SDSN Hong Kong

What SDSN Hong Kong does

SDSN Hong Kong is the Hong Kong chapter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, established in 2018 and co-hosted by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. It operates as a membership-based network alliance of knowledge-generating institutions — including universities, research centres, civil society organizations, businesses, and foundations — focused on practical problem-solving for the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The organization serves as a convening platform for academia, philanthropy, government, business, and non-profits to collaborate on SDG localization, with strategic priorities in poverty alleviation, health, education, sustainable consumption, and climate action.

The organization's core deliverables are educational platforms and engagement programs rather than commercial software products. These include the SDG Game (an interactive web-based game teaching the 17 SDGs through matching activities and quizzes), the SDG Academy (free massive open online courses on sustainable development delivered through edX), a curated resources hub, and a portfolio of event series — the Distinguished Lecture on Sustainable Development, the Global Conference on Sustainable Development (GCSD), and the SDG Forum Series. The network also operates the SDSN Youth Hong Kong chapter and conducts periodic research initiatives such as the SDG Youth Survey (first conducted in 2018, second round in 2022). Digital infrastructure includes an online membership application system and a website portal.

SDSN Hong Kong functions as a non-profit network organization with a freemium revenue model. Membership is free and open to not-for-profit knowledge-generating institutions, with applications reviewed quarterly by the Networks Strategy Council. The organization does not charge membership dues to its 20+ member institutions; instead, it operates through co-hosting arrangements with HKJCCT and CUHK, which provide funding, institutional infrastructure, and strategic direction. The GTM motion is community-led, with member engagement driven through events, conferences, seminars, distinguished lectures, and youth programs. As of 2023, the broader global SDSN network comprised 1,816 members across 42 networks and 13 regions, providing SDSN Hong Kong with international reach and content synergies.

Name

SDSN Hong Kong

Legal name

Hong Kong Chapter of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN Hong Kong)

Website

https://sdsn-hk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SDSN Hong Kong is a non-profit network organization co-hosted by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, established in 2018 to mobilize knowledge-generating institutions for advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Hong Kong through educational platforms, conferences, and youth programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SDSN Hong Kong membership is free and open to not-for-profit institutions including universities, research institutions, foundations, and civil society groups. As a charitable network organization, it operates through co-hosting arrangements and does not charge membership fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SDSN Hong Kong is a non-profit membership-based network that mobilizes universities, research centres, civil society organizations, businesses, and knowledge centres to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Hong Kong. It delivers a portfolio of educational platforms (SDG Game, SDG Academy, Resources hub) and engagement programs (Distinguished Lecture series, Global Conference on Sustainable Development, SDG Forum Series, SDSN Youth Hong Kong, SDG Youth Survey) to support SDG localization, research, and youth empowerment. The network is co-hosted by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, providing access to global SDSN content and research through a Hong Kong-based platform.

