********************************************************
To inform German seed and start-up companies about opportunities and potentials in the Asia Pacific region and Hong Kong in particular, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) and the German-Asia Pacific Business Association (OAV) jointly organised the network event "Asia Pacific 2.0" on January 27 (Berlin time) in the Hong Kong Hall of HKETO Berlin. More than 70 participants attended and listened to keynote speeches and a panel discussion. They also engaged in vivid discussions and individual talks in the networking session following the panel discussion.
In his opening remarks, the Director of the HKETO Berlin, Mr Ivan Lee, outlined the benefits that the city in the heart of Asia has to offer to young entrepreneurs, "Many economies in Asia, in particular China, have enjoyed remarkable economic growth over the past decades. Hong Kong offers many unique advantages as the gateway to the region such as the rule of law underpinned by an independent judiciary and strong protection of intellectual property rights, strong Government investment in infrastructure and an ecosystem that nurtures ideas and innovation, an open Internet policy which allows the free flow of information, a business-friendly environment, and a low and simple tax system."
The event brought together speakers from academia, professional services providers as well as entrepreneurs from Germany who had set up in Asia to tap the fast growing Asia Pacific markets. In the keynote speeches and the subsequent panel discussion, participants shared insights about the opportunities for seed and start-up companies planning to explore the Asia Pacific markets. They named the quick company registration process as one of Hong Kong's major advantages as well access to a highly skilled Chinese-speaking workforce, facilitating the strategy and product adaptation process for the Chinese market. Financing opportunities were discussed as well as production, sales and marketing conditions in the region. The experts highlighted that building a network of business contacts is crucial for any company eager to start or extend its activities in the Asia Pacific region.
The HKETO Berlin event was part of the ongoing initiative by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) to raise Hong Kong's status as one of the world's increasingly important hubs for global entrepreneurs and start-ups. The city is an important hub in the global supply chain at the heart of the Pearl River Delta region, a region with 55 million people, offering huge potential for business growth. The HKSARG last month organised the first StartmeupHK Contest, which attracted 384 entries from 39 countries and economies. After two rounds of competition, three entrepreneurs from New Zealand, the US and Hong Kong were named as champions.
Besides the StartmeupHK Contest, start-ups in Hong Kong have access to a wide range of support services, including incubator programmes, Government funding support, as well as a whole range of networking platforms. The city also regularly hosts events, such as InnoAsia, Business of Design Week, the Innovation Design Technology Expo and the World SME Expo, for thought leaders, service providers and successful start-up entrepreneurs to share their successes as well as lessons learned.
For more information on Hong Kong as a start-up hub, please visit www.startmeup.hk .
About Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin
HKETO Berlin is the official HKSARG representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Ends/Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Issued at HKT 00:24
NNNN
