Tag Archives: Hong Kong

 The Ambi Climate Draws on Data from Sensors and User Feedback to Automatically Tweak a Room’s Ambient Temperature and Humidity

27 Jun

The Ambi Climate uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to generate temperature and humidity profiles and then collects and learns from actual user comfort feedback via a smartphone app to develop real world, year round profiles

By Robert Hoskins, Crowdfunding PR

Hong Kong – Optimizing AC use is not an easy task, which is why the Ambi Climate 2 makes use of artificial intelligence to personalize ambient conditions. Apparently, a lot of people loved the Ambi Climate unit’s value-added business proposition so much that Ambi Labs raised over HK$1,215,900 from 1,016 backers via its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that ended on June 22, 2017.

 The Ambi Climate that Draws on Data from Sensors and User Feedback to Automatically Tweak a Room's Ambient Temperature and Humidity

The Ambi Climate that Draws on Data from Sensors and User Feedback to Automatically Tweak a Room’s Ambient Temperature and Humidity

The Ambi Climate was created by Ambi Labs, a Hong Kong-based company founded by Julian Lee, Paul Sykes, and Tim Chang. They state their mission as being a sort of ‘leave no man behind’ approach to technology, wherein aged appliances are given a makeover using modern innovation. With the second edition of the Ambi Climate, the aim remains to make air conditioners more energy-efficient and customizable.

The device achieves that with the help of AI software, which studies user comfort and the corresponding conditions to create unique profiles for them. It finds out how comfortable a user is at any given time via a mobile app, where you can tell the device how much its estimation of your comfort level differs from what it actually is. As you do that over different months and passing seasons, the AI learns your individual preferences and optimizes the temperature accordingly.

While user feedback is one way the Ambi Climate tweaks its own operation, it isn’t the only way. The device uses a variety of sensors to track such factors as humidity and sunlight. It also gathers data from the Web to understand weather trends during that time of year, clothing people are most likely to have on, and temperature variations at different times of the day. It uses all this information to deliver the most appropriate climate control automatically. According to the creators, that leads to as much as 30 percent savings in power bills.

Ambi Climate can be paired with air conditioners using the Ambi Climate App, which is available for Android and iOS users. Once that’s done, you can place the device in view of the AC and leave it to do its thing. The app also enables a geo-location feature; the Ambi Climate finds out when you’re about to get home and fires up the AC, so conditions are perfect as you walk in. You can tie those features in with other smart home IOT paraphernalia thanks to IFTTT and Amazon Alexa integrations.

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Robert Hoskins, a seasoned Front Page PR veteran provides more than twenty-eight years of external communications, media relations, digital social media and SEO skills to Front Page PR’s crowdfunding PR and media relations service portfolio.
Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR


Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.
On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.
Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins runs one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding PR, social media and marketing agencies that has amassed a huge social media following and is dedicated to supporting a wide variety of donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.
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Chinese Entrepreneurship Global Study Shows Staggering Increase in Shenzhen and Hong Kong Entrepreneur Activities Compared to 64 Competitive Countries Worldwide

16 Feb

Experts advocate the two cities join force in formation of complementary advantages to foster international competitiveness for entrepreneurship

By Robert Hoskins

Hong Kong, China – New research released by the professors of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School’s Center for Entrepreneurship (CfE) and Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)’s School of Business shows that entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and Shenzhen is on the rise.

A collaborative effort by CUHK CfE, HKBU School of Business, the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Business and Economics, Shenzhen Academy of Social Science and Savantas Policy Research Institute, the research titled “Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Hong Kong and Shenzhen Report 2016-17” provides a detailed analysis of the current status of entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The GEM Study Compares the Results with Past Indicators for Ecosystems and Provides an International Benchmark with 65 Economies Worldwide

The GEM Study Compares the Results with Past Indicators for Ecosystems and Provides an International Benchmark with 64 Other Economies Worldwide

The study compares the results with past indicators for both ecosystems and provides an international benchmark with 65 economies worldwide. It is part of the global initiative, 180-page Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Research Report, the world’s foremost comparative entrepreneurship study and a trusted resource on entrepreneurship for key international organizations such as the United Nations, World Economic Forum, World Bank and more.

