INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

HKTDC Research conducted a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews in mid-2020 about the domestic start-up ecosystem. The survey found that local entrepreneurs are young, highly educated people who want to develop new products by starting their own business. Their start-up capital mainly comes from personal savings, government funding and bank loans, ranging from hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars up to several million. More

Stanley Poon, founder of Cypress Bio-Tech Co Ltd, was deeply concerned with the threat of Zika virus, and began to pursue the idea of producing mosquito-repellent products. Michael Choi, the Chief Technology Officer, shared the history of its products from R&D to market launch, and discussed the hurdles to local product R&D which he encountered, including a lack of versatility in Hong Kong testing services. More

Novelte Robotics is a local start-up with a focus on the design and build of robot workers. Albert Lam, the co-founder, believes the time is now right for the government to take a lead in adopting many of the high-tech developments nurtured by local start-ups on a pilot basis. He is convinced this would play a key role in enhancing the general public’s understanding of the importance of innovative and emerging technology. More

ReUbird is a local entertainment booking platform that makes recommendations about recreational activities in Hong Kong, and providing support with all the chores involved in organising gatherings. The aim is to provide consumers with one-stop, online-and-offline booking services. Carson Yau and Brian Chui, the co-founders, talked about the challenges facing young entrepreneurs, and about how they have responded to the impact of Covid-19. More