HKIC | The Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited

Relevant press releases

The HKIC and GALBOT Collaborate on Hong Kong Ecosystem Augmentation

AI-driven Humanoid Robot Showcases at the Forum, Fostering Talent Development in Embodied AI

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Photo 1: With the assistance of the embodied AI robot “Galbot”, Ms Clara CHAN, CEO of the HKIC (right), and Dr He WANG, Assistant Professor at Peking University and Director of the PKU-Galbot Lab of Embodied AI (left) attended the kick-off ceremony of Ecosystem Augmentation in Hong Kong. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr Paul CHAN Mo-po, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government (center).

Highlights:

  • The HKIC will proactively aggregate and channel resources to support GALBOT in taking root and developing in Hong Kong.
  • Led by the HKIC, GALBOT will collaborate with Hong Kong tertiary institutions to establish the “Hong Kong International Embodied AI Talent Exchange Center”.

(Hong Kong, July 19) The Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC) and Galbot Co. Ltd. (GALBOT) kicked off the ecosystem augmentation today. Through investment-driven and ecosystem augmentation strategies, the collaboration aims at accelerating the development of cutting-edge technologies and applications of embodied AI in Hong Kong, making the city a leading international hub for Embodied AI technology research and talent.

GALBOT is set to implement its strategic blueprint in Hong Kong, including: (1) Supporting Hong Kong in becoming an international hub and innovation center for embodied AI talent; (2) Exploring the practical applications of robots in business, tourism, and other servicing use cases in Hong Kong; (3) Establishing a local team to foster Hong Kong’s development of embodied AI technology and industry.

In response to the collaboration with the HKIC, GALBOT hosted the forum titled “Journey to the Pinnacle of AI, Embracing the Next Chapter of Hong Kong Miracle” this morning, where both parties also kicked off the Ecosystem Augmentation with the assistance of the embodied AI robot “Galbot”. The kick-off ceremony was witnessed and addressed by Mr Paul CHAN Mo-po, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and respectively attended by Ms Clara CHAN, CEO of the HKIC, and Dr He WANG, Assistant Professor at Peking University and Director of the PKU-Galbot Lab of Embodied AI.

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Photo 2: Local secondary school students interacted with “Galbot” and were impressed by its eye-opening demonstrations. Financial Secretary Paul CHAN Mo-po (second left) and CEO of the HKIC Ms Clara CHAN (third left) also participated. GALBOT Co-founder Mr Tengzhou YAO (first left) introduced the advanced technologies of "Galbot".

A special delegation of around thirty local secondary school students were invited to interact with “Galbot”, and to engage in dialogue with forum guests during a dedicated student session.

Mr Paul CHAN Mo-po, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, stated, “Embodied artificial intelligence (AI) possesses deep learning and execution capabilities, proving highly useful in various scenarios. It can deeply integrate with different industries, significantly enhancing productivity, and represents an important new frontier in AI. With our own advantages, coupled with strong commercialisation and smart manufacturing capabilities of sister cities in the Greater Bay Area, and the concentration of talent in the city, Hong Kong has great potential in developing embodied AI. I hope that under the guidance of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, its partners like Galbot Co. Ltd will engage more deeply in the building of Hong Kong's AI and robotics ecosystem. This will help Hong Kong accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces and actively contribute to the technological development of our country and the world.”

Ms Clara CHAN, CEO of the HKIC, remarked, “On the basis of the characteristic of ‘patient capital’ and in the realm of embodied AI, the HKIC aims at accelerating frontier technology research and collaboration, exploring more applications and providing comprehensive talent training, and expediting the construction of Hong Kong's innovation and technology ecosystem. Embodied AI, which combines the comprehension and reasoning capabilities of large models such as languages and images, along with the flexible operation of machine hardware, is capable of opening up new markets through the creation of new technologies. This collaboration has further complemented the HKIC’s multi-dimensional strategy in the development of artificial intelligence, and has brought the applications from industrial use to our daily lives.”

Dr He WANG, Assistant Professor at Peking University, Director of PKU-Galbot Lab of Embodied AI, said, “We are deeply grateful for the HKIC's support to GALBOT. We recognize Hong Kong's natural advantages in the development of embodied AI. Leveraging Hong Kong's strong market resources, abundant talent pool, and broad international insights, we look forward to curating attention and building credibility in domestic and international markets. Concurrently, we will bring Hong Kong the most cutting-edge embodied AI technology and cultivate top-tier talent with multi-disciplinary capabilities. Through collective efforts, we will foster the development of Hong Kong's embodied AI sector, drive the application of emerging industries, and usher in a new era for Hong Kong.”

Mr Jui TAN, Managing Partner of Lanchi Ventures, stated in his keynote speech at the jointly organized forum, “Congratulations to GALBOT and the HKIC for collaborating on ecosystem augmentation. Lanchi Ventures believes that artificial intelligence will bring about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with embodied AI pushing AI beyond its limits and achieving innovation in productivity and production relations, bringing significant commercial and societal value. Embodied AI also has the potential to drive the upgrade of local industries in Hong Kong, unlocking local innovation capabilities. Moreover, Hong Kong's advantages in talent, capital, and policy support will provide a fertile ground for the long-term development of embodied AI.”

Expert Forum Explores Embodied AI Applications with Excited Students

The “Journey to the Pinnacle of AI, Embracing the Next Chapter of Hong Kong Miracle” forum convened researchers and industry professionals. During the panel discussion “From Technology to Society: AI Opens a New Chapter in Hong Kong”, Mr Tengzhou YAO, Co-founder of GALBOT, Dr Li YI, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences of Tsinghua University, and Mr Andy CHOW, Head of Customer Solution Architects of Google Cloud HK, jointly explored cutting-edge topics such as “The Transformative Impact of AI on Society and Business” and “The Value of Humanoid Robots.” They unanimously emphasized the necessity of a cross-disciplinary and adaptable talent pool for fostering the development of innovative technology, and provided advice to students present on future academic and career development.

Sharing the same English name as the company, “Galbot” is the first-generation embodied AI robot developed by GALBOT and driven by general-purpose AI. It brought eye-opening demonstrations to students and distinguished guests during the forum’s showcase session. Mr Tengzhou YAO elaborated that “Galbot” features advanced technologies capable of recognizing objects of various materials and shapes under different lighting and environmental conditions. It can skillfully open cabinets, drawers, and even hang clothes. “Galbot” has extensive applications across different commercial and industrial settings. For instance, it could be used in the retail industry for tasks like stocking, picking, and inventory management, with further applications in community elderly care and household services to be explored in the future.

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About Galbot Co. Ltd. (GALBOT)

Founded in May 2023, Galbot Co. Ltd. is a fast-growing cutting-edge company focusing on building robots with embodied AGI, to offer general-purpose robots worldwide. The company has established research and development centers in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Suzhou. It has also set up a joint laboratory with Peking University (PKU), and a research center with Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI), for the research of embodied AI.

About Lanchi Ventures

Lanchi Ventures is a venture capital firm that backs daring entrepreneurs to redefine the future through technology. Lanchi invests in early-stage technology start-ups, across AI, robotics, consumer, bio + healthcare. The firm has invested in over 200 startups, managing multiple funds with assets under management exceeding USD 2 billion.