Hong Kong Events Converge to Strengthen IP Trading and Startup Ecosystem

The 15th Business of IP Asia Forum and 17th HKTDC Entrepreneur Day will convene from December 4 to 5 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, bringing together innovators, investors, professionals, and policymakers worldwide. These co-organized events by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government aim to strengthen Hong Kong's position as a regional intellectual property trading centre and international innovation hub. Patrick Lau, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, emphasized Hong Kong's advantages as an IP trading platform, citing its sound legal system, deep capital markets, and robust IP protection regime.

The concurrent events create synergy from supporting startups to facilitating IP commercialization, translating innovation into real-world applications. The BIP Asia Forum, themed "Leverage IP to Finance Business Growth," features over 100 speakers exploring IP's potential for corporate development and financing. A keynote session on "IP Valuation and Financing" will examine how IP can become a viable capital source, featuring speakers from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Hong Kong Association of Banks, and international financial institutions. The Global Tech Summit session "Unlocking Value: Intellectual Property and Investment Opportunities in AI Innovations" will address key AI investment trends and IP's future landscape within AI innovation, with participation from Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, Google Cloud, and major investment firms.

Diverse thematic sessions will push forward creativity and innovation, including "Propelling Sustainability with IP" focusing on IP's strategic role in accelerating sustainability and elevating industry standards. The "Opportunities and Risks of Data Licensing" breakout session will cover data copyrights, privacy compliance, and cross-border data flows. The ASEAN Session, co-organized by the ASEAN Secretariat and HKSAR Intellectual Property Department, will focus on patent commercialization and technology transfer between ASEAN economies and Hong Kong. More information about the events can be found at https://bipasia.hktdc.com/en/.

Entrepreneur Day continues under the theme "Where Start-up Dreams Take Flight," featuring six technology verticals: Artificial Intelligence, Health Tech, Cyber Security, Construction and Logistics, Spatial Computing and Sustainability. The event will showcase over 350 startups, innovation projects, and startup support organizations. The Digital Policy Office will present the "Innovation Hong Kong Pavilion" featuring 30 award-winning projects from the Hong Kong ICT Awards, while the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau pavilion will highlight startups supported by the Greater Bay Area youth entrepreneurship funding scheme. Details about the startup program are available at https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/s/start-up-express-international.

The seminar program covers four main tracks: Inspirational Masterclass, Start-up 101, Uncovering Hidden Gems and Global Tech Summit, addressing topics including artificial intelligence, green energy, deeptech, sustainable fashion and youth entrepreneurship. A roundtable titled "Empowering GBA Startups to Expand into ASEAN with Hong Kong as a Super-connector and Super Value-adder" will focus on opportunities for Greater Bay Area startups to access ASEAN and international markets. Start-up Express International returns to attract promising overseas startups to establish presence in Hong Kong and access regional markets, with 10 selected startups presenting their entrepreneurial journeys. Concurrent DesignInspire event from December 3 to 6 will bring together local and international design superstars, creating additional synergy and business opportunities. Additional event information is accessible at https://portal.hktdc.com/eday/en.