Impact Stage

Impact Safari: Brand New Approach to Impact Ecology

11 Sep (Fri) Day 2 : 12:25 – 13:15

Full Programme
Impact Stage

Impact Safari reimagines how innovators collaborate by replacing siloed sectors with a living ecosystem of innovation partnerships. Taking references from Hong Kong’s emerging Northern Metropolis, we see the catalytic power of innovation partnerships with diverse actors (including but not limited to intermediaries, community organisations, ventures, academia, and the government) coming together to tackle real neighbourhood challenges. This panel will bring us to an open sharing of impact journeys grounded in the neighbourhood that unlocks new business value. Whether you are a corporate looking to diversify your impact strategy or a startup seeking meaningful go-to-market pathways, this panel maps a replicable blueprint for building impact ecology across the Asia Pacific region.

Session Learnings:

  • Understand how an innovation ecosystem that embodies cross-sector collaboration between corporates, startups, NGOs and government bodies can address shared community challenges and opportunities
  • Learn how regional and local innovators interact to spark knowledge exchange and scalable solutions
  • See how anchoring innovation in a specific place (e.g. Northern Metropolis) creates focus, cross-sectoral synergy and unlock new urban development momentum

Post-Event Actions:

  • Map your organisation’s existing partnerships across sectors (corporate, NGO, government, academia, startup) and identify where siloed relationships could be rewired into an interconnected innovation ecosystem
  • Connect with local and regional peers with shared thematic interest to explore impact synergies
  • Evaluate how your organisation support internal and external innovation efforts

Speakers

Francis Ngai

Social Ventures Hong Kong

Founder and CEO

Francis Ngai is the Founder and CEO of Social Ventures Hong Kong. Since 2007, he’s been dedicated to impact design for the future urban city. His social innovation portfolio includes Hong Kong’s first venture philanthropy fund, Community Resilience Fund, Green Monday, Bottless, RunOurCity, LightBe affordable housing, Playtao Education, HATCH women empowerment initiative, COMM-ON co-caring space, Institute of Community Making, and COMSMOS impact consultancy, among others. Through impact strategy consulting and building collective platforms for corporates, family foundations, and government departments—including Airport Authority HK, Urban Renewal Authority HK, Swire Trust, Rosewood Hotel, Cathay Pacific, Standard Chartered, HK Management Association and Energizing Kowloon East Office—SVhk is committed to creating integrated impact solutions across all sectors in the city.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 2

Impact Safari: Brand New Approach to Impact Ecology

Sam Lam

Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation (J.C.DISI), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Interim Director

Sam, currently Interim Director of Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, specialises in strategic systems design thinking and innovation, shared value creation, public-private partnerships, branding and business development for public and non-profit organisations. Her career spans media, public affairs, investment, marketing, Art Tech, cultural tourism planning, social innovation, and design. She previously served as Business Development and Project Director at Hong Kong Design Centre and as a news reporter at Asia Television.

As an advisor in design thinking for multiple government innovation projects, she is committed to advancing community well‑being, cultural conservation, public space, placemaking, and creative tourism. Her collaborations include Housing Bureau, Sustainable Lantau Office, Architectural Services Department, Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, Tourism Commission and more.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

  1. Data-Driven Governance — Embedding Community-Level Evidence into Urban Planning and Policy Decision-Making
  2. Nature Base and Culture -Informed Urban-rural Integration — Integrating Cultural and Nature DNA and Community Ownership into the Northern Metropolis Development Framework
  3. Regenerative Economy as a Sustainability Pillar

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 1

Capital with Purpose Initiative — Scaling Innovation, Transforming Systems & Advancing Inclusive Growth

Day 2

Impact Safari: Brand New Approach to Impact Ecology

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