Hong Kong IP and Entrepreneurship Events Draw Thousands, Strengthening Regional Innovation Hub Status

The 15th Business of IP Asia Forum and 17th Entrepreneur Day concluded on December 5, 2025, after bringing together thousands of participants to explore how intellectual property and innovation can drive business growth. Jointly organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, these concurrent events from December 4-5 connected IP experts and business leaders from Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, ASEAN, and global markets, solidifying Hong Kong's position as a regional IP trading center and international innovation hub.

The BIP Asia Forum welcomed over 3,300 attendees who examined how enterprises can leverage IP as collateral to secure funding, particularly important given the global intangible asset value estimated at USD 80 trillion. Lewis Lee, Founder & CEO of Moat Metrics, noted during the IP Valuation and Financing session that advances in AI and data have accelerated the development of frameworks to assess IP value systematically. The forum also featured discussions on sustainability, with Krishna Singhania, Senior Intellectual Property Counsel of Maersk, emphasizing that flexible IP models including lead-partnership and joint ownership can help companies meet climate targets like decarbonization by 2040.

A key development was the forum's first-ever "IP Go-Global Business Matching Session," which responded to growing demand from Mainland companies for overseas expansion. Local professional service providers offered one-on-one consultations covering IP registration strategies and patent claims drafting. Zoe Fang, CEO of Sichuan HangWan Cultural Communication Co. Ltd, stated that her company would leverage Hong Kong's international legal services to address cross-border IP issues as part of China's "Go Global" strategy. Middle Eastern participant Mohamed Orikat, Founder and CEO of Voithy Tech Limited, noted that Hong Kong serves as a crucial bridge to Chinese Mainland and APEC markets, providing significant insights for expanding into Asian markets.

Entrepreneur Day attracted over 12,000 visits under the theme "Where Start-up Dreams Take Flight," featuring more than 360 start-ups, invention projects, and support organizations across AI, health tech, cybersecurity, and sustainability sectors. The event facilitated more than 350 business matching meetings, helping start-ups and SMEs unlock new market opportunities. Dr. Ammar Mohammed Al Ojaili, Vice President of R&D and Innovation at OQ, highlighted that events like Entrepreneur Day bring together startups, universities, and industry players, making it easier for companies to discover innovative technologies and explore collaborations.

During sessions like "T-Chat: From Labs to Battlefield: Navigating Deep Tech Commercialisation and Global Scale," leaders explored how deep tech innovators can leverage capital and international networks. YeYe Xiao, Innovation Consulting Manager & Central Asia Lead at Hello Tomorrow, noted the high quality of startups and deep technologies presented. Martin Chu, CEO & Co-founder of i2COOL Limited, emphasized Hong Kong's role as a super connector during the GBA Tripartite Roundtable, stating that cross-border collaborations help startups fine-tune their technologies for different markets.

The HKTDC signed Memoranda of Understanding with Junior Chamber International Hong Kong and France-based Hello Tomorrow to deepen collaboration on supporting local SMEs and young entrepreneurs in expanding into international markets. Meanwhile, the "Start-up Express International" program continued to attract global founders exploring Hong Kong as a base for expansion into Asia and the Greater Bay Area. Participants discussed strategies for setting up in Hong Kong and entering the Greater Bay Area market, highlighting the city's role as a testing ground and springboard to tap into the Greater China market.

Video replays of BIP Asia Forum events will be available from December 8, 2025 to January 7, 2026 at https://bipasia.hktdc.com/en/, while E-Day replays will be uploaded after January 5, 2026 at https://eday.hktdc.com/en. Additional information about startup programs is available at https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/s/start-up-express-international.