earth Alliance ecosystem,” she added.
Immersive Encounters: The Experience, The Insights and The Connectors
At the Grand Finale, JUMPSTARTER 2026 brought its vision of innovation to life through immersive showcases that bridged the gap between frontier technology and real-world impact. The Embodied AI & Robotics Hub served as a testament to how artificial intelligence is moving beyond digital boundaries, with pioneering companies like AGIBOT and ENGINE AI demonstrating the integration of intelligence into physical form. On the Centre Stage, founders from AGIBOT, ENGINE AI, and Xense Robotics presented the “Iron-Collar” roadmap, illustrating the collaborative journey of engineering and deploying robots for industrial and commercial environments, offering a powerful glimpse into the future of work powered by AI.
Sustainability was brought to life at the Green Tech & Material Lab, where environmental innovation moved from concept to reality through hands-on demonstrations. Attendees engaged with eco-friendly materials and products, from high-performance construction solutions like EcoBricks to sustainable fashion by Laws Knitters and bio-based advancements from Green Associations. This interactive zone underscored JUMPSTARTER’s commitment to turning sustainability concepts into actionable solutions. Complementing these experiences, The Gadget Zone offered a preview of the latest AI-powered consumer technologies, reinforcing the event’s role as a launchpad for ideas that shape everyday life and drive positive change.

AGIBOT (top) and ENGINE AI (bottom) demonstrating the integration of intelligence into physical form at the Embodied AI and Robotics Hub	Zence Object Technology (Chazence) (top) and Laws Knitters Studios (bottom) showcasing their products at the Green Tech & Material Lab

 

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About Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund
Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund ("AEF") is a mission-driven initiative launched by Alibaba Group in 2015. To vitalize the development of innovation and technology, AEF's mission is to help Hong Kong entrepreneurs and young people realize their dreams and visions for a Hong Kong that is vibrant and engaged regionally and globally. As part of its investment program, AEF provides entrepreneurs with investment capital and strategic guidance to help them grow their businesses and penetrate the mainland Chinese and global markets, by utilizing Alibaba's Ecosystem. For more information, please visit the website: https://www.ent-fund.org/en/
 About JUMPSTARTER
JUMPSTARTER is a start-up empowerment initiative created by Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund that provides a platform for all entrepreneurs and young people to jump start their dreams in Hong Kong. It is a first-of-its-kind tech and start-up event focused exclusively on showcasing quality start-ups and providing high-impact networking opportunities. Its goal is to build, empower and boost Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem and entrepreneurship by bringing entrepreneurs, corporations, investors and the public together, helping to transform Hong Kong into a leading hub for global innovation and technology. For more information, please visit the website: https://www.jumpstarter.hk/en/ BACK