Smart cities and global ambitions put HK’s innovation drive in focus

InnoEX and the Electronics Fair showcase how the city is bridging public service, corporate innovation and global collaboration

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Hong Kong hosts InnoEX and the Electronics Fair this April as flagship events of BIT Week at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Published: 2:50pm, 9 Apr 2025

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With its sights set on long-term competitiveness, Hong Kong is embracing innovation as a core pillar of economic transformation, driven in part by strategic government support and an expanding ecosystem of tech-focused enterprises.

This April, the city will once again play host to two major technology and trade events: the third edition of InnoEX and the 21st HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition).

While the city has long positioned itself as an international financial centre, these annual fairs reflect a continued push to build its credentials as a regional tech hub, and as an emerging platform for broader exchange between public institutions, global buyers and the start-up community.

Both fairs are flagship events of the Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week), scheduled to run from April 13 to 16 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the two fairs are expected to attract over 2,800 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions this year, offering an expansive view of how innovation is being applied across sectors, from smart mobility to healthcare, and from robotics to consumer electronics.

HK’s smart city vision takes centre stage

One of the defining features of this year’s InnoEX is a sharpened focus on technologies shaping the cities of tomorrow – namely the low-altitude economy, cybersecurity and robotics.

Drones and low-altitude tech take flight as key tools for urban logistics, surveillance and environmental monitoring.

Drone systems and unmanned aerial vehicles are no longer niche concepts, but rapidly evolving tools for urban logistics, surveillance and environmental monitoring, with applications on display from both government departments and private innovators.

Cybersecurity and automation are also prominent, with local and international firms presenting solutions geared toward both commercial deployment and public infrastructure use.

Robotics, meanwhile, is being positioned as a cross-cutting enabler – from healthcare and construction to logistics and elderly care – suggesting its potential to ease workforce constraints and boost efficiency.

Tied closely to these themes is Hong Kong’s broader smart city vision, supported by a growing network of government-driven digital initiatives.

Since launching its first Smart City Blueprint in 2017, the Hong Kong government has introduced wide-ranging reforms to improve urban efficiency through technology.

These include the iAM Smart digital ID platform, the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure and more than 130 new measures under the expanded Smart City Blueprint 2.0.

At the centre of this push is the Smart Hong Kong Pavilion, curated by the Digital Policy Office (DPO).

Bringing together more than 100 AI- and data-driven solutions from 20 government bureaux and departments, the pavilion showcases the public sector’s evolving role as both a user and advocate of innovation.

The Smart Hong Kong Pavilion, curated by the DPO, displays over 100 AI-driven and data-centric solutions implemented by 20 government bureaux and departments.

ASTRI showcases smart city solutions at InnoEX, with innovations that improve energy efficiency, reduce costs and support SME development.

Alongside this are areas such as cybersecurity and robotics, where local and international companies alike are expected to demonstrate solutions applicable to both government and commercial use.

The four-day event features themed conferences where industry leaders are invited to weigh in on emerging trends, from the ethical deployment of AI to the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in driving technological adoption. That inclusiveness reflects a broader ambition to make innovation accessible both in terms of cost and applicability.

A tale of two fairs

While InnoEX leans towards policy and infrastructure-focused tech, the Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) is decidedly more commercial.

With exhibitors from over 20 countries, the fair brings together global brands and manufacturers to showcase new consumer technologies, including smart home solutions, health tech and wearables.

Exhibitors from over 20 countries showcase smart home, wearable and health tech innovations.

The “Tech Hall” features products spanning everything from electric mobility tools to smart healthcare devices incorporating 5G and virtual reality.

Meanwhile, the “Hall of Fame” is intended to recognise high-quality consumer electronics and accessories, particularly relevant at a time when global supply chains are being reassessed and manufacturing partnerships renegotiated.

Still, the two events are not siloed. In fact, they intersect meaningfully through initiatives such as the “Startup Zone”, a joint platform where emerging firms can present their offerings to a global audience of investors and potential partners.

Matching talent to opportunity

As well as providing a platform for product showcases, this year’s fairs introduce a more structured approach to talent development and recruitment. One such initiative is the “Exhibitors Meet Talent*” programme, designed to facilitate face-to-face interactions between exhibitors and skilled professionals visiting the events.

This is an attempt to bridge the talent gap that many Hong Kong tech companies face, particularly in specialised areas from AI engineering to systems integration and UX design.

Workshops and panel discussions also explore what it means to build a career in Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem, with speakers from both industry and academia offering insights on navigating the sector.

Hong Kong’s innovation identity

The broader context for these events is, of course, Hong Kong’s ongoing effort to diversify its economy and reposition itself within the Greater Bay Area – a national initiative to link cities across southern China into a connected, innovation-driven economic region.

Despite the fact that Shenzhen and Guangzhou have often been cited as the tech engines of this zone, Hong Kong sees its value in acting as a conduit – connecting global capital, research and regulatory know-how to a wider Asian innovation landscape.

Last year’s combined fairs drew nearly 88,000 buyers from 139 countries, a figure that the organisers hope to exceed in 2025. Yet footfall alone is no measure of success. What matters more is the kind of cross-sector, cross-border relationships that can be cultivated through these fairs.

As innovation becomes more entwined with public service delivery, social resilience, and global competitiveness, the events in April provide a snapshot of how Hong Kong is positioning itself as a collaborative, future-ready hub where technology, policy and enterprise intersect.