Theme: "Begin With"

To begin is to dream, and the first and most important seed lies within yourself. Our theme this year is to empower individuals to work on themselves and develop the courage and character to follow their hearts. With such qualities we can often inspire lives beyond our expectations. The theme entails multiple elements, and the one of utmost importance is the sowing of inspiring ideas that motivates us to be our best selves.

Everything, from mankind to spaceship, began with something negligible before evolving into something spectacular. In order to find that ‘little thing’ you could ‘Begin With’. We are here to offer you your yearly dose of inspiration with a mix of delightful stories along the way.

Zero is the start of endless possibilities. The start is full of innocence, pure dreams, and ideals. Let’s turn back time to when we were young and ambitious; when we dare to dream big and believe that we can be whatever we want to be. Our talented speakers will give you inspirations and ideas that help you refine from within.

Hop on our journey to be the change you want to see in the world!

Joseph Lee Hall (3505)
3/F, Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Academic Building (AC2)
83 Tat Chee Avenue, City University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 852
Hong Kong

Helen Chan

Business Development Director | Urban Spring Co.

Majoring in PR and Advertising in School of Communications of Baptist University, Helen Chan has more than a decade working experiences in renowned 4As advertising agencies. After gaining the title of Regional Creative Director, she aspires to do more outside the business industry. In 2009, she quitted her job and joined an international NGO specialising in house building: Habitat for Humanity . Equipped the skill sets of both commercial and nonprofit worlds, she was especially inspired by the business model of social enterprise where profit and social mission can co-exist. This is the prototype for her mission-driven start-up: Urban Spring - with a clear vision for Hong Kong to become a disposable plastic free city.

Jey Chan

Programme Manager | Inter Cultural Education Ltd.

Hailing from the sunny country of Singapore, Jey Chan has developed a culturally diverse mindset throughout his life. He has undergone military exercise at the desert of Jhansi, India, taught English at the high mountains of Kyrgyzstan, and gave speeches in Taiwan and Vietnam. As the Programme Manager of ICE, he hopes to inspire young adults to make international friends and learn more about the world so that one day, they will become true global citizens.

Lavine Hemlani

Founder | Xccelerate Co.

Lavine is passionate about eliminating the financial barrier between education and opportunity for motivated learners to unleash their potential. Prior to Xccelerate, Lavine co-founded FLYR and worked with deep learning start-up Thread Genius. Lavine began his career in investment banking in NYC at Lazard M&A and held roles at the following funds: Atlas, Marwar Capital and Union Park Capital.

Sheila Claudi-Partrat

Co-founder | Protelicious Co.

Sheila Claudi-Partrat, a Canadian born with a degree in Food Science from McGill University and Masters in Economics and Media Studies from University de Paris, has always retained a deep interest in food and health. As multi-talented as one can get, she is a recently published author, dedicated Kundalini yoga teacher and co-founder of the brand Protelicious - an innovative food company founded on health, science and gourmet taste. Faced with health issues in Hong Kong, her company provides simple yet delicious solutions for busy Hongkongers to survive and thrive in this urban jungle.

Vincci Hui

Head of Project Management | Hong Kong Children Foundation

Vincci HUI, a pioneer of a new non-governmental organization to serve local underprivileged children, is the Secretary-General and Head of Project Management in Hong Kong Children Foundation. Before focusing on social work, she was an athlete of triathlon for eight years and obtained her best youth world ranking: 17th (Asia 2nd) in 2010 Youth Olympic Games. The experience in sports accelerated her personal growth and equipped her with exceptional perseverance and versatility. For more than a decade, she sustains her passion through being a TV sports news presenter and commentator, a devoted volunteer in a sports charity, and a motivational speaker sharing experiences with youths on adversity management and personal development. Being a role model herself, she is committed to encouraging the growth of grassroots children in Hong Kong and driving changes for their betterment.