Go Global with Hong Kong as a Launchpad HK Tech 300 National Competition Expands to 16 Cities
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) recently held the HK Tech 300 National Start-up Competition (National Competition) 3rd Awards Ceremony and the Launch of the 4th Competition. Ten outstanding start-ups earned top honours among over 500 entries from Hong Kong and 12 Chinese Mainland cities for their innovations in new materials, digital health, semiconductors, AI and robotics. The competition clusters will expand to 16 Chinese Mainland cities in the 4th Competition.
In conjunction with the Ceremony, about 40 start-ups from HK Tech 300, spin-offs of RAISe+ awardees, and winners from the National Competition showcased their innovative solutions. Following the Competition, CityUHK and Deloitte China co-organised a seminar focusing on the effective utilisation of Hong Kong’s capital market and the various platforms offered by the government, universities and professional sectors to support start-ups in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in their global expansion.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Two-way Springboard: Gathering Resources and Networks
Presiding over the Ceremony was Ms Lilian Cheong, Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; Professor Wang Weiming, Director-General of the Education and Youth Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Professor Chun-sing Lee, Acting President of CityUHK; and Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) of CityUHK. Guests from 16 Chinese Mainland cities joined the Ceremony, including Mr Tong Laisheng, Deputy Mayor of the Changsha Municipal People's Government, and representatives from various government and partner organisations.
In her speech, Ms Cheong said that the National Competition inspires innovative ideas and promotes collaborations across regions and that CityUHK and HK Tech 300 play an important bridging role by strengthening collaboration across disciplines, sectors and boundaries, fostering many promising start-ups.
Professor Lee stated that the National Competition served as a two-way springboard, attracting extensive capital, resources and networks for start-ups to shine. With the unwavering support from the Motherland and strong ties to the international stage, CityUHK will continue to strengthen Hong Kong’s role as an international I&T hub, connecting technology, talent and start-ups with global markets.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Expanding Networks: Connecting Global Markets
Since its launch in 2022, the 3rd National Competition has covered 12 clusters across the Chinese Mainland: Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Changsha, Suzhou, Dongguan and Wuxi. The fourth edition will expand to include Guangzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen and Changzhou. The competition is also open to start-ups from Hong Kong.
This year’s Top 10 Grand Final was held with the Awards Ceremony on the same day. The winning start-ups noted that HK Tech 300 offers extensive patent resources, industry connections and cross-border incubation advantages, empowering them to “go global” and accelerate their international growth. The winning start-ups will receive extensive support from the HK Tech 300 ecosystem, including professional training, business networking and investment matching, and up to HK$1 million in angel funding.
During the Ceremony, CityUHK co-hosted an Appreciation Ceremony to welcome 11 new co-investment partners to the HK Tech 300 programme. Promising teams from HK Tech 300 took the opportunity to express their gratitude to these trusted partners. To date, HK Tech 300 has established a robust network of more than 110 partners, including co-investment partnerships with 23 venture capital funds in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.
(Photo credit: City University of Hong Kong)
Collaborating with Deloitte China: Expanding Start-ups’ Global Reach
As a continuation of the National Competition, a seminar titled “Empowering Mainland Innovative and Tech Enterprises to Go Global with Hong Kong as a Launchpad” was co-organised with Deloitte China on the day following the Ceremony. The seminar aimed to help Chinese Mainland start-ups pursue listings in Hong Kong for global expansion. Through the city’s international capital market and business networks, these start-ups can showcase their home-grown innovations on the world stage and strengthen their global competitiveness.
The seminar brought together about 120 representatives from Chinese Mainland government authorities, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I&T enterprises and professional service organisations. It successfully established a “go global” platform connecting government, academia, industry and various sectors.
In his remarks, Mr Kevin Choi, Permanent Secretary for the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, encouraged Chinese Mainland start-ups to capitalise on Hong Kong’s unique advantages in technological collaboration, professional services and global connectivity to further expand their international footprint.
As Chairman of the Hong Kong 300 Executive Committee, Professor Yang said, “Through strong collaboration among government, industry, academia, research institutions and investors, our robust HK Tech 300 ecosystem will continue to thrive and grow, further transforming the University’s intellectual property into innovative solutions with real-world impact.”