Article 1. General Information

1.1 The Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challenge (HKSEC) is a social venture startup competition organised by the Center for Entrepreneurship at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (the “Organiser”) and sponsored by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau in which university students and fresh graduates from Hong Kong find creative, commercially sustainable ways to address social problems. 1.2 Students who have registered to enrol in HKSEC (the “participants”) have a unique opportunity to increase their social awareness and develop their knowledge and understanding of how to create a social venture plan from inception to implementation with the advice and involvement of a wide base of knowledgeable contributors. 1.3 A HKSEC social venture plan may address any local, national, regional, or global social need. For example, you may address problems faced by senior citizens, medical patients, youth or new immigrants. Moreover, the idea should either: (a) generate benefits to Hong Kong and/ or internationally; or (b) create social impact to Hong Kong and/ or internationally; or (c) engage local stakeholders in creating positive social change The plan may address problems of poverty, healthcare, education, the environment, information and communication technology, social services, agriculture, distribution, or manufacturing. The proposed business model may be nonprofit, for-profit, or a hybrid. 1.4 The Organiser reserves the right to change or terminate the competition or modify these terms and conditions without prior notice. In case of any dispute, the decision of the Organiser shall be final and conclusive.

Article 2. Eligibility

2.1 Each participant can only be associated with one team in each year of competition. 2.2 Each team must consist of a minimum of 2 members but not more than 4 members. 2.3 In each team, at least 50% of the members must be: (a) a current student in a diploma, associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree program offered by any tertiary institution in Hong Kong; or (b) former student who was awarded diplomas or degrees by any tertiary institution in Hong Kong from January 2022 to the present; or (c) a student or graduate from any tertiary institution outside Hong Kong with the right to abode in Hong Kong who has obtained an undergraduate or higher qualification(s) since January 2022 or later and expressed a wish to return to Hong Kong for employment or future development The remaining members must be individuals aged from 18 to 35 (inclusive), having the right to abode in Hong Kong with an undergraduate or higher academic qualification(s). 2.4 Each team must have one faculty advisor to confirm that team members are eligible and to give team members appropriate advice. 2.5 Any form of plagiarism will result in disqualification.

Article 3. Selection Process

3.1 The competition guidelines include eligibility, submission rules, judging criteria are stated in the Official Kit for all the participants. 3.2 Guidelines and selection process are available on the website (www.hksec.hk). The deadlines are also announced on the website. 3.3 The Organiser reserves all rights in regards to the selection, composition and change of the Judges. 3.4 The Organiser at all times, has the right to disqualify a participant, without the obligation to state the reasons thereof. 3.5 The Organiser has the full authority to make final decisions in all matters related to this competition, including the selection of winners. No correspondence or discussion shall be entered into with the participants. 3.6 Winners are required to implement their social venture plans so as to be eligible to receive the Startup Award. If for any reason, any winner does not accept the Startup Award at the time stipulated, the Organiser shall have the right to transfer the Startup Award to another team. 3.7 Award Winners of the Startup Award Scheme are obliged to complete all the milestones of the endorsed milestone plan for the Scheme. Awardees who fail to fulfil all requirements imposed, without obtaining prior written approval from the Organiser, will be disqualified without prior notice and prohibited from joining the competition again.

Article 4. Obligation of Participants

4.1 Participants are obliged to mention any third parties that have contributed to the social venture plan. 4.2 In case the participant has used the intellectual or lawful protected property of a third party, he/she should do so with the permission of the owner. If necessary, the participant should also submit a declaration of the owner (that he/she allows the participant to use this information) along with the social venture plan. 4.3 The Organiser is not obliged to check the social venture plans for authorised and legal use of intellectual property rights. 4.4 Participants who enter the Semi Final Round are obliged to acknowledge the support of HKSEC by mentioning “HKSEC” in all publications, leaflets, posters, and media interviews related to the social venture plans submitted to the competition, including but not limited to newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and other forms of electronic media until the completion of the competition. Participants, whose teams become Page 3 of 4 one of the winners, are obliged to continue to acknowledge the support of HKSEC by the method stated above during the Startup Award Scheme period, of which the exact duration will be stipulated by the Organiser.

Article 5. Organiser Liability and Right of Termination

5.1 The Organiser reserves the right to terminate any participants at any stages (including Startup Award Scheme) without notice when the participants commit any act or display behaviour which could jeopardize the reputation of Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), Organiser, Center for Entrepreneurship (CfE, CUHK), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (including its members, HKSEC), judges, or mentors. 5.2 In discussing or implementing any business plans with any persons, participants must state that your actions are being undertaken on your own behalf. Specifically, neither The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), Organiser, Center for Entrepreneurship (CfE, CUHK), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (including its members, HKSEC), judges, nor mentors take any responsibility for your business plan, your business operation, or for any agreements participants may make with any third parties.

Article 6. Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

6.1 The authors of the social venture plan will retain all proprietary rights to the plan regarding its use at all times prior to and following the competition except as stated below. 6.2 All participants are responsible for taking the proper steps to protect their intellectual property. 6.3 The Organiser will not ask judges, reviewers, helpers or the audience to agree to or sign non-disclosure statements. 6.4 All public sessions of the competition, including but not limited to oral presentations and question/answer sessions, are open to the public at large. Any and all of these public sessions may be broadcast to interested persons through media which may include radio, television and the Internet. Any data or information discussed or divulged in public sessions by entrants should be considered information that will likely enter the public realm, and entrants should not assume any right of confidentiality in any data or information discussed, divulged or presented in these sessions. 6.5 Information generated during the judging process, including but not limited to judging comments, reports, etc., shall be owned by the Organiser. 6.6 The Organiser may make photocopies, photographs, videotapes (DVDs) and/or audiotapes of the presentations including the Written Plans and other documents, charts or material prepared for use in the Presentations at the HKSEC. The Organiser has non-exclusive world rights in all languages, and in all media, to use or to publish the materials in any other medium.

Article 7. Personal Data

7.1 The personal data provided by you will be used by HKSEC staff for purposes related to the processing of enrolment, registration, academic, administrative, alumni management, research, statistical purposes and any other directly related purposes. 7.2 The personal data (including name, address, email and contact number) provided by you will be used by HKSEC staff for delivering information including any events and functions to be held, courses to be organised, discount, benefit and service offers, solicitation of donations and other affairs and activities related to HKSEC/CUHK-CfE. This personal data will not be transferred to other external parties for purposes as stated above, except commissioned research consultants and agencies for marketing activities as stated above. 7.3 Under the provision of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, you have rights to request access to, and to request the correction of, your personal data. For such requests, please submit written requests to Center for Entrepreneurship (CfE), Room 601, Cheng Yu Tung 1Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.

Article 8. Resolution of Conflicts

8.1 The Organiser will not be liable for any claims regarding the selection procedure or assessment criteria for the winning social venture plans. 8.2 The Organiser will not be responsible or liable for any loss, theft, or non-authorized use of social plans that may occur. Hong Kong Social Enterprise Challengec/o Center for EntrepreneurshipThe Chinese University of Hong KongSeptember 2025