Product overview

SDSN Hong Kong operates as a network organization co-hosted by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, established in 2018 to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Hong Kong. Rather than a traditional software product, the organization provides a portfolio of educational platforms and engagement programs: The SDG Game offers interactive learning about the 17 SDGs; The SDG Academy delivers free online courses through edX; Resources compiles sustainability guides and reports; and the Distinguished Lecture series, Global Conference on Sustainable Development, and SDG Forum Series facilitate knowledge exchange among academia, government, business, and civil society. The network also operates youth programs including SDSN Youth Hong Kong and conducts research initiatives such as the SDG Youth Survey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SDG Game Interactive web-based game that educates users about the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals through matching pairs, quizzes, and action recommendations, targeting the general public and students.
• The SDG Academy Flagship education platform that creates and curates free massive open online courses (MOOCs) on sustainable development, offered as a global public good in partnership with edX. Aimed at students, researchers, and the general public worldwide.
• Resources Curated collection of sustainability resources including guides, reports, and reference materials covering topics such as carbon neutrality, sustainable development, climate action, energy, and waste management. Aimed at member institutions, researchers, and the public.
• Distinguished Lecture on Sustainable Development (DLSD) Lecture series featuring world-renowned experts (e.g., Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Professor Naoko Ishii, Professor Xuemei Bai) sharing perspectives on pressing global sustainability issues, fostering dialogue among academia, philanthropy, government, business, and non-profits.
• Global Conference on Sustainable Development (GCSD) Annual international conference convening global leaders, experts, and practitioners to address environmental and social challenges and forge collaborations in pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• SDG Forum Series Dynamic platform for in-depth discussions on critical sustainable development challenges and innovative solutions relevant to Hong Kong and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
• SDSN Youth Hong Kong Youth chapter empowering young people aged 18-30 in Hong Kong to create sustainable development solutions through student hubs, seminars, and global youth programs such as the Local Pathways Fellowship.
• SDG Youth Survey Commissioned research surveys gauging young people's awareness of the SDGs and opinions about sustainable development in Hong Kong, first conducted in 2018 with a second round in 2022.
• Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change - Sustainability Hub Sustainability hub hosted at CUHK featuring exhibitions, educational programs, and resources on climate change and environmental protection, drawing over 1.3 million exhibition visitors since opening in December 2013.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1.3 million exhibition visitors reached through Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Australian Consulate-General Hong KongflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2025First collaboration between SDSN Hong Kong and Australian Consulate-General Hong Kong to co-host the Distinguished Lecture on Sustainable Development featuring Professor Xuemei Bai from Australian National University.
• Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global CitizensflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2023Mr Ban Ki-moon, former United Nations Secretary-General and Co-Chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, was a keynote speaker at the Global Conference on Sustainable Development 2023.
• The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2018Co-host of SDSN Hong Kong since establishment in 2018. The Trust, one of the world's top ten charity donors, provides funding and strategic direction for sustainable development initiatives. Committed to improving quality of life through projects in Positive Ageing, Children & Youth Development, Healthy Community, and Talent & Capacity Building.
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2018Co-host of SDSN Hong Kong providing academic leadership and research expertise. CUHK houses several world-renowned research centres including the Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability (IEES), Institute of Future Cities (IOFC), and the Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change. Ranked 1st in Hong Kong in THE Impact Rankings 2023.
• Association of Pacific Rim UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive of APRU, spoke at GCSD 2023 conference on sustainable development topics.
• Project Pressure (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based non-profit arts organisation that documents the world's vanishing glaciers. Partnered with Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change on the 'Vanishing Glaciers' exhibition in 2018.
• University of Exeter (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCUHK-University of Exeter Joint Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Resilience (ENSURE) engages researchers to tackle emerging environmental issues and human health impacts of global environmental change.
• Ban Ki-moon (UN Secretary-General)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresident of SDSN, Jeffrey Sachs advocates for global sustainability and sustainable development solutions. Active in SDSN Hong Kong initiatives and conferences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UN Global Compact Network Hong Kong: Local Hong Kong network of the UN Global Compact, operating as a membership-based platform convening companies, academia, and civil society around sustainability principles. Directly comparable to SDSN Hong Kong in mission, membership structure, and UN-affiliation, though focused on corporate sustainability rather than academic knowledge mobilization.
• Civic Exchange: Independent Hong Kong think tank focused on environmental and sustainability policy research. Operates in the same Hong Kong sustainability ecosystem as SDSN Hong Kong, with overlapping member institutions, funder bases, and stakeholder audiences in academia, government, and civil society.
• CarbonCare Asia: Hong Kong-based non-profit focused on climate change education, carbon reduction initiatives, and community engagement. Comparable in mission, Hong Kong focus, and educational/community engagement approach (games, training, events), though with a narrower climate-only scope.
• Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA): Hong Kong membership-based network promoting green and sustainable finance. Comparable to SDSN Hong Kong as a Hong Kong network organization convening cross-sector stakeholders, but with a more narrowly defined financial-sector focus rather than broad SDG coverage.
• SDSN Japan: Japan chapter of the same UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Operates as a peer regional chapter under the same global SDSN brand and governance, with comparable membership structure and educational programs. Most directly comparable peer given the shared parent brand and operating model.
• Business Environment Council (BEC): Hong Kong-based membership organization of businesses and professionals focused on environmental sustainability. Directly competes for the same Hong Kong institutional sustainability mindshare, member engagement, and event/conference audiences as SDSN Hong Kong, with a longer operating history (founded 1992) and corporate-focused value proposition.
• APRU (Association of Pacific Rim Universities): Network of leading Pacific Rim research universities, including HKU and CUHK, that collaborate on sustainability and other research initiatives. Directly comparable as a membership-based network of knowledge-generating universities, with overlapping membership institutions and a similar convening function in sustainability.

Broad incumbents

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): International standards organization for sustainability reporting, with global membership across corporates, governments, and civil society. Comparable in operating as a sustainability-focused network/membership organization, but operates at a global scale and a much narrower reporting-standards focus.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research organization working at the intersection of environment and socioeconomic development. Operates in a similar sustainability knowledge-and-research space as SDSN Hong Kong, but at significantly larger scale, with a global programmatic footprint and established funder base.
• WWF-Hong Kong: Established Hong Kong arm of the global World Wildlife Fund. Operates in the same Hong Kong sustainability and education space with significantly larger scale, broader program portfolio, and a much more developed donor/membership infrastructure. Comparable as a sustainability education and engagement peer, though its conservation focus is narrower than SDSN Hong Kong's 17-SDG scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SDSNHongKong
• Facebookfacebook.com/sdsnhongkong
• Instagraminstagram.com/sdsn_hongkong
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sdsn-hong-kong

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SDSN Hong Kong