The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (July 4) held the Well-Being·Start-Up 2.0: Start-up 2-gather Fun Sharing Session, announcing that the programme is going to be regularised and entering a new phase. In addition to re-opening for applications, the HA will further increase its quotas for shops and pop-up stores, while referring suitable business proposals to commercial partners for business matching, thereby enabling young entrepreneurs to capture opportunities from all angles.

     The Secretary for Housing and Chairman of the HA, Ms Winnie Ho; the Chairman of the HA's Commercial Properties Committee, Mr Anthony Yau; and the Deputy Director of Housing (Estate Management), Mr Michael Hong, officiated at the event. Five groups of youth start-up teams collaborated to showcase a diverse range of products and concepts, including upcycled fashion, wellness lifestyles, home decor, five-senses art activities, and creative experiences. Ms Ho also presented the special "Most Popular 2-gather" award to the winning group, which was selected by participants from among the five groups of youth start-up teams.
      
Breaking traditional boundaries to expand opportunities seven-fold

     Speaking at the event, Ms Ho said that fostering upward mobility for young people is pivotal to social development. Breaking through conventional public housing management thinking, the HA has integrated innovative concepts into its policies. When the programme was launched in 2024, it debuted with 10 HA shops. By last year, the programme was successfully upgraded to Version 2.0, with the number of HA shop quotas increasing to 12 and the backing from more than 10 commercial organisations. To date, the HA has partnered with 17 commercial organisations, providing over 70 youth teams with opportunities to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations. In just over two years, the number of entrepreneurial opportunities offered under the programme has grown seven-fold, demonstrating the HA's commitment to leveraging community resources in support of young people.

Re-opening applications and increasing shop quotas to attract high-potential projects

     Ms Ho expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the commercial sector and programme mentors for their staunch support of this cross-sector initiative. She also announced at the event that the programme is going to be regularised and entering a new phase, where applications for the programme will be re-opened and three quotas for shops or pop-up stores will be added. Selected teams will have the opportunity to operate in the newly added HA retail spaces, fill vacancies as they arise, and be referred to commercial partners for business matching, thereby enabling them to explore more diversified markets. Young people interested in the programme are encouraged to participate actively and seize this valuable entrepreneurial opportunity.

     Since its launch in 2024, the Well-Being·Start-Up Programme has lowered the entry barrier for young entrepreneurs by providing rent-free or concessionary retail spaces. Building on the success of the initial phase, the HA launched the Well-Being·Start-Up 2.0 Programme in April last year, linking the Housing Department with private organisations and fostering a collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystem among the Government, the commercial sector and young people. This initiative not only supports youth development, but also injects sustained vitality into public housing retail facilities while enriching the shopping experience of residents.

     The programme will open for applications from July 6. Interested young entrepreneurs are invited to submit their business proposals to the HA by September 30. Submissions will be assessed by the HA based on their innovativeness, feasibility, market potential, social impact, financial arrangements and team management capabilities, and the HA will then match suitable shop premises for selected applicants. Details will be available on the HA website (www.housingauthority.gov.hk) on July 6.

Ends/Saturday, July 4, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:26

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