Hong Kong start-ups specialising in AI, health, robotics and sustainability are poised to engage with global investors and buyers at Europe’s biggest start-up and tech event, VivaTech, which is being held in Paris this month.
More than 20 local innovators will showcase their breakthrough ideas and solutions as part of the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, which is being hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in strategic partnership with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels.
“Building on last year’s success, we are further expanding the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech this year to deepen connections among start-ups, tech leaders, large corporations and investors,” remarked Chris Lo, HKTDC’s Regional Director for Europe, Central Asia & Israel.
The HKTDC will also organise seminars, thematic pitching sessions and networking activities at VivaTech, which is being held on 17-20 June, to shine a light on emerging trends and unlock new opportunities for collaboration.
As part of this line-up, Shirley Yung, Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic & Trade Affairs to the European Union, will deliver a keynote speech at a seminar and networking reception on 19 June.
The seminar will look at ways to build resilient tech ecosystems, with particular attention to international leadership from Hong Kong.
It will include local success stories from HKSTP, a government-backed innovation ecosystem and start-up incubator, a session on market matchmaking featuring the Hong Kong Productivity Council and enterprise representatives, and a cross-sector panel discussion on Hong Kong’s tech development and international collaboration.
Thematic pitching sessions
Three HKTDC-organised pitching sessions will also put Hong Kong entrepreneurs face-to-face with global investors.
A robotics and microelectronics session will feature pitches from seven tech ventures. These firms will include Bacbudy, which specialises in assistive devices for the lower back, and Cybercrystal Technology, which researches next-generation robotic skin.
Eight enterprises will present at another pitching session covering AI and healthtech. These companies will include Eieling Technology, which creates affordable diagnostic devices for liver health, and PointFit Technology, which develops skin patches that can help improve fitness by analysing sweat.
A third session focused on sustainability and climate tech will showcase another seven start-ups. These will include Albacastor Technology, which provides smart, eco-friendly ventilation systems, and Green Vigor, which offers compact, energy-saving hydropower units that can be installed in buildings.
In addition to these pitching sessions, HKTDC’s Director of France, Spain & Portugal, Christopher Lai will moderate a seminar that compares start-up ecosystems in France and Hong Kong.
During the seminar, French entrepreneurs will share their business expansion experiences in Europe and Hong Kong, while evaluating how best to leverage the Hong Kong platform to enter the Asian market and secure funding.
HKSTP, meanwhile, will host a mixer examining how Hong Kong connects with the global innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem, as well as the city's advantages in talent and investment.
Separately, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University will highlight Hong Kong’s unique position in harnessing the power of AI, combined with its world-class academia, to develop a world-leading innovation hub.
To complement these, an evening networking event, ‘Hong Kong Tech Night: Where Innovation Meets Opportunity’, will bring together the I&T communities in Hong Kong and France to spark partnerships across talent, funding and market expansion.
This year’s edition of VivaTech is expected to attract more than 180,000 visitors, 14,000 start-ups and 3,600 investors.
The Hong Kong Tech Pavilion is part of Economic and Trade Express, a government initiative that helps Hong Kong SMEs and start-ups explore overseas market opportunities, while attracting more companies to invest in and set up operations in Hong Kong.