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SCED's closing remarks at StartmeupHK Venture Forum (English only) (with photos)
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     Following is the closing remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, at the StartmeupHK Venture Forum 2013 cum award presentation ceremony today (December 5):

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good afternoon. Thank you very much for attending InvestHK (Invest Hong Kong)'s StartmeupHK Venture Forum this morning. Let me first congratulate the three Grand Award winners and thank the other nine finalists, especially those from overseas, for coming so far to join us in Hong Kong this week. Your commitment to our Venture Programme is a vote of confidence in Hong Kong's emerging role as one of the world's increasingly important hubs for global entrepreneurs and start-ups.

     I would also like to thank the judges and assessors, our esteemed speakers, the programme ambassadors, all the business and finance professionals and start-up community stakeholders present for taking part, in particular for voting for the winners. It must have been a very difficult choice as the quality of each of the finalists is very high indeed.
 
     The 2013 StartmeupHK Venture Programme was launched in July this year. Invest Hong Kong has been very efficient and effective in building a cohesive plan for Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem development, and much has been accomplished over the past few months with the unwavering support of many of you here today.

     What InvestHK is doing in promoting Hong Kong as a world-class start-up hub is very important because it is reviving the entrepreneurial spirit that has been the cornerstone of Hong Kong's economic success over the past few decades.

     Hong Kong is starting to ride on the global trend of start-ups, using our own unique advantages to compete with significant start-up hubs like Silicon Valley, Silicon Roundabout in London, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and more. We are making the most of the investments and innovative ideas brought by overseas and local entrepreneurs who want to use our city's clear advantages to take their businesses global.

     In the long run, I hope that entrepreneurs like you will also bring business creativity to our economy, as a catalyst to reshape and reinforce the home-grown start-up culture in Hong Kong.

     In years to come, I hope that many of these start-ups based in Hong Kong will become global brands. To this end, InvestHK has a lot more work to do and I trust that our colleagues will give their very best to make Hong Kong the leading start-up hub in Asia Pacific and help start-ups in our city grow.

     Let me conclude by congratulating the winners again, and thanking you all for your participation today.

Ends/Thursday, December 5, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:15

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