The flagship startup event set the stage for over 200 visionary speakers and attracted over 3,400\u00a0participants, including industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, tech enthusiasts, and government officials from 49 territories. The Festival also welcomed six delegations from Canada<\/span>, Mainland China, India<\/span>, the Philippines<\/span>, Thailand<\/span> and the UK, highlighting the diversity of Hong Kong’s<\/span> international startup ecosystem.<\/p>\n For the first time, a series of 15 roadshow events have been held across eight economies, successfully expanding the Festival’s international influence. These events attracted over 1,400 participants, connecting them with Invest Hong Kong. These impressive figures once again augment the city’s great potential and aspirations in becoming a global startup as well as innovation and technology (I&T) hub.\u00a0<\/p>\n Under the theme “A Future Unlimited”, the Festival featured a range of hot topics in the tech sector in particular, including Artificial Intelligence, web3, Gaming, Responsible Tech, Healthtech, Sustainability, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n The HKSAR Government is strongly committed to nurturing a vibrant startup ecosystem in Hong Kong<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Michael Wong<\/span>, Deputy Financial Secretary<\/b>, stated at LOUDER Connect<\/i>: Connecting the Dots for Responsible Tech<\/i> that the Hong Kong Government is dedicated to fostering a robust startup ecosystem that promotes innovation while ensuring responsible technology use. He highlighted that a significant milestone was the establishment of the Digital Policy Office (DPO) in July, pivotal in advancing data-driven, user-centric, and outcome-oriented digital policies across government and various sectors.\u00a0<\/p>\n Professor Sun Dong<\/span>, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry<\/b>,\u00a0emphasised that Hong Kong<\/span> is well positioned to become an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, as well as a health and medical innovation hub. It is home to five world top-100 universities, two world top-40 medical schools, eight State Key Laboratories and 16 InnoHK research centres which are life and health-related, offering\u00a0world-class research and development (R&D) capabilities.<\/p>\n Alpha Lau<\/span>, Director-General of Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong, <\/b>spoke at the JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, <\/i>stating that cross-sector government support, combined with a comprehensive stakeholder ecosystem, has made Hong Kong<\/span> an ideal destination for startups to thrive. “There is a record high of over 4,200 startups operating in Hong Kong<\/span>, employing over 16,000 staff. 26% of these startups have founders from outside of Hong Kong<\/span>, demonstrating the dynamism of our startup ecosystem,” she said.<\/p>\n AI and Sustainability: Driving Innovation Across Industries<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n The JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala <\/i>kicked off the Festival with a dynamic showcase of cutting-edge ideas and technologies. Industry leaders and experts gathered for thought-provoking discussions focusing on AI’s future and its impact on diverse markets. Sessions explored the challenges of adapting AI technologies to meet the needs of the Asia-Pacific<\/span> region, as well as global trends and ethical considerations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n In a keynote session,\u00a0John Whaley<\/span>, Founder & CEO of Redcoat AI<\/b>, said that humanity is currently in a pivotal moment in history with the rise of generative AI and foundational models. While their full potential remains largely unexplored, their significance is widely acknowledged and has the potential to change humanity for the better.<\/p>\n At Game On! 2024<\/i>,<\/i>\u00a0a standout moment\u00a0was the inspiring story of Cheng Yip-kai, the 16-year-old Pok\u00e9mon GO World Champion<\/b>. His journey to the top demonstrated the dedication and quick decision-making needed in this fast-paced game, like speed chess, with only a few players globally able to consistently excel.\u00a0 Cheng sees Olympic gold medalist Cheung Ka-Long<\/span> as his role model, as he aspires to become a world champion for the second time, just like him.\u00a0<\/p>\n At LOUDER Connect<\/i>, industry leaders and experts debated the importance of responsible tech and its role in shaping a sustainable future. The event also introduced for the first time pitch debates on the iconic Star Ferry,\u00a0which challenged student founders by placing them in the dynamic and competitive context of pitching against their peers.<\/p>\n The 1.5\u00b0C Summit \u2013 The Defining Decade for Impact <\/i>with Tech brought a sharp focus to climate change and technological solutions. This unique event gathered industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore how technology can revolutionise industries and foster a more sustainable future. Through keynotes and panel discussions, participants shared insights on critical actions needed to reduce emissions over the next decade.<\/p>\n Innovative pitching formats and an array of community events <\/u><\/b><\/p>\n The StartmeupHK Festival 2024 also showcased innovative pitching formats that connected startups with investors, and a wide range of community events that fostered meaningful discussions among investors and startup founders. Highlights included exclusive breakfast sessions organised by Hupo for business leaders, and dynamic events hosted by Rock & Run, which combined a hike to Victoria Peak<\/span> with a jog along the Hong Kong Harbourfront, allowing investors and founders to connect in a relaxed, scenic setting.