(Hong Kong, August 25, 2025) The Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2025 (ABU Robocon 2025) successfully concluded in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on August 24. The HKU Robocon team from the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) represented Hong Kong, China to compete with 13 university teams from 13 countries and regions, including Japan, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The team secured the 1st runner-up at the competition, gaining international recognition and delivering an inspiring performance.
ABU Robocon is an international competition aimed at promoting the exchange of engineering and computer technology knowledge and skills among young people in the Asia-Pacific region, while also enhancing their technical abilities through competitive participation.
Co-hosted by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Hong Kong has successfully secured the opportunity to host the ABU Robocon in 2026. Henry Fong, Assistant Director of Partnerships at HKSTP, joined Ricky Lee, Controller (TV) at RTHK, to officiate a handover ceremony. The theme for ABU Robocon 2026 will be “Martial Arts”, incorporating elements of artificial intelligence (AI) to encourage participants to explore innovative applications of the technology.
Eric Or, Acting Chief Corporate Development Officer at HKSTP, congratulated the HKU team and said, “HKSTP is dedicated to nurturing I&T talent through world-class infrastructure and comprehensive support, empowering students to turn their dreams into reality. We are delighted to be the host for this prestigious international academic event, which will bring top global I&T elites to Hong Kong, sparking new creative synergies with local students. We will collaborate with all sectors to deliver a premier competition that inspires innovative thinking and showcases the dynamism of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem to the world.”
Ricky Lee, Controller (TV) at RTHK stated, "With martial arts so deeply rooted in both Chinese history and Hong Kong culture, RTHK is honored to host ABU Robocon after 14 years. We pledge to deliver an exceptional platform that fosters collaboration, sparks innovation, and facilitates the exchange of cutting-edge technology among tertiary students. Our hope is that this competition will significantly contribute to Hong Kong's progress in AI and robotics.”
The theme of this year’s competition, “Robot Basketball”, was inspired by Mongolia’s beloved sport. Participating teams designed and built basketball-playing robots using engineering and technological expertise. Each team developed two robotic players to perform complex actions such as passing, dribbling, and shooting within a strict time limit, showcasing their technical skill, innovation, and teamwork. This year, the HKU Robocon Virtus team, comprising 31 students from engineering and science backgrounds, earned the honour to represent Hong Kong, China by clinching the local championship and returning to the top spot at Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2025.
Professor David Srolovitz, Dean of HKU Engineering, congratulated the team, “HKU Engineering has always encouraged interdisciplinary research and hands-on innovation. The winning of a top award at the competition is a testament to our students’ dedication, creativity, and teamwork in developing intelligent robots through meticulous design, producing and assembly of mechanical parts and electronic components, all while seamlessly integrating AI with computer programming and robotics. I am incredibly proud of their achievement and excited to see how they will apply their engineering expertise to solve real-world challenges and make a positive impact on society.”
The Virtus team’s robot features a groundbreaking long pneumatic cylinder design, which significantly boosting its dribbling capability. Another highlight is its lift mechanism, which raises the shooting apparatus to a high position, allowing the robot to execute shots immediately after catching the ball. HKU Robocon team captain, Ka Tsun Mak, a Year-4 student in Mechanical Engineering, is immensely proud of the team, “This achievement is only possible thanks to the unwavering dedication and relentless efforts of every team member. Their hard work and pursuit of excellence have allowed us to achieve outstanding performance. Special thanks to the Faculty of Engineering and Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing for their support, which has been instrumental in preparing us for the competition.”
A 4-episode documentary “Robocon 2025”, produced by RTHK, will feature highlights from the “Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2025” and “ABU Robocon 2025”, including HK team’s journey. It will be broadcast from September 27, every Saturday at 7:30pm on RTHK TV31. It will also be available for streaming on the RTHK website (tv.rthk.hk) and mobile app "RTHK TV".
About HKU Robocon ： https://innowings.engg.hku.hk/robocon/
