So Klose Wins 2012 Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur Award

So Klose Industry Firsts – Leading the Way

HONG KONG, Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- So Klose, Asia's the first ISO9001:2008 certified dating agency, has won "The 16th Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur Award" which was organized by City Junior Chamber (CJC) in recognition of the company and its founder that pursue excellence and embrace innovative ideas, relentlessly. 

Ms. Carolyn Chan of So Klose, an awardee of The 16th Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur (left); Mr. Ralph Chow, Director of Product Promotion, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (Middle); the “Nominator” of So Klose, Mr. Daniel Chan (right) during the Award Presentation Ceremony.

The Innovative Entrepreneur Awards Presentation Ceremony was successfully held on 17th August 2012 at Hyatt Regency Hong Kong. More than 150 guests attended the prize presentation ceremony. The guests included panels of judges, supporting organizations, leading businessmen, reporters and representatives from the winning companies.

This year's theme is "Be Creative, we love Innovation". The awards aim at encouraging and recognizing entrepreneurs on applying creativity and innovation in their journeys of creating a startup, and acknowledging Hong Kong companies established for at least 2 years to at most 6 years which have developed/launched an innovative product, service or process during the said period.

So Klose® went through an initial screening by Judging Panel; was short-listed as finalists and invited for the final judging interview. The judging criteria will be primarily based on Originality, Creativity and Uniqueness, Risk Management, Financial Management, Marketing Strategy, Management Approach, Industry or Public Recognition, Developmental Prospects, Social Responsibility and any other information relevant for consideration.

One of the judges, Mr. Ralph Chow, Director of Product Promotion, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said at the ceremony, "Ms Chan gained insights into potential niche market of elite singles and was aware of its high potential." Carolyn Chan, Director of So Klose said, "It is a great honour for So Klose to be recognized as a creative and innovative entrepreneur in the marketplace. Factors contributing to receiving the award include innovation through pioneering dating services with numerous 'first' of its kind in the marketplace. This prestigious award would elevate So Klose's local presence to stand out in the competitive environment. So Klose's objectives are aligned with City Junior Chamber's vision, which is to pursue excellence and embrace innovative ideas, relentlessly."

About Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur Awards

Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur is a project organized by City Junior Chamber (CJC) to acknowledge these successful entrepreneurs who have been silently working. JC hopes that these model entrepreneurs can inspire the public to start their own businesses. his year is the 16th Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur anniversary, throughout which CJC has already presented awards to 150 different awardees, and marked a very important milestone for this project.

This project also aims at encouraging people from different backgrounds who wish to start their own businesses, to stand out in the competitive environment, and to become the cream of the crop in their creativity.

About City JuniorChamber (CJC)

City Junior Chamber was established in 1981, which is one of the 19 local chapters of Junior Chamber International Hong Kong (JCIHK) and an all-man chamber and using Chinese as official language. There are more than 230 members, representing a network of highly motivated and forward looking young men who are mostly entrepreneurs or executives from a wide range of trades and businesses, who make full use of their leisure hours to work for the betterment of the community and themselves.

The purpose of JCIHK is to contribute to the advancement of the global community by providing the opportunity for the young people to develop their leadership skills, social responsibility, entrepreneurship, and fellowship necessary to create positive changes.

About SO KLOSE.COM

Engineered by the best, these So Klose "firsts" have become standards in the dating and matchmaking industry:

• Awarded "The 16th Tao Heung Innovative Entrepreneur Award" by City Junior Chamber
• Named "HK Emerging Service Brand 2011" jointly by Hong Kong Brand Development Council and The Chinese Manufacturer's Association of Hong Kong
• Being the first matchmaking agency in Asia to achieve ISO9001:2008 quality management systems certification.
• The first bespoke introduction agency in Hong Kong to launch "Hunting Method" to search the target potential partner for its clients.
• Received The "Excellence in ICM Award" and "Pioneer In Intellectual Capital Management" from Intellectual Property Department (IPD) in 2010.

The profile of So Klose members are mainly single professionals, executives and entrepreneurs coming from all over the world.  Since its inception, So Klose has been receiving overwhelming responses from the single elites within the local communities. Now, 40% of So Klose's new clients are referrals by their friends (i.e. So Klose's successful matching couples).  The vast majority of members (97%) have university degrees.  The majority of male members (70%) and about half of female members (48%) have studied overseas;  47% of So Klose male members are the top 5% income earners in Hong Kong population; while 46% of So Klose female members are the top 18% income earners which have annual incomes exceeding half million.

More information about SO KLOSE.COM is available at http://www.so-klose.com.

Contact Details

Carolyn Chan
SO KLOSE.COM
Tel: +852-3977-0517
Email: contact@so-klose.com