CEO Insights Magazine

The world of technology is fueled by visionaries who shape the future by seeing beyond immediate applications. Innovations such as AI, blockchain, and Web3 have the potential to transform industries and society. Realizing this potential demands a blend of leadership, cuttingedge research, and the bridging of academia and real-world application. The Crypto-Fintech Lab at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a hub for this intersection, and leading its transformative initiatives is Kani Chen, the Director.

Kani Chen stands at the forefront of technological innovation, with a profound expertise in emerging technologies. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the Crypto-Fintech Labʼs initiatives, driving its mission to nurture startups, advance research, and bridge the gap between academia and commercialization. Under his guidance, the Crypto-Fintech Lab has evolved into a dynamic hub for groundbreaking developments, fostering both academic excellence and industry-driven solutions that propel real-world impact.

Below is an excerpt of Kani Chenʼs exclusive interaction with CEO Insights Asia magazine. Could you share how Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was founded and its origin story? The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is an innovation-driven institution founded with a commitment to revolutionary research and fostering entrepreneurship. Despite its relatively young age of 33 years, HKUST has made remarkable strides, creating an environment where numerous unicorn startups, including a major drone company valued in the hundreds of billions, have thrived. Our Crypto-Fintech Lab, established by Professor Wang Yang, exemplifies this ethos by guiding students toward startup creation, fueling innovation with real-world applications and successful business outcomes.

Tell me about your role within the lab and how it supports the broader initiative. As Director of the lab, I oversee its day-to-day operations, steering our core mission across four pillars. First, we prioritize education, designing specialized programs for students in blockchain, crypto, Web3, and AI. Second, we promote these technologies through events like hackathons and symposiums. Third, our research focuses on addressing practical challenges in blockchain and AI. Finally, we emphasize commercialization by incubating companies, and transforming theoretical insights into impactful applications that bridge innovation with real-world implementation, adding measurable value to the industry.

How has your vast journey with technology shaped your perspective on its evolution, and how do you think the role of a mentor or technology leader has transformed over the years? Over the years, my journey in technology has evolved from scholarly research in data science and statistics to a more practical, entrepreneurial focus. Initially, students in pure sciences had fewer opportunities to venture into startups compared to those in engineering. However, with the rise of blockchain and AI, fields deeply rooted in mathematics, students and faculty alike have increasingly shifted toward commercializing research. This shift has transformed the role of mentors, encouraging us to guide students not only in theory but in creating tangible applications, driving societal impact, and nurturing startups that thrive in the competitive tech landscape.

How do you approach and manage critical aspects like funding and resource allocation for the lab's initiatives? Funding and resource allocation are pivotal in supporting our incubatorʼs mission to nurture startups. We receive funding from several avenues, including university support and governmentbacked institutions like Hong Kongʼs Science Park and Innovation Technology Council. These entities offer grants and special programs, providing critical public-sector financial backing. Additionally, we work with private investors. Our long-standing presence has connected us with various local, mainland, and international funds. Through our Office of Knowledge Transfer (OKT), we introduce startups to potential investors, creating opportunities for impactful investment and ensuring our ventures are well-aligned with current industry developments.

What are the future goals for this initiative, and how do you envision the development of the technology you're working on? I'm highly optimistic about the future of our initiative and the technologies we're advancing. Blockchain is rapidly evolving, despite challenges, particularly regulatory ones, which we must respect. However, blockchainʼs societal benefits are undeniable, and I believe governments will gradually adjust policies to unlock its potential. In Hong Kong, the governmentʼs sandbox projects, like tokenizing real-world assets, signal promising opportunities, and we are gearing up to contribute to this area. AI, meanwhile, is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, as some anticipate AGI within a decade. Regardless of that timeline, AIʼs impact is already transformative, spanning industries and daily life. For our students, this era is ripe with potential, providing them with invaluable opportunities in these critical fields.

Kani Chen, Director, HKUST Crypto-Fintech Lab Kani Chen is the Director of the HKUST CryptoFintech Lab and a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics. He holds a PhD in Statistics from Columbia University. His research interests include data analytics, blockchain and AI. Kani Chen is dedicated to bridging academic research with real-world applications, particularly in emerging technologies.