Social Venture Lab Mentorship Programme—Connect with Mentors

Ready to grow the seed of your venture idea into real-world impact? Join the HKU Social Venture Lab (“SV Lab”) Mentorship Programme and connect with experienced mentors to develop your idea into a scalable, sustainable social venture.

Eligibility:

At least one core team member must be a current student of HKU Faculty of Social Sciences (FOSS).
Team members can be cross-disciplinary and/or from other institutions.
Your social innovation project must create clear social and/or environmental benefits, and is not purely profit-driven.
You project must be at early development stage or operation stage. Concept-only, pre-idea projects are not eligible.

Flexible Mentoring Format:

Each student team is matched with two to three seasoned mentors from diverse sectors.

Matching Mechanism:

Mentor-team matching is based on expertise and the specific needs of each student project.

Duration:

Each mentorship cycle lasts for one year.

Schedule and structure:

Monthly meetings throughout the cycle.
Each session will last at least 60 minutes.
Mentorship sessions can be conducted in person or online.
Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed to support the team.

Mentees will also be invited to complete a short survey at the midpoint and the end of the Programme, so we can continuously enhance the quality and impact of the mentorship journey.

Mentee Responsibilities:

Take initiative: Be proactive and own your learning journey.
Schedule and attend: Arrange at least three mentoring sessions and be punctual.
Come prepared: Bring an agenda and questions to each meeting, and follow up on action items.
Show appreciation: Send a thank-you note to your mentor for their time and guidance at the end of the Programme.

Community Rules: By registering as a mentee, I acknowledge that I have read and understood the following guidelines and commit to uphold them throughout my participation in the programme:

Be reliable: Honor your commitments by being on time, prepared, and dependable.
Stay open-minded: Welcome feedback and learn from diverse perspectives and experiences.
Interact respectfully: Engage with mentors in a courteous and professional manner.
Communicate clearly: Be prompt, professional, and transparent in your communication.
Own your work: All ideas, ventures, materials, and works created by your team remain your property.
Respect confidentiality: Keep personal or sensitive information shared in mentoring conversations private.
Maintain professionalism: Uphold appropriate boundaries and avoid any inappropriate behaviour.
Contact appropriately: Reach out to mentors during reasonable hours and through agreed-upon channels.
Understand mentor roles: Mentors are not obligated to provide internships or professional services.
Comply with agreements: Adhere to the terms of the Student Mentorship Agreement.

For enquiries, please contact us at socventures@hku.hk.

Team Lead Information

Surname*

Given name*

Preferred English name*

HKU Email Address*

University Student Number*

Faculty*

Curriculum (e.g. BSocSc, BPsych, BJ. etc.)*

Major*

Mobile Phone Number*

Year of Study*

Local/Non-local Status*

How many core members in your team?*

Social Innovation Project Information

Project Name*

One-line Project Summary (In one sentence, explain what your project does and for whom)*

Project Description*

1. The problem(s) you are addressing; 2. Your proposed solution; 3. Your target beneficiaries; 4. The intended social and/or environmental impact

Project Status*

Pre-idea Stage – Concept Only (e.g. an initial concept, but no prototype, pilot, or operations yet.)

Early Development Stage – Testing & Validation (e.g. a defined solution in prototype development or testing, with small pilots involving a few users.)

Operational Stage – Full Product/Service Running (e.g. a product, programme, or service already running with regular users or beneficiaries)

Project Website / Social Media Links*

Which of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) best aligns with your project? *

Professional Information

Have you participated in any social innovation–related programme (e.g. courses, trainings, workshops, bootcamps) or competition?*

Yes

No

Please specify: name of programme/competition, year, and a brief description

Remarks

Please read the Student Mentorship Agreement and visit www.socsc.hku.hk/ic.html for Personal Information Collection Statement.

Acknowledgement and Consent*

As Team Lead, I confirm that I and all team members have read and agree to the Student Mentorship Agreement and the Community Rules.

I acknowledge my obligation to commit the necessary time and effort, and agree to participate fully in the mentoring cycle.

I understand that my personal data will be handled in accordance with HKU policies.

Team Lead Information

Social Innovation Project Information

Requested Mentor Expertise & Industry Focus

Professional Information