In the recent few years, Hong Kong and Shenzhen have experienced an explosive growth in the start-up support ecosystem. The GEM Hong Kong and Shenzhen Report 2016-17 shows that the start-up rates recorded a staggering increase in Hong Kong and Shenzhen from 2009 to 2016. In mid-2016, the early-stage entrepreneurial activity among the adult population was estimated at 9.44 percent (3.64 percent in 2009) in Hong Kong and 16.04 percent (4.8 percent in 2009) in Shenzhen.

The growth has been driven by a rapid increase in Shenzhen’s new (+284 percent) and Hong Kong’s growth in nascent businesses (+206 percent) in comparison with 2009 statistics. The prevalence rates of established businesses recorded an increase as well: +389 percent for Shenzhen and +109 percent for Hong Kong. It is worth noting that while entrepreneurship rates are on the rise in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, they are declining in other places in China. Both cities have developed a separate start-up culture and entrepreneurial ecosystem that operate independently from the rest of the Mainland.

The positive changes were not limited to early entrepreneurship rates only. The research team also observed a major shift in attitudes and entrepreneurial intentions. In particular, 56.8 percent of the adult population perceives start-up opportunities in Hong Kong. In Shenzhen, the same proportion of individuals who declared they possessed necessary skills and knowledge to start a new business (35.8 percent), also reported their intention to start a business in the next two years (36 percent).

Comparing to 2009, the population with entrepreneurial intentions in Hong Kong grew from 7.3 percent to 19.7 percent in 2016, representing an impressive increase of +170 percent. Similarly, in Shenzhen the intentions grew from 17.6 percent to 36 percent, an increase of +105 percent. According to the study, cultural conditioning and attitudes towards entrepreneurship, perception of own skills, and exposure to entrepreneurship practices all had a positive impact on intentions to start businesses. Successful entrepreneurs are also regaining their high status and are promoted by local media in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

In terms of financial support, Hong Kong early-stage firms have lower capital requirements than that of their Shenzhen counterparts, which may be related to the lower technological intensity of Hong Kong firms. 92 percent of nascent entrepreneurs in the two cities declared that their principal source of financial support was their own savings. The role of the family in financing new ventures is still significant in Shenzhen, but not so much in Hong Kong.

Banks are also more supportive of startups in Shenzhen than in Hong Kong and so are venture capitalists, which could be explained by a higher prevalence of start-ups with profound market impact. In Hong Kong, on the other hand, crowdfunding is more prevalent as the source of capital for early-stage businesses, a sign of a more established product innovation.

Aligned with higher entrepreneurship rates, the research team also found a growing culture of informal investors developing in both cities. Shenzhen observed a much higher informal investment prevalence rate (20.5 percent) than Hong Kong (6.5 percent) of the adult population. In fact, Hong Kong and Shenzhen informal investors were two of the most generous among all economies in the study with a contribution of US$70,565 and US$76,112 respectively.

The study has also recorded a dramatic change in investment patterns for Shenzhen. While in 2009 individuals were rather investing in family members, in 2016, friends and neighbors had been the first choice which was aligned with that of Hong Kong.

In addition, the research team interviewed 39 Hong Kong and 37 Shenzhen experts in the field of entrepreneurship about their opinions on how the cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen that would increase the cities’ international competitiveness. The most frequent recommendation was to leverage the natural industry compatibilities between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Other recommendations include:

  • Joint development of industries such as Internet-of-Things, Smart City, Health Tech, Edu Tech, Fintech or E-commerce
  • Joint R&D initiatives aiming at cross-border innovation, sharing of talents and intensification of knowledge exchange
  • Introduction of joint or cross-border education to develop a shared cultural understanding of each other through opening more world-class academic institutions catering to students from both sides of the border
  • Coordinating government policies for entrepreneurship between the two economies, e.g. joint visas for entrepreneurs that would facilitate cross-border operations of many start-ups

“If Hong Kong and Shenzhen join forces in the formation of complementary advantages on entrepreneurship, it would strengthen the international and Mainland competitiveness for both,” said Prof. Kevin Au, Associate Director of CUHK CfE and Associate Professor of the Department of Management at CUHK Business School. “This can be the first step towards the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen megalopolis.”