<\/p>\n “We are thrilled to celebrate another successful year of the StartmeupHK Festival, which has facilitated deeper engagement between startups and investors. Bringing overseas attendees to our festival not only enhances the vibrancy of our startup ecosystem but also fosters invaluable connections that drive innovation and collaboration. As we continue to engage with the world, we unlock new opportunities that are essential for our growth as a leading innovation hub,” said Jayne Chan<\/span>, Head of Startups, InvestHK<\/b>.<\/p>\n Please download the high-res photos from here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n PR Newswire is the media partner of the StartmeupHK Festival 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n About Invest Hong Kong <\/b><\/p>\n Invest Hong Kong<\/span> (InvestHK) is the department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and mainland businesses to set up and expand in Hong Kong<\/span>. It offers free advice and services to support companies from the planning stage right through to the launch and expansion of their business. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk<\/a>.<\/p>\n About StartmeupHK <\/b><\/p>\n StartmeupHK is an initiative by InvestHK aimed at helping founders of innovative and scalable startups from overseas to set up or expand in Hong Kong<\/span>. Our services include providing information about the startup ecosystem here in Hong Kong<\/span>, connecting people to the startup community, hosting startup events and helping to foster a positive environment for startups to thrive. Find out more at www.startmeup.hk<\/a>, our one-stop portal to Hong Kong’s<\/span> startup ecosystem. For enquiries, please contact us at startmeuphk@investhk.gov.hk<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" <\/p>\n Championing Technology Across Industries\u00a0and Empowering Global\u00a0Startups for\u00a0a Future of Infinite\u00a0Opportunities<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n HONG KONG<\/span><\/span>, Nov. 7, 2024<\/span><\/span> \/PRNewswire\/ — The StartmeupHK Festival 2024 concluded successfully on 25 October, following an exciting week filled with engaging events, networking opportunities, and pitch competitions.<\/p>\n The flagship startup event set the stage for over 200 visionary speakers and attracted over 3,400\u00a0participants, including industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, tech enthusiasts, and government officials from 49 territories. The Festival also welcomed six delegations from Canada<\/span>, Mainland China, India<\/span>, the Philippines<\/span>, Thailand<\/span> and the UK, highlighting the diversity of Hong Kong’s<\/span> international startup ecosystem.<\/p>\n For the first time, a series of 15 roadshow events have been held across eight economies, successfully expanding the Festival’s international influence. These events attracted over 1,400 participants, connecting them with Invest Hong Kong. These impressive figures once again augment the city’s great potential and aspirations in becoming a global startup as well as innovation and technology (I&T) hub.\u00a0<\/p>\n Under the theme “A Future Unlimited”, the Festival featured a range of hot topics in the tech sector in particular, including Artificial Intelligence, web3, Gaming, Responsible Tech, Healthtech, Sustainability, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n The HKSAR Government is strongly committed to nurturing a vibrant startup ecosystem in Hong Kong<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Michael Wong<\/span>, Deputy Financial Secretary<\/b>, stated at LOUDER Connect<\/i>: Connecting the Dots for Responsible Tech<\/i> that the Hong Kong Government is dedicated to fostering a robust startup ecosystem that promotes innovation while ensuring responsible technology use. He highlighted that a significant milestone was the establishment of the Digital Policy Office (DPO) in July, pivotal in advancing data-driven, user-centric, and outcome-oriented digital policies across government and various sectors.\u00a0<\/p>\n Professor Sun Dong<\/span>, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry<\/b>,\u00a0emphasised that Hong Kong<\/span> is well positioned to become an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, as well as a health and medical innovation hub. It is home to five world top-100 universities, two world top-40 medical schools, eight State Key Laboratories and 16 InnoHK research centres which are life and health-related, offering\u00a0world-class research and development (R&D) capabilities.<\/p>\n Alpha Lau<\/span>, Director-General of Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong, <\/b>spoke at the JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, <\/i>stating that cross-sector government support, combined with a comprehensive stakeholder ecosystem, has made Hong Kong<\/span> an ideal destination for startups to thrive. “There is a record high of over 4,200 startups operating in Hong Kong<\/span>, employing over 16,000 staff. 26% of these startups have founders from outside of Hong Kong<\/span>, demonstrating the dynamism of our startup ecosystem,” she said.