HK Tech 300 Expands Global Start‑up Ecosystem CityUHK Academy of Innovation Builds Collaboration in London and Singapore

To strengthen international engagement, CityUHK Academy of Innovation (CAI) representatives visited Singapore and co‑hosted a seminar and networking reception in London with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (London ETO) of the HKSAR Government, themed “Bridging Innovation: Connecting Talent and Partnerships”. These initiatives aim to promote I&E and support the growth of deep-tech start-ups.

With support from Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), CityUHK and the London ETO hosted a seminar and networking reception in London, United Kingdom, to bolster global talent incubation and industry-academia collaboration.

The event attracted over 80 participants, including representatives from the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and leading corporations in the investment, technology and industrial sectors. Joining them were host companies in the UK that offer internships for students participating in the CAI’s Overseas Start-up Technology Entrepreneur Programme (STEP). Also participating in the event were CityUHK students currently interning in London start-ups, who engaged in fruitful exchanges.

Speaking at the event, Miss Fiona Chau Suet-mui, Director General of the London ETO, encouraged academic institutions, start-ups, entrepreneurs, investors and global talent to consider Hong Kong as a base for scaling ventures, advancing careers and building global partnerships.

Professor Michael Tse Chi-kong, CityUHK Associate Vice-President (Innovation) and Director of the CAI, stated that as a leading global university in I&E, CityUHK has yielded fruitful results through HK Tech 300 and the CAI, established in recent years. “CityUHK is committed to nurturing talent through innovation education,” he said. “With its global focus, the CAI serves as a vital bridge for cross-sector collaboration between countries and cities, expanding our global footprint and empowering more deep-tech talent and start-ups to successfully enter international markets.”

The CAI then led the students on visits to local start-up incubators and co-working spaces, including “Level 39” in London, which has supported more than 180 start-ups in fields such as fintech, cybersecurity, AI and life sciences. They engaged with experts from Imperial College London and with local start-ups in healthcare, education, smart cities and big data to explore the market, resources and business environment in the region.

In February, the CAI led a team to Singapore to visit local innovation hubs, including One‑North, and engaged with their start‑up communities, incubators and professional service groups. The visit offered insights into connecting the strengths and resources of both regions in areas such as talent development, industry chains, market demand, investment and collaboration opportunities, thereby enabling start‑ups from both regions to enter each other’s market.

To attract deep-tech talent and start-ups to Hong Kong and help them go global, CityUHK launched the HK Tech 300 International Start-up Competition in May 2025, which has attracted over 200 participating teams from nine countries and cities: Brunei, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam and Hong Kong, China.

Meanwhile, HK Tech 300 start‑ups are striving to expand into overseas markets. LocoBike, a bike‑sharing platform in Hong Kong, explored collaboration with Vietnam’s Sunwah Group through HK Tech 300 activities and successfully formed a partnership. It is expected to enter Vietnam’s motorcycle‑sharing market in 2026, becoming the first overseas start‑up to provide such services in the country.

Another start-up, i2Cool, specialises in electricity-free cooling products, which have been applied in architecture, the chemical industry, power & telecoms, new energy, logistics, grain storage and photovoltaics. Their products are being used in more than 20 countries and regions, including the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

Wada FoodTech (known as Wada Bento), which provides a decentralised food-service platform using AIoT hot chain technology, has already expanded into Japan and is now developing its business in Australia, the United Kingdom and other regions.

“CityUHK is committed to gathering global innovation and technology resources,” said Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, CityUHK Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise). “HK Tech 300, serves as an international platform connecting the government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors, aiming to attract promising deep-tech start-ups to Hong Kong while promoting local innovative solutions on the global stage. As an integral part of HK Tech 300, the CAI will continue to incubate more deep-tech talent and start-ups through the STEP and other overseas partners, enabling them to begin in Hong Kong and grow globally.”