Pioneering sustainability across all sectors and propelling global startups towards a future of boundless possibilities

HKSAR Government is dedicated to supporting startups and fostering a thriving startup ecosystem in Hong Kong The Festival was honored by the attendance of senior government officials who emphasised the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government's dedication to creating a dynamic ecosystem through proactive initiatives and established funding schemes. At the opening ceremony of Game On! 2023, Michael Wong, Acting Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, expressed his delight in Hong Kong's fast-growing startup community. He said, "According to InvestHK's 2022 startup survey, we have around 4,000 startups employing 15,000 people, which is a new record high. We know that these numbers are continuously growing in 2023, demonstrating that Hong Kong has all the necessary elements to nurture and support startups." Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, further emphasised the Government's commitment to maintaining Hong Kong's long-term competitiveness in attracting global talent and supporting startups at the Startup World Cup (SWC) Asia Finale 2023. He stated, "Hong Kong has long been recognised as a world-class international financial centre, and we are striving to become an international innovation and technology hub, making our city an ideal destination for startups to thrive." Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, echoed this sentiment at the Real Estate Beyond 2023. She stated, "Despite the ongoing challenges posed by macroeconomic uncertainties, Hong Kong's startup ecosystem has shown remarkable resilience and growth. Furthermore, the HKSAR Government has proactively implemented a series of strategies and policies, with an aim to attract large companies, startups, international talent, and capital to Hong Kong." Sustainability emerged as a prominent theme across all sectors While the StartmeupHK Festival covered a diverse range of topics, including web3, healthtech, proptech, greentech, and AI, sustainability emerged as a prominent theme across all sectors. During his keynote speech at the St. Gallen Symposium Hong Kong - GBA Forum 2023, Bernard Chan, Chairman of Our Hong Kong Foundation, emphasised the importance of companies incorporating sustainable business practices into their business models and expressed Hong Kong's openness to collaboration within the region to achieve this common goal. In a panel discussion at the same event, Professor Christine Loh, Chief Development Strategist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, pointed out the importance of understanding how family offices identify potential investments in driving capital towards sustainable businesses. At a panel discussion during the 1.5°C Summit - The Defining Decade for Impact with Tech, speakers unanimously agreed that sustainability is not just an option but a necessity. Alexander Bent, Co-Founder/ Managing Partner of Undivided Ventures, stated that organisations must invest in socially responsible companies and address these problems to sustain themselves in the next decade. During the Real Estate Beyond 2023 event, Arthur Lam, Founder of Negawatt, highlighted the importance of monitoring ESG impact progress and shifting focus towards sustainability for business success. On the same occasion, Andrew Young, Associate Director (Innovation) at Sino Group, noted that property developers in Hong Kong are under pressure to meet decarbonisation goals and are open to collaborating with proptech startups. AI and web3: the next big things During a panel discussion at the Asia Health Innovation Summit, Dr Frank Pun, Head of the Hong Kong Office at Insilico Medicine, highlighted the potential of generative AI in generating experimental data to aid patients, particularly in cases where the disease is unknown or new. Jirayut (Topp) Srupsrisopa, Founder and Group CEO at Bitkub Capital Group Holdings, shed light at Game On! 2023 that web3 will be a major force in the future of Hong Kong, and the digital economy will be enormous. On the same occasion, Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Executive...