Work September 2020∣Youth Hong Kong
Startups find solutions • Young entrepreneurs give some hope and ideas.
• 疫市之中，年輕創業家認為只要敢想，前路就有希望。
• All say they need subsidies to thrive and grow when youth unemployment is up to 9.9%.
• 年青創業家一致認同在青年失業率高至 9.9% 的環境，他 們需要資助來生存及發展。
• The IT sector is doing much better than F&B where unemployment was 14.6% in August.*
• 資訊科技行業於疫情下發展較飲食業為佳，飲食業於 8 月 的失業率為 14.6%*。 ADAM
Not long ago, smartphones and other devices were considered a distraction for students. That changed with the pandemic. “Use of our educational app has soared,” says Adam. His company designs tools for schools, students and parents. “We plan to increase staff by 50% in the coming 12 months, adding technical support and more resources for parents.”
What does the future bode for online learning software? The app currently uses the open-source Jitsi Meet video conferencing platform instead of Zoom. “It supports P2P encryption,” Adam explains. “The videos are not saved permanently on the server and this solves the problem of data leakage.”
With Hong Kong spirit, we are trying to make the best of it because people now really need our services.
While other education apps used in Hong Kong function principally as administrative, communication and management tools for teaching and learning, Adam’s app targets parenting and student growth. “More than 300 institutions and other stakeholders provide us with information about youth health and development. We want to offer parents choices.” The company also offers a “virtual mall” with interest classes like dancing, kungfu and handicrafts, useful when so many activities have been curtailed.
A pilot project with ten schools is strengthening parentfriendly features. “They are nervous about learning online and want to understand their children’s progress and pace of learning. We also have a private family blog where children and parents can write about their feelings.” 26
The platform offers schools a way to communicate with learners and parents. “Features for school management include support for e-payments as well and that gateway has been very useful for paying fees during the pandemic. Use was up by 100% in July.” Revenue has dropped despite the increase in use, but Adam is positive. “Of course, we can’t say COVID-19 has been good, but with Hong Kong spirit, we are trying to make the best of it because people now really need our services.” Adam concludes with an idea for government financial support. “Education should be seen as a process, not a piecemeal series from kindergarten, primary, secondary and university education. Startups like us need the kind of subsidies you can see in D-Biz from the Innovation and Technology Commission.”
