Symposium forges links to help start-ups scale up and branch out

 

 

As Hong Kong’s technology start-up community continues to expand at an energetic pace, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) is continuously looking for ways to help its incubation companies, and Hong Kong’s wider start-up community, explore funding opportunities and develop business knowledge to enable them to grow their enterprises.

Peter Mok, HKSTPC head of incubation programmes, says that since 2003, through its various incubation programmes, HKSTP has supported and assisted more than 500 start-up companies, 80 per cent of which are still in business, employing staff and contributing to Hong Kong’s economy. Mok says as part of its ongoing support for incubation companies and graduates of the incubation programmes, the HKSTP is placing the emphasis on helping companies secure funding and grow their businesses by connecting them with established organisations. For instance, the HKSTP Technologies from the Science Park initiative helps incubation firms pitch their ideas and put their technology solutions through a trial phase with leading corporations in Hong Kong including CLP, MTRC and the Airport Authority. “Currently we have 10 large company partners, which we hope to extend to 20 by the end of the year and extend the programme to include government departments,” Mok says.