F.A.Q

Applications for Good Seed 2022 Cohort 1 is now opened! 

Yes, the programme welcomes both full-time and part-time students, as well as graduates in diploma, associate degree, degree or postgraduate degree programs offered by any higher education institution in Hong Kong to apply for enrollment. Hong Kong citizens with a qualification received from an oversea higher education institution are also welcomed.
Yes, you are eligible to apply!
No, we don’t have any age limit. Any applicant who is currently studying or graduated from the local HEIs can apply irrespective of their age.
a. Application for enrollment is on a first-come-first-served basis. While there are no specific criteria, we want the participants to be truly passionate and committed to learning and practicing as social innovation implementers. As such, we shall require applicants to elaborate on their objectives and expectations when joining this programme on their enrollment forms.
Stage 1 training includes a work camp and several training workshops. The workshops will normally be conducted on weekends and so we anticipate that stage 1 will take about 2 months.
The workshops are structured and tailored specifically to enable the participants to understand the pertinent social issues, to identify the opportunities and to formulate innovative ideas using design and technology to solve the social issues and support poverty relief.
Any participants completed Stage 1 training can submit a proposal to apply for funding support in the Idea Competition in Stage 2.
No, you cannot just apply for funding in Stage 2 without joining Stage 1.
Yes, you can submit more than one proposal with different ideas, different target groups / locations to serve, etc.
Yes, you can submit a proposal with a team. However, the programme staff will only communicate with the principal applicant of your team, and it is the principal applicant’s responsibility to convey any message and communications to his/ her team members. Please also make sure that all of your teammates should have participated in the Good Seed programme.
Yes, you can join more than one team and submit more than one proposal with different ideas, different target groups / locations to serve, etc.
Yes, you can submit a proposal on your own. However, a team with multi-disciplinary background and expertise (e.g. business, design and technology) is preferred.
No, a project which has been funded by other public funding (e.g. The Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme, The Enhancing Employment of People with Disabilities through Small Enterprise Project, etc.) will not be eligible to apply for the SIE Fund.

In general, each proposal submitted will be assessed with the following criteria:

  • Creativity / Innovativeness
  • Implementation and Feasibility
  • Capabilities and Commitment of the Applicants
  • Benefits to the Intended Target Groups to support poverty relief in Hong Kong
  • Potential for Sustainable Social Impact
Yes, you must establish a company in order to receive funding from SIE.
The good seed funds can only be used for necessary expenses related to the project implementation excluding pay for any labor or time costs of the team members.
It is expected that your project shall be completed within a 9-month period and the $200,000 funding will be disbursed by installments across the project period. Apart from the upfront payment, the disbursement of the other instalments shall be subject to satisfactory project progress and completion of pre-defined milestones.
Mentors from different sectors including design, business and social sectors will be solicited to provide multi-disciplinary support to the participants, especially during the project implementation stage.
Apart from mentorship support mentioned above, the programme staff will follow up on your funded project to review the progress and to help resolve any issues or difficulties that you may face during the project implementation. After the funding period, should the team wish to continue their project, we shall try to bridge them to other Intermediaries under SIE Fund / social incubators / investors for continual incubation and further funding support.
No, all the immediate family members of the programme staff are not allowed to participate in this programme in concern of potential conflict of interest. If you are an extended family member of the programme staff, please inform the programme staff and indicate the relationship.
No, all the immediate family members of the programme staff are not allowed to participate in this programme in concern of potential conflict of interest. If you are an extended family member of the programme staff, please inform the programme staff and indicate the relationship.
Yes. You can solicit any external support to help to implement your project. However, the engagement of a consultant or advisor does not mean the principal applicant and/or your team will be relieved of your responsibilities to make your efforts to undertake the project. The principal applicant and your team shall always remain the key drivers and implementers of the project, with or without any external help or support.