The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) announced the 10 winning start-ups of the ninth edition of Start-up Express, a competition designed to foster the growth of local start-ups. The winners, selected from 20 finalists, span sectors including smart city solutions, green tech, health tech, and med tech, showcasing the increasing diversity of innovation and technology solutions in Hong Kong. The ESG Award was presented to BioZein Technology Corporation Limited for its commitment to sustainability, while Homing Therapeutics Limited received the My Favourite Start-up Award.
The competition's Final Pitching Day attracted over 200 industry participants, including investors and business leaders. The 10 winning start-ups will now participate in a series of local and overseas business events organized by the HKTDC, which provide opportunities to build capability and connections, explore markets, seek business and funding partners, and enhance brand awareness. According to Anna Cheung, HKTDC Assistant Executive Director, the program has supported 80 start-ups since its launch in 2018, helping them scale and succeed globally.
The winning start-ups are: Alpha AI Technology Limited, BioZein Technology Corporation Limited, GABES Limited, Hay-koze Limited, Homing Therapeutics Limited, Muuse Limited, O-Spheres Limited, PetWell HK Limited, PregnaSense Co. Limited, and Pyramid AI Limited. These companies represent the growing momentum in translating innovative technologies into practical applications, particularly in smart city solutions and green tech.
Jimmy Tao, Chairman of the Hong Kong Startup Council and a judge, commended the start-ups for embracing emerging technology trends, noting that many finalists successfully integrated artificial intelligence into practical applications with strong commercial potential. He highlighted that Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem continues to flourish, with the number of start-ups reaching a record high of 5,221 last year, an 11% year-on-year increase.
The HKTDC also emphasized its commitment to strengthening exchanges between Hong Kong and overseas start-up ecosystems through Start-up Express International, which has attracted participants from around the world since its launch in 2022. The fifth edition will be held during Entrepreneur Day in December, supporting overseas start-ups to establish a presence in Hong Kong and explore opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and international markets.
More information about Start-up Express can be found at https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/. The list of 20 finalists is available at https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/s/Top-20. Photos can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/4wu3EFd.
