The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region pledged that the intellectual property (IP) financing sandbox, unveiled in the 2025 Policy Address, will provide a collaborative environment for IP owners to leverage the value of IP for financing that can turn their businesses into financeable and scalable reality, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah said.
The commerce chief made the remark at a special address session of the 15th Business of Intellectual Property (BIP) Asia Forum on Thursday which attracted 3,000 IP owners, service providers, and users from over 30 countries and regions.
He added that, for too long, innovators, small and medium-sized enterprises, and startups have found it difficult to trade or leverage their most valuable assets, such as patents, copyright, trademarks, and other types of IP for financing as growth capital.
“The sandbox will bring together innovators and IP owners who can bring their IP assets forward for pilot financing. Second, banks and valuation, and legal professionals who can test new credit assessment models, valuation standards and financing products in a controlled setting. And third, regulators and public bodies who will provide guidance and help codify what works,” Yau said.
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He added that the SAR government will work through the Hong Kong Technology and Innovation Support Centre to launch a two-year pilot funding support program to help SMEs engage professional service providers to value their IP portfolios in monetary terms.
The government is expanding its patent examiner team and speeding up preparatory work to introduce regulatory arrangements for local patent agent services, with a view to building a local pool of patent professionals. It will also modernize the Copyright Ordinance and registered designs regime to ensure the SAR’s legal framework is fit for the digital age.
The commerce chief said the government is arranging a business-matching program connecting Chinese mainland enterprises with Hong Kong’s IP service providers to embody the “bringing in and going global” strategy.
“IP financing has been fast developing around the world, with revenue of the IP financing market valued at $8.5 billion in 2024 and estimated to reach $15.2 billion by 2033, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.2 percent from 2026 to 2033, indicating strong demand and expansion,” Yau said.
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“Asia now accounts for seven in 10 patent trademarks and design applications globally. We are entering an IP-driven economy where intangible assets have become the primary source of value creation. WIPO is promoting IP as a development tool for jobs, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth,” Wang Binying, deputy director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, said at a special address session.
She emphasized “the enduring and bridging role of Hong Kong between ideas and markets, between East and West, and between innovation and commerce, is much needed in an increasingly diverted world.”
Li Shengjun, deputy head of the China National Intellectual Property Administration’s patent office, said “since the authorities implemented a pilot program to prioritize examination of invention patent applications filed by Hong Kong SAR applicants in the mainland in 2013, 200 patent applications have already filed into the priority examination channel under the pilot program.”
He added that the priority examination program will be implemented regularly starting next year and will enable SAR applicants to obtain authorizations in the mainland more efficiently.
Speaking at the BIP forum, Li said the central authorities will support Hong Kong to leverage its unique geographical advantages for better integrating into the overall construction of a strong IP nation, including continuously strengthening cooperation with the SAR in fields such as training international IP lawyers and holding IP seminars.