<\/p>\n AI and Sustainability: Driving Innovation Across Industries<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n The JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala <\/i>kicked off the Festival with a dynamic showcase of cutting-edge ideas and technologies. Industry leaders and experts gathered for thought-provoking discussions focusing on AI’s future and its impact on diverse markets. Sessions explored the challenges of adapting AI technologies to meet the needs of the Asia-Pacific<\/span> region, as well as global trends and ethical considerations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n In a keynote session,\u00a0John Whaley<\/span>, Founder & CEO of Redcoat AI<\/b>, said that humanity is currently in a pivotal moment in history with the rise of generative AI and foundational models. While their full potential remains largely unexplored, their significance is widely acknowledged and has the potential to change humanity for the better.<\/p>\n At Game On! 2024<\/i>,<\/i>\u00a0a standout moment\u00a0was the inspiring story of Cheng Yip-kai, the 16-year-old Pok\u00e9mon GO World Champion<\/b>. His journey to the top demonstrated the dedication and quick decision-making needed in this fast-paced game, like speed chess, with only a few players globally able to consistently excel.\u00a0 Cheng sees Olympic gold medalist Cheung Ka-Long<\/span> as his role model, as he aspires to become a world champion for the second time, just like him.\u00a0<\/p>\n At LOUDER Connect<\/i>, industry leaders and experts debated the importance of responsible tech and its role in shaping a sustainable future. The event also introduced for the first time pitch debates on the iconic Star Ferry,\u00a0which challenged student founders by placing them in the dynamic and competitive context of pitching against their peers.<\/p>\n The 1.5\u00b0C Summit \u2013 The Defining Decade for Impact <\/i>with Tech brought a sharp focus to climate change and technological solutions. This unique event gathered industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore how technology can revolutionise industries and foster a more sustainable future. Through keynotes and panel discussions, participants shared insights on critical actions needed to reduce emissions over the next decade.<\/p>\n Innovative pitching formats and an array of community events <\/u><\/b><\/p>\n The StartmeupHK Festival 2024 also showcased innovative pitching formats that connected startups with investors, and a wide range of community events that fostered meaningful discussions among investors and startup founders. Highlights included exclusive breakfast sessions organised by Hupo for business leaders, and dynamic events hosted by Rock & Run, which combined a hike to Victoria Peak<\/span> with a jog along the Hong Kong Harbourfront, allowing investors and founders to connect in a relaxed, scenic setting.<\/p>\n “We are thrilled to celebrate another successful year of the StartmeupHK Festival, which has facilitated deeper engagement between startups and investors. Bringing overseas attendees to our festival not only enhances the vibrancy of our startup ecosystem but also fosters invaluable connections that drive innovation and collaboration. As we continue to engage with the world, we unlock new opportunities that are essential for our growth as a leading innovation hub,” said Jayne Chan<\/span>, Head of Startups, InvestHK<\/b>.<\/p>\n Please download the high-res photos from here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n PR Newswire is the media partner of the StartmeupHK Festival 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n About Invest Hong Kong <\/b><\/p>\n Invest Hong Kong<\/span> (InvestHK) is the department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and mainland businesses to set up and expand in Hong Kong<\/span>. It offers free advice and services to support companies from the planning stage right through to the launch and expansion of their business. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk<\/a>.<\/p>\n About StartmeupHK <\/b><\/p>\n StartmeupHK is an initiative by InvestHK aimed at helping founders of innovative and scalable startups from overseas to set up or expand in Hong Kong<\/span>. Our services include providing information about the startup ecosystem here in Hong Kong<\/span>, connecting people to the startup community, hosting startup events and helping to foster a positive environment for startups to thrive. Find out more at www.startmeup.hk<\/a>, our one-stop portal to Hong Kong’s<\/span> startup ecosystem. For enquiries, please contact us at startmeuphk@investhk.gov.hk<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cision-pr-newswire","category-cision-pr-newswire-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11875","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11875"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11875\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11875"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Algernon](\"https:\/\/mma.prnasia.com\/media2\/2551466\/20241021_Jumpstarter_InvestHK_3150.jpg?p=medium600\" "\\"Algernon")
<\/a>
Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, delivered opening remarks at JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, the inaugural event of StartmeupHK Festival 2024. He said that the recent amendment to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) has enhanced flexibility for businesses and encouraged startups to leverage these advantages for growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/a>
Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, delivered opening remarks at JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, the inaugural event of StartmeupHK Festival 2024. He said that the recent amendment to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) has enhanced flexibility for businesses and encouraged startups to leverage these advantages for growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n