Speech by FS at Elevator Pitch International Competition 2025 (English only) (with photos/video)
******************************************************************************************
Sunny (Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Dr Sunny Chai), Terry (Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Mr Terry Wong), Consuls-general, judges, innovators from around the world, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon. What a pleasure to be back with you at this year's EPIC.
My congratulations to the winners in each of the three tracks. And in just a minute or two, we'll find out who takes the overall champion. I promise to keep my remarks brief. I know the suspense is building.
This is the ninth edition of EPIC — and my third time joining you. Yet each year, I find myself more amazed, more inspired and more energised by the creativity, passion and ambition in this room.
Today, as I look out at a thousand innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and partners from all over the world, one thing is crystal clear: EPIC has grown into an iconic global innovation contest.
The numbers speak for themselves. Applications come from 70 economies, including 12 new ones. And 85 per cent of the 100 semi-finalists are non-local start-ups. This is the most globally diverse edition of EPIC ever.
And the beauty of EPIC isn't just about crowning winners. It's about giving you — the founders, the dreamers — a stage to share your ideas, your ambitions, and your vision for the future.
And here in Hong Kong, we want to help you realise that.
We have a deep pool of angel investors and venture capitalists, ready to consider high-potential ventures.
And not just that. From private equity to IPOs, Hong Kong offers a full spectrum of financial options to fuel your journey. You may know that Hong Kong tops the world in IPOs so far this year.
Our innovation landscape is also buzzing. We now have over 4 700 startups. That's 500 more compared to one year ago.
We're building a stronger innovation and industry chain from the upstream to the downstream. And we're fast-tracking the development of the Northern Metropolis, the future innovation engine of Hong Kong.
The Northern Metropolis will be a launchpad for global innovation companies. It is a hub for collaboration with cities like Shenzhen and Guangzhou — which, together with Hong Kong, form the world's number one most innovative cluster according to the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Ladies and gentlemen, when you come to Hong Kong, please don't just work. Let's not forget that life in Hong Kong is pretty good. Apart from excellent law and order, endless cultural and sports events. Beautiful country parks and hiking trails. Happy dining and pubbing. Home to the best bar in the world. And we don't tax wine! So enjoy!
So wherever you're from, I invite you to join us here in Hong Kong, where your dreams will take off.
A big thank you to Science Park and all sponsors, judges and partners who have made this competition amazing.
And one last note. To friends from the local community: remember to mark your diary on December 7 for the LegCo Election. It's important for our future .
Thank you all once again — and now, to the announcement of the champion!
Ends/Friday, November 7, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:36
Issued at HKT 20:36
NNNN