“Hong Kong and Shenzhen are facing a fantastic opportunity: that of being in the perfect position to build a highly unique and internationally competitive start-up hub with an unparalleled ecosystem compatibility between the two cities and a supportive informal investment culture,” said Dr. Marta K. Dowejko, Research Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship of the Department of Management at HKBU School of Business. “While Shenzhen’s start-ups are well geared to deliver innovative ideas with high growth potential, Hong Kong’s entrepreneurs possess the know-how in taking ideas to the next level and ensuring their long-term sustainability. The results from this year’s GEM report give testament to this unique setup that no other place in the world has.”

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Robert Hoskins, a seasoned Front Page PR veteran provides more than twenty-five years of external communications, media relations, digital social media and SEO skills to Front Page PR’s crowdfunding PR and media relations service portfolio.
Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR


Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.
On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.
Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns.

 

EZTalks “Onion” Launches Crowdfunding Campaign; Cool New All-in-One Video Conferencing Solution Offers Early Birds a 45% Discount 

12 Sep

EZTalk Onion, the all-in-one video conferencing equipment supports HD video conferencing, live broadcasting, screen sharing, screen projection, white board annotation and online meeting control features

By Robert Hoskins

Hong Kong  – EZTalks Onion is raising funds via a reward-based crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to finish the mass production of its revolutionary all-in-one video communication device – EZTalks Onion, an all-in-one creative video conferencing equipment that is going to change current video conferencing device price structure set by traditional service providers such as Cisco, Polycom, Lifesize and Zoom, which are three times more expensive than EZTalks.

The first 50 supporters can purchase EZTalks’ Onion for only $499.  Hurry. Buy one now  before they are all gone!

EZTalk Onion, the all-in-one video conferencing equipment supports HD video conferencing, live broadcasting, screen sharing, screen projection, white board annotation along with abundant online meeting control features like live chat, recording, mute audio, make presenter, lock meeting room, remote control and more

EZTalk Onion, the all-in-one video conferencing equipment supports HD video conferencing, live broadcasting, screen sharing, screen projection, white board annotation along with meeting control features like live chat, recording, mute audio, make presenter, lock meeting room and remote control

Professional video conferencing and telepresence technology should benefit all ordinary people’s work and should be as easy and affordable as personal digital products instead of a huge investment of complicated devices and IT support for meeting rooms. EZTalks Onion, with its high-end design and smart features, is created to lower the threshold of setting up professional video conferencing room to an unprecedented cost-effective level.

The all-in-one device can be connected to any TV or display via HDMI easily for video conferencing, online meetings, online trainings and live broadcasting. It supports screen sharing, white board annotation along with abundant online meeting control features like live chat, recording, mute audio, make presenter, lock meeting room, remote control and more. Users can manage this via any device, seamlessly transfer calls from any device to a TV or display and switch back.

“We aim to bring crystal-clear audio and video experience with one single high-end device to both teams and individuals working remotely without onsite technical support,” said EZTalks’ Global Marketing Director Jack Zhang. “With nearly two years of hard work, the device is now designed with 1080p 12.0 megapixel camera with 120° wide angle lens, dual stereo microphones with 5m mic pickup radius and full frequency HD speaker. Equipped with quad-core processor, it runs fast and smartly with its aluminum alloy unibody casing.”

EZTalks Technology Company Ltd. is an experienced, professional video conference service solution provider and has already successfully launched two video conference solution: EZTalks Cloud and EZTalks VCS to meet big and small business’ remote collaboration requirements across all industries.

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Robert Hoskins, a seasoned Front Page PR veteran provides more than twenty-five years of external communications, media relations, digital social media and SEO skills to Front Page PR’s crowdfunding PR and media relations service portfolio.
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR


Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.
Mr. Hoskins consults on a regular basis with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.
Mr. Hoskins is one of the crowdfunding industry’s foremost crowdfunding advocates and has amassed a huge social media following that is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns. Due to the overwhelming demand from the general public for crowdfunding information, he empowers entrepreneurs with some of the internet’s most affordable ($20) online crowdfunding training classes, which provide insight to startups around the world on a 24 x 7 basis.
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