Hong Kong to Boost Startup Ecosystem with New Innovation Fund

The Hong Kong government will launch a new Innovation & Technology Industry-oriented Fund in 2026 as part of its efforts to strengthen the city’s startup ecosystem.

Alongside the initiative, the government will expand the Innovation & Technology Venture Fund and introduce a Pilot I&T Accelerator Scheme aimed at attracting global startups to Hong Kong.

Officials emphasized that venture capital remains critical to the city’s economic growth and said the new measures are designed to make Hong Kong’s innovation sector “more vibrant.”

The announcement coincides with the World Intellectual Property Organisation ranking the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster first in its Global Innovation Index 2025. The region secured top spot with 2,292 Patent Cooperation Treaty applications, 3,775 published scientific articles, and 135 venture capital deals per million inhabitants over the past five years.

The Hong Kong government said the recognition underscores the Greater Bay Area’s innovation strength and reaffirmed its commitment to deepen cooperation with Shenzhen and Guangzhou in support of China’s national innovation strategy.