For a stronger synergy of Lingnan’s efforts in responding to the advocacy of the HKSAR Chief Executive and the UGC for innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialisation of research outputs, the Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer (ORKT) has rolled out this new Fund which incorporates the internal KT Project Fund (KPF) and Entrepreneurial KT Fund (EKT), and a new scheme to support faculty members’ entrepreneurial initiatives.

The former KPF and EKT have funded 50 projects and proven to be effective catalysts of innovative ideas for translating research into impact. The new IIF is designed to take the step forward by building an innovative culture and a supportive environment for innovations and social entrepreneurship. Students and staff may use the fund to develop prototypes for a new product or to prove a new concept leading to or aimed at a start-up for impact on humanity.

Two programmes under the IIF:

a) KT Programme

b) Entrepreneurship Programme

Faculty Stream

Student Stream

• Supports innovative ideas, practical solutions and executable plans to start an NGO, social enterprise or company for impact on humanity
• “Gatherly” is one of the projects supported by the Fund. It endeavours to build a job-matching platform that links up company recruiters and older people who can be good fits to such work as conducting handicraft workshops, through which these senior service providers may enjoy the social engagement, recognition and possibly some financial returns.

為促進知識轉移和研究成果轉化應用，響應香港特別行政區行政長官和大學教育資助委員會推動創新和創業精神，嶺南大學研究及知識轉移處推出了創新及效益基金(Innovation and Impact Fund, IIF)，增強大學相關部門的協作。此基金不但結合了過往的知識轉移項目基金(Knowledge Transfer Project Fund, KPF)及學生創業發展基金(Entrepreneurial KT Fund, EKT)，更增設鼓勵教研人員創業項目的計劃。

先前KPF和EKT已資助了50個項目，有效地促使研究成果轉化為創意及社會效益，而IIF更是進一步建立創新文化氛圍，營造支持社會企業家精神的環境。師生可以利用IIF的資金去製造新產品的「原型」(prototype)，或為其初創新意念提供一些實證，致力邁向貢獻社會的目標。

創新及效益基金包括以下兩類型的項目：

a) 知識轉移項目

b) 創業項目

教研人員組

學生組

• 基金支持具有創新構思及切實可行計劃的項目，幫助其開創新的非政府機構、社會企業或公司，造福人群。
• 休才薈（Gatherly）是其中一個受IIF資助的項目，以建立一個退休人士的社群，提供技能配對平台，令退休人士即使在原來的工作崗位退下來，仍然可以透過分享技能(例如手工藝工作坊)，繼續貢獻社會，並享受當中的成就感及或一些收入。