The innovation and technology ecosystem in Hong Kong is deepening the integration of startups with industry and talent, enabling Hong Kong-based tech startups to establish a foothold on the global stage through technology commercialization, market expansion, and cost optimization.

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and China Resources (Holdings) Co Ltd (China Resources Group) co-organized the Achievement Showcase of the “Beyond Dreams” program earlier this month. The event highlighted the program’s substantive achievements in nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship since its inception in 2023.

Talent lies at the heart of I&T. We will continue to collaborate, uphold an innovative spirit, pursue ongoing exploration, and work together to build Hong Kong into an international I&T hub, contributing to the nation’s highquality development. 

Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu

Chairman of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

The program has demonstrated tangible impact through three initiatives: the China Booster Program, which emphasizes startups’ supply chain and market expansion; the China Resources x HKSTP Ideation Program, focused on technology commercialization; and the Hong Kong Student Internship Program, aimed at I&T talent cultivation.

In his keynote speech, Sun Dong, secretary for innovation, technology and industry of Hong Kong, thanked HKSTP and China Resources Group for organizing the programs and expressed hope that they will continue to provide more opportunities for young people to understand Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem.

Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu, chairman of HKSTP, said the “Beyond Dreams” program provides all-round support to local I&T talent, from internships and entrepreneurship guidance to incubation and market access. “Talent lies at the heart of I&T. We will continue to collaborate, uphold an innovative spirit, pursue ongoing exploration, and work together to build Hong Kong into an international I&T hub, contributing to the nation’s high-quality development,” he said.

Wang Cuijun, general manager of China Resources Group, said that through the “Beyond Dreams” program, China Resources Group and HKSTP assist Hong Kong youth in innovation and entrepreneurship, fostering a collaborative innovation ecosystem involving government, enterprises, parks, academia, and capital.

“We focus on talent cultivation, industrial upgrading, and Greater Bay Area synergy to promote the transformation of scientific research outcomes, facilitate the complementary advantages between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, and contribute the strength of a central Stateowned enterprise to Hong Kong’s integration into the national development agenda and the realization of technological self-reliance and self-strengthening,” he said.

Vidi Labs, one of the program participants, is an artificial intelligence startup specializing in computer vision solutions to improve accessibility for the visually impaired and the elderly. Its flagship product, Seekr, is a wearable device that uses proprietary algorithms and augmented reality to recognize objects and text, provide navigation and support multiple languages.

Turzo Bose, co-founder and CEO of Vidi Labs, said, “The China Booster Program helps us to understand the supply chain dynamics in the mainland, and then to connect with manufacturing partners and reliable distributors, and this is important because the mainland market is very big.” He added that the program also helps expand Seekr into the tourism industry by working with different partners, and explores more use cases such as shopping assistance in shopping malls or supermarkets.

Bose said that China Resources is a crucial partner with its real estate, supermarkets and shopping mall retail businesses offering scenarios for the expanded use of Seekr.

Derek Chim, head of startup ecosystem and development of HKSTP, said, “For cultivating competitiveness, startups need to know the positioning and clientele base of their products or technologies as well as maintain the cost advantage through access to the mainland’s supply chain.” He added that cost advantage is not the sole factor in determining competitiveness. The China Booster Program also focuses on elevating product standards and quality through industry connections and workshops.

The China Resources x HKSTP Ideation Program involves industry exchanges, workshops, and scenariobased validation, helping startups define the problems, test their technologies’ market potential, and expand their reach.

To date, the program has attracted 125 startups. The first batch of 13 startups have been successfully admitted into HKSTP’s incubation program for technology commercialization.

CyberPAV, a participant in the China Resources x HKSTP Ideation Program, applies its proprietary protective layer to enhance road safety.

Its solution significantly improves skid resistance, reduces noise, and provides durable sealing for highways — effectively addressing a key safety hazard while lowering the carbon footprint. Xu Zijun, co-founder and CEO of CyberPAV, said the company looks beyond a single product.

“We plan to cultivate a range of innovations, turning lab ideas into realworld applications to build a futurefocused unicorn in smart road technology,” he said.

Over the past two years, the Hong Kong Student Internship Program has supported over 400 talented young people interning at over 200 companies within the Hong Kong Science Park’s I&T ecosystem.

Justin Au, a sales engineer at a tech company in Science Park, said that as a participant, the program has broadened his horizons regarding rapid technological development on the mainland. “I think Hong Kong has many development opportunities in the I&T industry because of the city’s proximity to other GBA areas,” he said.

Fanny Wong, chief talent officer of HKSTP, said, “The program has enabled numerous startups to secure pilot projects and resources in the Greater Bay Area, fostered cross-border talent development, and enhanced the complementary innovation and technology strengths of Hong Kong and the mainland — all of which have injected sustained energy into Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem.” She added, “We also hope the initiative will contribute toward the national 15th Five-Year Plan’s (2026- 30) goal of deepening the integration of innovation and technology, manufacturing, and talent.” Wong said that HKSTP looks forward to strengthening cooperation and leveraging the resources of China Resources to deepen talent integration, create more application scenarios and advance the commercialization of technology.

Innovation & Technology Special