Speech by FS at Rhythm of Innovation (English only) (with photos/video)
***********************************************************************
Sunny (Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) Corporation, Dr Sunny Chai), Albert (Chief Executive Officer of the HKSTP Corporation, Mr Albert Wong), young talents from Hong Kong and beyond,
Good afternoon.
It's a real pleasure to be at this gathering, joined by so many energetic and passionate young innovators.
Just moments ago, I had the chance to speak with some of you, interns and graduates from various incubation programmes here at Science Park. I must say I am truly impressed by your passion, creativity and drive to make a difference in life.
Innovation and technology - or I&T - is a space full of promise. For a long time, people in Hong Kong have favoured careers like doctors, lawyers, engineers and accountants. While these are respectable and rewarding professions, today, I&T has become one of the most exciting avenues for young people to succeed. It is a sector of the future where you can find a meaningful career with positive impact on the community and the world.
Take DeepSeek for example. It is a remarkable venture launched by a group of young innovators. Their high-efficiency, low-cost model has captured global attention and admiration. And they are just one of many success stories. Across both the Mainland and Hong Kong, young people are driving change through groundbreaking products and creative solutions that are shaping industries and transforming lives.
And if you're thinking about a career in I&T, let me say: Hong Kong is the place to be.
This Government puts I&T as a policy priority. We focus on sectors where we have competitive strengths, namely artificial intelligence, biomedicine, fintech as well as new energy and new materials. To expedite their development, we are actively attracting world-class enterprises and top talent to Hong Kong, especially those working on cutting-edge technologies. And we are nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of start-ups, with patient capital support. By setting up the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, we seek to channel private sector funds to companies even at their nascent stage.
As an international financial centre, we also provide comprehensive funding support for start-ups and companies at various stages of development, from angel investments, venture capital and private equity to IPO.
Apart from finance, Hong Kong has a number of other unique advantages.
For example, we are home to world-class universities and research institutions. We are the only city in the world with five universities ranked among the global top 100. Our research institutions are among the best in Asia and the world. Our two medical schools are among the world's top 25.
Besides, we have a thriving start-up ecosystem. As of last year, Hong Kong had around 4 700 start-ups, a 40 per cent increase compared to 2020. And our innovation flagships like Science Park and Cyberport provide the space, infrastructure, mentorship, resources, networks and programmes that support their growth and dreams.
There's more. The Northern Metropolis on the boundary with Shenzhen - an area about one-third the size of Hong Kong - is being developed into an I&T powerhouse.
With special cross-boundary policies and facilitation, the Northern Metropolis in conjunction with sister cities in the Greater Bay Area, like Shenzhen and Guangzhou, is fast becoming a global hub for R&D, tech innovation and commercialisation, as well as advanced manufacturing.
And just as important - we offer a safe, open, multicultural environment that welcomes talent from all over the world.
To those of you who are coming from the Mainland or overseas, I wish you to know that Hong Kong welcomes you. If you are inspired by what you see here, come and join us. Since launching our talent admission schemes in December 2022, we've received nearly 500 000 applications - and over 220 000 talented individuals have arrived in Hong Kong, many with their young families. They chose Hong Kong for its opportunities, unparalleled connectivity, quality of life, excellent education system, and many more.
Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest asset of Hong Kong has always been its people - and that includes you: our next generation of innovators, creators and leaders.
I look forward to seeing many of you again in the future - not just as students or interns, but as key members of Hong Kong's I&T community.
Once again, I thank the HKSTP for organising this amazing and meaningful gathering.
Let me end by wishing you all good health, successful careers, and a bright future. Keep dreaming, keep creating, and keep moving forward.
Thank you very much.
Ends/Friday, July 18, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:06
Issued at HKT 18:06
NNNN
