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Frisco Unveils New Innovation Hub to Support Growing Innovation and Venture Capital Sectors

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Plug and Play to serve as operator for new innovation hub

FRISCO, Texas, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The City of Frisco, Texas, announced the opening of Origin, a new innovation focused facility designed to bring industry specific accelerator programming, sports-tech innovation in human potential and international startup support to the region. Origin is a public-private partnership conceptualized by the Frisco Economic Development Corporation (Frisco EDC) and brought to fruition by Plug and Play at Baylor Scott & White Health Sports Therapy & Research.

Origin has been under development since 2020 and stemmed from the city leadership’s vision to create an open collaboration space for residents to scale their businesses, as well as a networking space for venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, fintech, sportstech, AI, cybersecurity and other startups. After a competitive request for proposal process, Plug and Play was selected in 2023 as the facility’s operator due to their proven ability to connect startups with large corporations, investors and industry leaders.

“This new facility is proof of what’s possible when a city drives with vision, determination and collaborative partnerships,” said Jeff Cheney, Mayor of Frisco. “This hub is a starting point for new technologies, businesses and careers in Frisco. I’m excited to see the groundbreaking innovation that will take shape here.”

Located on the 10th floor of the Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research facility in Frisco, Origin and Plug and Play’s innovation hub will anchor a joint 6,000-square-foot space designed to bring together startups, investors and corporate partners at the center of Frisco’s innovation movement. The flexibly designed space includes private offices, meeting rooms and co-working areas designed to accommodate the thriving startup ecosystem.

“Frisco is home to more than 500 tech companies and many top tier leading brands,” said Jason Ford, President of the Frisco EDC. “Origin was a strategic investment in Frisco’s future and marks a major step forward in Frisco’s continued rise as a national innovation leader. With the help of Baylor Scott & White and Plug and Play, we’ve created a one-of-a-kind space where new ideas, industries and startups can flourish here in Frisco, all working side by side.”

For Plug and Play, a Silicon Valley-based innovation acceleration company with an international presence, this new facility will be the largest space under their operation outside of their California headquarters. Plug and Play will operate the hub under a membership-based model, and will host networking events, hackathons, workshops and special presentations open to the greater community.

“This innovation hub is more than just a physical space, it’s a signal to the world that Frisco is serious about shaping the future,” said Saeed Amidi, CEO and Founder of Plug and Play. “Frisco is already a national model for how sports, business, and innovation can coexist. We’re honored to bring our global network and proven accelerator model to this remarkable community with values perfectly aligned to our own.”

In addition to hosting carefully designed startup cohorts, the space will also be open to Frisco-based entrepreneurs, service providers and partner institutions, including the University of North Texas–Frisco, which will sponsor a dedicated sports innovation space within the facility.

About Frisco Economic Development Corporation
The Frisco EDC operates as a Texas non-profit corporation and is governed by a seven-member board of directors appointed by the Frisco, Texas City Council. Job number one is facilitating the creation of jobs, as the Frisco EDC’s mission is to improve the economic opportunities and quality of life for all Frisco residents. The Frisco EDC has facilitated major economic development projects, resulting in hundreds of projects and thousands of jobs in the City of Frisco. For more information, visit FriscoEDC.com.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Plug and Play is present in 60-plus locations across five continents. It offers corporate innovation programs and helps corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. Plug and Play also organizes startup acceleration programs and has built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where it has invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal and Rappi. For more information, visit www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.

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SOURCE Frisco Economic Development Corporation

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ASTRI Establishes Advisory Board for Smart Mobility Technology Alliance

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Bringing Together Industry, Academia and Research to Drive Mobility Innovation

HONG KONG, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) announced the establishment of an Advisory Board for the Smart Mobility Technology Alliance (SMTA), an industry-leading initiative designed to accelerate the adoption and scaling of next-generation smart mobility technologies across the Greater Bay Area and beyond. The SMTA aims to address critical challenges and foster a commercially-driven ecosystem for innovation in the smart mobility sector.

The newly-formed Advisory Board comprises distinguished leaders from infrastructure, transport, telecommunications, and academia, offering a wide-ranging blend of industry expertise, market intelligence and policy insight. Drawing on their extensive network and experience across the public and private sectors, the Advisory Board will shape the SMTA’s strategic priorities, identify emerging opportunities, and provide guidance on the evolving mobility landscape.

“The formation of the SMTA Advisory Board underscores ASTRI’s commitment to advancing Hong Kong as a regional leader in technology-driven mobility,” said Ir Dr Ted Suen, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI. “By uniting industry, government, academia and research around a shared vision, this strategic alliance will unlock commercial opportunities and deliver transformative solutions that redefine the future of mobility,” he added.

The Advisory Board provides strategic guidance on SMTA’s vision and research and development priorities, helping to align its initiatives with market needs and commercialisation opportunities. It supports ecosystem development by fostering partnerships across industry, academia and the public sector, while facilitating pilot projects and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship. The Board also offers insights on policy and standards, and promotes engagement with key stakeholders and international partners to advance future mobility innovation.

