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Vivian Au

Around 100 start-ups selected to join Hong Kong’s flagship border tech hub will undergo mentorship programmes ranging from five to eight years, backed by industry heavyweights, the operator has revealed.
Vincent Ma, CEO of Loop Hong Kong Park Company, said in an interview on Thursday that the start-ups were chosen to join the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) following a months-long screening process.
“We have chosen 100 start-ups to enter our park soon following a few months of selection … and the park will offer a mentorship programme for them,” he said, adding that some of the firms were drawn from local universities.
The mentorship will be delivered by established firms operating in the park, such as pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and battery manufacturer Xiamen Hithium Energy Storage Technology.
A longer eight-year path was better suited to life-science start-ups, Ma noted.
He cited the example of new medicine development, which required a much lengthier research and development timeline than artificial intelligence (AI) firms, which operated on much shorter cycles that aligned well with a five-year track.
Meanwhile, the operator has submitted a list of sector-specific firms, including new energy companies, to authorities for a pilot scheme enabling cross-border data flows later this year.
Ma emphasised that seamless data flows, along with the movement of capital, materials and personnel, were key to the park’s development.
Around 10 AI and biotech firms will be the first to access cross-border data transfers under the pilot initiative this year, according to a government source on Wednesday.
“We have proposed a list of sector-specific firms, such as new energy companies, for the data flow pilot scheme which is expected to roll out this year,” he said.
The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park is located in the Hetao cooperation zone at the Lok Ma Chau Loop, a project proposed by Beijing in 2017 comprising two parks on either side of the border.
The Hong Kong park covers 87 hectares (215 acres) while Shenzhen’s encompasses 302 hectares.
The development forms a core component of the Northern Metropolis megaproject aimed at diversifying the city’s economy, a key priority in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan.
Ma highlighted the park’s role as a springboard for mainland and international companies expanding globally.

As an example, he cited Topxgun, a leading agricultural drone manufacturer based at the HSITP, which recently secured a new client in Kazahkstan’s capital Astana, following a visit to the country as part of the park’s delegation.
Commenting on the park’s recent land tender for four parcels, which drew a better-than-expected six bids, Ma revealed that one firm had submitted a single bid covering all four sites.
The six submissions were almost split evenly between Hong Kong and mainland CHinese firms focusing on frontier technologies.
Ma dismissed direct comparisons to a July land tender in Hung Shui Kiu – also part of the Northern Metropolis – which drew just two bids. The Hung Shui Kiu site is the first large-scale land sale to combine property development with the creation of an innovation and technology (I&T) hub.
He explained that the two developments serve different purposes, noting that the park offered no residential plots for sale, with the four sites earmarked for laboratories and talent accommodation spanning more than 76,000 square metres (818,000 square feet).
Separately, the Development Bureau revealed on Thursday that the projected supply of spade-ready land in the Northern Metropolis over the next 10 years would total around 2,500 hectares.
Annual supply is expected to peak at 380 hectares in 2031-32 before tapering to 120 hectares in 2036-37.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on the same day that the overall land supply remained sufficient, noting that land delivery naturally fluctuated across cycles.
Most of the supply will stem from new development areas in the Northern Metropolis, with the remainder coming from Tseung Kwan O, Lung Kwu Tan and Tuen Mun West.


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100 start-ups joining Hong Kong’s flagship tech hub to get top mentors

Vincent Ma says seamless data flows, along with the movement of capital, materials and personnel, are key to the park’s development. Photo: Silvia Siu

Topxgun’s drones are used by farmers in Papua New Guinea to spray crops and monitor challenging terrain. Photo: Handout

Research and development buildings at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park. Photo: Silvia Siu

10 AI, biotech firms in Northern Metropolis to get early cross-border data access

The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau loop of the Northern Metropolis. Photo: Karma Lo

AI, chip firms among bidders for flagship Northern Metropolis tech hub at border

The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park at the Lok Ma Chau Loop. Photo: Edmond So

Lawmaker Duncan Chiu has highlighted strong demand among emerging tech companies for cross-border research and early-stage testing. Photo: Jelly Tse

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Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park submits proposed list of sector-specific firms to access cross-border data flows in pilot


Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park submits proposed list of sector-specific firms to access cross-border data flows in pilot.


100 start-ups joining Hong Kong’s flagship tech hub to get top mentors

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park submits proposed list of sector-specific firms to access cross-border data flows in pilot

Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park submits proposed list of sector-specific firms to access cross-border data flows in pilot