Sustainable Business Lab Hosts Industry Roundtable on AI Applications for Social Impact
Sustainable Business Lab Hosts Industry Roundtable on AI Applications for Social Impact
05
May
05/05/2026
The Sustainable Business Lab (SBL) at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Faculty of Business and Law hosted its industry roundtable, “AI Applications for Social Entrepreneurs”.
The Sustainable Business Lab (SBL) at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Faculty of Business and Law hosted its industry roundtable, “AI Applications for Social Entrepreneurs,” on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The event, held at Vasco at Artyzen Macau and live-streamed via Zoom, explored how technologies like AI, AR, and VR are being harnessed to address societal challenges and foster social inclusion.
Professor Florence Lei, Coordinator for the Sustainable Business Lab, opened the session by emphasising the lab’s core focus on “Business as a Social Solution”. She noted that the roundtable aimed to offer a forward-looking perspective on how innovation serves as a catalyst for a more equitable and sustainable future, specifically within the realm of Special Educational Needs (SEN).
The event featured two prominent social entrepreneurs:
- Mr. Ernest Chan, founder of AESIR.hk and Co-Chair of the CatalystNow Hong Kong Chapter, discussed using “Impact Tech” to create immersive healthcare and educational experiences. He highlighted his work with the “Asthma Signal” app and adaptive AI feedback in “Smart-Sports Geron-Olympics” for the elderly.
- Mr. Patrick Lau, founder of Snaildy Education and a Forbes 30 Under 30 (Social Impact) honoree, shared his mission to address “time poverty” in special education. His platform supports over 20,000 students across Hong Kong and Macau through centralised “Digital Student Profiles” and his vision for a SEN-dedicated Large Language Model (LLM).
During the moderated discussion, the speakers addressed the challenges of scaling impact in the Greater Bay Area, including data privacy, ethics, and the difficulty of finding specialized talent. Mr. Chan also explored the potential for immersive AR/VR systems to improve accessibility within Macau’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
The roundtable was supported by venue sponsor Artyzen Macau and supporting unit CatalystNow. The event concluded with a networking session designed to foster further collaboration among social innovators and the USJ community.