Members of the Advisory Board for Smart Mobility Technology Alliance include:

Chairman

Dr Ying Huang, Chief Technology Officer, ASTRI

Deputy Chairman

Mr Dominic Chow, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation, HKSAR Government

Secretary

Dr Ivan Sham, Chief Director, Technical Solutions Business Development, ASTRI

Members (by alphabetical order in surname)

Mr Lawrence Fong, Director, Digital and IT, Cathay Pacific Airways LimitedMr William Ho, Executive Director, Corporate Development, Airport Authority Hong KongIr Dr John Hui, Deputy Executive Director, Vocational Training CouncilMr Ryan Ip, Vice President of Our Hong Kong FoundationProf Mei-po Kwan, Director, Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong KongDr Gabriel Leung, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Solutions, Hong Kong Broadband Network LimitedMr Roger Ma, General Manager (Operations), Citybus LimitedMr Steve Ng, Managing Director, Commercial Group, HKT LimitedMs Sylvia Ng, Deputy Director, Corporate Development, MTR Corporation LimitedMr BY Sim, General Manager (Hong Kong SAR), Thales Solutions and Services Hong Kong LimitedMr Alex Wong, Deputy CEO, Corporate Affairs, Hong Kong Representative Office, Huawei International Co LimitedDr Rosana Wong, Deputy Chair and Executive Director, Yau Lee Holdings LimitedMs Yan Yan, General Manager, Keeta Drone Hong KongMs Theresa Yeung, Managing Principal, East Asia, Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited

Launched by ASTRI in April 2023, the Smart Mobility Technology Alliance (formerly the Smart Mobility Technology (C-V2X) Alliance) provides a networking and knowledge sharing platform for ecosystem stakeholders. These include infrastructure manufacturers, telecommunications providers, EV and drone developers, system integrators, and end users from China, in particular the Greater Bay Area, and overseas markets, all seeking to explore collaboration and technology commercialisation in the smart mobility field.

SMTA Website: https://smta.astri.org/

Photos Download: https://bit.ly/4s0M9ex

 

About ASTRI

Founded in 2000 by the HKSAR Government, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) is the city’s largest government-funded R&D centre. Committed to transforming high-impact research into practical innovations, ASTRI drives market-driven, interdisciplinary advancements across sectors, including Smart City, FinTech, Digital Health and Life Sciences, New Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) and Advanced Electronics, New Energy and Energy Storage, and Green and ESG Technologies. Following its merger with the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute, ASTRI has further strengthened its capabilities, with over 1,500 patents and 2,200 successful cases of technology transfer. Recognised with numerous international awards, ASTRI continues to nurture top I&T talent and foster collaborations among the I&T ecosystem, contributing to Hong Kong’s high-value economic development. For more information, please visit: https://www.astri.org

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SOURCE Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI)

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2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit Opens

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WUZHEN, China, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from CRI Online

The 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit opened on November 3 in Wuzhen, Tongxiang City in Zhejiang Province, under the theme “Open Source and Openness, Joined Contribution and Shared Benefits — Jointly Building a Community With a Shared Future in Cyberspace”. Approximately 1,800 participants attended the opening ceremony, including government officials from various countries, heads of international organizations such as the United Nations, representatives of global Internet companies, and experts and scholars.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2026-world-internet-conference-wuzhen-summit-opens-302931703.html

SOURCE CRI Online

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Forum on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations in Cyberspace held at 2026 WIC Wuzhen Summit

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WUZHEN, China, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from CRI Online:

The Forum on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations in Cyberspace was held in Wuzhen, east China’s Zhejiang Province, on November 4 as part of the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit.

Themed “Deepening Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Building a Better Online Home Together,” the forum aimed to promote the Global Civilization Initiative and advance exchanges among civilizations in cyberspace, contributing to a community with a shared future in cyberspace.

Yang Jianwen, deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China; Hu Wei, vice governor of Zhejiang Province; and Peng Jianming, a member of China Media Group’s editorial board, delivered opening remarks.

Keynote speakers shared achievements and practical experience in digital cultural heritage preservation and development, international youth exchanges and talent development, cross-cultural communication by mainstream media, and film and television production.

A roundtable discussion explored “Co-Creating Diverse Online Content, Unlocking New Paradigms for Dialogue among Civilizations.”

The forum also launched the “Initiative for Improvement of Minors’ Internet Literacy.” Representatives from the Cyberspace Administration of China’s Bureau of Internet Social Work, the Ministry of Education’s Department of Basic Education, the ministry’s Center for Educational Technology and Resource Development, and Tencent, together with Peking University experts, jointly launched the initiative.

The micro variety show project “Civilizations in Conversation” was also unveiled. A Chinese opera artist and a British performer of Chinese opera jointly presented “Shared Operatic Charm: Face-Changing Show Featuring a Foreign ‘Monkey King'” during an intangible cultural heritage showcase.

Hosted by China Media Group and co-organized by CRI Online, Huawei and RayNeo, the forum attracted more than 120 participants, including government officials, experts and scholars in online culture, technology company executives, and prominent online personalities.

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SOURCE CRI Online

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