I had the chance to spend a few days in Hong Kong in the spring of 2015 at the invitation of the Hong Kong trade development agency Invest Hong Kong. My first visit after many years and naturally I was looking forward to understand what initiatives the Hong Kong government was undertaking and how high the entrepreneurial spirit was.
The spirit is high! Driven by the realization that starting your own business may in fact be less risky than a corporate job: The banking crisis of 2008 and international headquarters moving to Shanghai and Beijing brought about a new generation of Hong Kong entrepreneurs – those who seize the day to build a new generation of businesses.
The government is highly supportive (events several times a week, financial incentives for foreign startups to open offices in town, a once-a-year show for startups), first corporations created their own incubators (e.g. Swire Group’s Blueprint or Accenture’s FinTech lab), and a grass-roots entrepreneurship scene has emerged.
I was impressed by the spirit and the very concerted effort “from Hong Kong for Hong Kong” with all actors pulling in the same direction. Way to go Hong Kong, I am sure we will see more and more innovative startups from you!
Hong Kong’s Cyber Port. For startups who want a room with a view!
Had a chance to see the Hong Kong pitching event of the Tech Tour Asia at Blueprint on my last evening before going to the airport.