Championing Technology Across Industries and Empowering Global Startups for a Future of Infinite Opportunities
(Hong Kong, 5 November 2024) The StartmeupHK Festival 2024 concluded successfully on 25 October, following an exciting week filled with engaging events, networking opportunities, and pitch competitions.
The flagship startup event set the stage for over 200 visionary speakers and attracted over 3,400 participants, including industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, tech enthusiasts, and government officials from 49 territories. The Festival also welcomed six delegations from Canada, Mainland China, India, the Philippines, Thailand and the UK, highlighting the diversity of Hong Kong’s international startup ecosystem.
For the first time, a series of 15 roadshow events have been held across eight economies, successfully expanding the Festival’s international influence. These events attracted over 1,400 participants, connecting them with Invest Hong Kong. These impressive figures once again augment the city’s great potential and aspirations in becoming a global startup as well as innovation and technology (I&T) hub.
Under the theme “A Future Unlimited”, the Festival featured a range of hot topics in the tech sector in particular, including Artificial Intelligence, web3, Gaming, Responsible Tech, Healthtech, Sustainability, and more.
The HKSAR Government is strongly committed to nurturing a vibrant startup ecosystem in Hong Kong
Michael Wong, Deputy Financial Secretary, stated at LOUDER Connect: Connecting the Dots for Responsible Tech that the Hong Kong Government is dedicated to fostering a robust startup ecosystem that promotes innovation while ensuring responsible technology use. He highlighted that a significant milestone was the establishment of the Digital Policy Office (DPO) in July, pivotal in advancing data-driven, user-centric, and outcome-oriented digital policies across government and various sectors.
Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, emphasised that Hong Kong is well positioned to become an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, as well as a health and medical innovation hub. It is home to five world top-100 universities, two world top-40 medical schools, eight State Key Laboratories and 16 InnoHK research centres which are life and health-related, offering world-class research and development (R&D) capabilities.
Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong, spoke at the JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, stating that cross-sector government support, combined with a comprehensive stakeholder ecosystem, has made Hong Kong an ideal destination for startups to thrive. “There is a record high of over 4,200 startups operating in Hong Kong, employing over 16,000 staff. 26% of these startups have founders from outside of Hong Kong, demonstrating the dynamism of our startup ecosystem,” she said.
AI and Sustainability: Driving Innovation Across Industries
The JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala kicked off the Festival with a dynamic showcase of cutting-edge ideas and technologies. Industry leaders and experts gathered for thought-provoking discussions focusing on AI’s future and its impact on diverse markets. Sessions explored the challenges of adapting AI technologies to meet the needs of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as global trends and ethical considerations.
In a keynote session, John Whaley, Founder & CEO of Redcoat AI, said that humanity is currently in a pivotal moment in history with the rise of generative AI and foundational models. While their full potential remains largely unexplored, their significance is widely acknowledged and has the potential to change humanity for the better.
At Game On! 2024, a standout moment was the inspiring story of Cheng Yip-kai, the 16-year-old Pokémon GO World Champion. His journey to the top demonstrated the dedication and quick decision-making needed in this fast-paced game, like speed chess, with only a few players globally able to consistently excel. Cheng sees Olympic gold medalist Cheung Ka-Long as his role model, as he aspires to become a world champion for the second time, just like him.
At LOUDER Connect, industry leaders and experts debated the importance of responsible tech and its role in shaping a sustainable future. The event also introduced for the first time pitch debates on the iconic Star Ferry, which challenged student founders by placing them in the dynamic and competitive context of pitching against their peers.
The 1.5°C Summit – The Defining Decade for Impact with Tech brought a sharp focus to climate change and technological solutions. This unique event gathered industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore how technology can revolutionise industries and foster a more sustainable future. Through keynotes and panel discussions, participants shared insights on critical actions needed to reduce emissions over the next decade.
Innovative pitching formats and an array of community events
The StartmeupHK Festival 2024 also showcased innovative pitching formats that connected startups with investors, and a wide range of community events that fostered meaningful discussions among investors and startup founders. Highlights included exclusive breakfast sessions organised by Hupo for business leaders, and dynamic events hosted by Rock & Run, which combined a hike to Victoria Peak with a jog along the Hong Kong Harbourfront, allowing investors and founders to connect in a relaxed, scenic setting.
“We are thrilled to celebrate another successful year of the StartmeupHK Festival, which has facilitated deeper engagement between startups and investors. Bringing overseas attendees to our festival not only enhances the vibrancy of our startup ecosystem but also fosters invaluable connections that drive innovation and collaboration. As we continue to engage with the world, we unlock new opportunities that are essential for our growth as a leading innovation hub,” said Jayne Chan, Head of Startups, InvestHK.
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Please download the high-res photos from here.
Caption: Michael Wong, Deputy Financial Secretary, delivered opening remarks to kick off the LOUDER Connect: Connecting the Dots for Responsible Tech held at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum.
Caption: Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, delivered opening remarks at JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, the inaugural event of StartmeupHK Festival 2024. He said that the recent amendment to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) has enhanced flexibility for businesses and encouraged startups to leverage these advantages for growth.
Caption: Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, delivered opening remarks at Game On! 2024.
Caption: Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, delivered remarks at Asia Health Innovation Summit.
Caption Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion, Invest Hong Kong, gave remarks at JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, the inaugural event of StartmeupHK Festival 2024.
Caption: John Whaley, Founder & CEO of Redcoat AI, discussed the enormous potential of generative AI at JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala.
Caption: The launch party of the StartmeupHK Festival 2024 was held after JUMPSTARTER Ignition Gala, bringing together startup founders, investors and ecosystem partners for an evening of celebration and networking
Caption: Cheng Yip-kai, World Pokémon GO Champion 2024, shared his inspiring journey of becoming the world champion at Game On! 2024.
Caption: LOUDER Connect: Connecting the Dots for Responsible Tech introduced the very first debate pitch session on Hong Kong’s iconic Star Ferry.
Caption: Jayesh Chatlani, Founder of Hula, and AI soft toy debated whether it’s possible to have AI for good at LOUDER Connect: Connecting the Dots for Responsible Tech.
Caption: Local artist JOYA and Jayne Chan, Head of Startups, InvestHK, discussed the transformative potential of generative AI in creating movies and music, and why it is imperative for artists to adapt to this emerging technology at LOUDER Connect: Connecting the Dots for Responsible Tech.
Caption: The 1.5°C Summit – The Defining Decade for Impact with Tech brought a sharp focus to climate change and technological solutions, gathering industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore how technology can revolutionise industries and foster a more sustainable future.
Caption: StartmeupHK Festival 2024 brought together aspiring startups and investors to explore opportunities.
About Invest Hong Kong
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) is the department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and mainland businesses to set up and expand in Hong Kong. It offers free advice and services to support companies from the planning stage right through to the launch and expansion of their business. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
About StartmeupHK
StartmeupHK is an initiative by InvestHK aimed at helping founders of innovative and scalable startups from overseas to set up or expand in Hong Kong. Our services include providing information about the startup ecosystem here in Hong Kong, connecting people to the startup community, hosting startup events and helping to foster a positive environment for startups to thrive. Find out more at www.startmeup.hk, our one-stop portal to Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem. For enquiries, please contact us at startmeuphk@investhk.gov.hk.
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