The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is organising the 14th Entrepreneur Day and the 12th Business of IP Asia Forum (BIP Asia Forum) between the end of November and early December. The two events will feature experts and high-profile speakers from various industries to share their insights with start-ups and small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs). Topics will include optimising business operations, pursuing entrepreneurship, and using the latest innovative technologies and creative mindsets to capture opportunities and expand your business globally, in particular in the Greater Bay Area.
HKTDC Assistant Executive Director Stephen Liang, said: “Entrepreneur Day and BIP Asia Forum will offer start-ups and SMEs a chance to clearly understand the latest trends in their respective industries and enhance their knowledge whether they wish to learn how to start a business, embrace a path of sustainable development, safeguard their intellectual property or how to improve their branding strategy, equipping them to pursue the best opportunities.
“Start-up Express International, one of the highlights of Entrepreneur Day, will introduce top-tier start-ups from Mainland China, the United States, Italy, South Korea and Japan to local start-ups encouraging inspirational exchanges and creating opportunities for start-ups in Hong Kong to widen their horizon in a way that will hopefully be conducive to upgrading business performance. Finally, the BIP Asia Forum will host experts in intellectual property from across the world and assemble business leaders to generate discussion on recent developments in the market and application of industrial metaverse.”
Entrepreneur Day – Developing a diversified and balanced start-up ecosystem
The 14th Entrepreneur Day will be on 30 November, with events culminating on 2 December. The theme for this year’s edition is “Balance Beyond the Boom”, with hybrid seminars and exhibitions being offered for the first time. Entrepreneur Day will involve more than 20 seminars and workshops and close to 60 speakers from 11 countries and regions sharing their innovative responses to market changes. More than 110 exhibitors will showcase their technological developments. At the same time, business matching sessions and networking events will be available for attendees seeking to explore cutting-edge products in the growing international start-up ecosystem. Start-ups will be encouraged to use Hong Kong as a platform to tap into the Greater Bay Area and global markets and seek out business partners.
This year’s Entrepreneur Day Seminar series will cover four major themes: Entrepreneurship, Future Tech, Innovation for Good and Market Exploration.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has increased possibilities for trade and collaboration across the region. In “Start-up Ecosystem in RCEP”, representatives from venture capital firms and start-up accelerators from Japan, South Korea and Australia will share the latest developments in the region’s start-up ecosystem and incentives for local start-ups that are interested in exploring the new market.
Meanwhile, exhibitions under 2 thematic zones, “Start-up Zone” and “The Boosters”, will showcase more than 110 innovative companies and business establishment service providers covering many of the most sought-after technologies, including biomedical sciences, green tech, food tech, smart city technologies, fintech and more. Visitors can interact with exhibitors at physical and virtual booths, and via daily guided tours and business matching sessions to learn about their innovative solutions.
Start-up Express International promote a vibrant exchange opportunities
To mark the 5th anniversary of Start-up Express, the start-up development programme, the HKTDC has launched Start-up Express International as one of the highlights of Entrepreneur Day this year to encourage international start-ups to establish a presence in Hong Kong and strengthen ecosystem-to-ecosystem collaboration between Hong Kong and other countries. Start-up Express International is supported by global partners in Belgium, Mainland China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who have nominated start-ups from those countries to participate in the contest. Nominated start-ups come from a diverse range of industries, including greentech, healthtech, smart city technologies and edtech, as well as the metaverse, blockchain, robotics, marketing technology and agritech.
Start-up Express International has already shortlisted the top 30 start-ups, and a professional panel of judges will select 10 global winners. The top 30 start-ups are entitled to a series of supporting services such as marketing support, technology support, peer support, mentorship and advisory, and incentive offers to help them set up business in Hong Kong and enter the Greater Bay Area market. The 10 global winners will share the stage with local winners from Hong Kong Start-up Express and exchange views on the industry and entrepreneurial experiences.
