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The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has entered into a three-year Smart Broadcasting partnership with Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) to establish a data-driven ecosystem aimed at fostering cross-sector innovation and positioning Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub.
The collaboration aims to enhance Hong Kong’s competitive edge through various initiatives, including participation in the international ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest (ABU Robocon) in 2026, data collaboration leveraging RTHK’s historical data, and the exploration of cross-sector technology solutions.
One of the key initiatives involves the joint organisation of the International ABU Robocon in 2026. With global investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) at an unprecedented level, HKSTP and RTHK seek to harness Hong Kong’s AI and Robotics (AIR) talent by hosting the regional competition. The goal is to cultivate cross-disciplinary expertise in AI and robotics among educational institutions, inspiring the next generation of local and overseas I&T talent and solidifying Hong Kong’s position as a world-class hub for AI and broader I&T development.
A pivotal aspect of the partnership revolves around broadcasting data to elevate the city’s digital ecosystem. RTHK, as the sole public service broadcaster, commits to achieving business and operational excellence through digital innovation. By sharing its extensive historical broadcasting data with HKSTP’s Digital Living Lab, the collaboration aims to facilitate cross-sector data sharing and unlock Hong Kong’s digital economy potential.
The dataset, encompassing television and radio programs in various formats such as text, audio, and video, will serve as a valuable resource for tech ventures associated with HKSTP Park companies. These ventures can access and leverage the data to train AI models and advance cutting-edge technologies.
The rich data-driven ecosystem established through this collaboration is expected to accelerate breakthroughs in technology, including AI, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Natural Language Processing (NLP), real-time translation, sign language, and more. This initiative aims to foster cross-sector innovation, particularly in untapped areas such as arts, culture, and entertainment.
Another significant aspect of the partnership involves solution scouting to accelerate digital adoption and industry transformation. RTHK will share its specific business and operational challenges with HKSTP, allowing tech ventures to explore business matching opportunities.
Through HKSTP’s scenario-based validation services and its network of local and overseas tech ventures, potential solutions will be identified, leading to opportunities for co-creating proof-of-concepts (PoC). This collaborative approach is envisioned as a conduit for the continued success of Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem, driving transformation in the broadcasting and media landscape through digital innovation.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology, and Industry expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, highlighting the significance of large-scale international competitions like ABU Robocon 2026 in enhancing Hong Kong’s I&T atmosphere and nurturing talent. The government’s data-driven approach to encourage data sharing is emphasised as a means to develop Hong Kong into an international I&T hub.
The CEO of HKSTP stressed the unique I&T opportunities created by the partnership, focusing on addressing challenges related to unlocking the value of data and nurturing top tech talent. The joint organisation of ABU Robocon 2026 is positioned as a strategic move to showcase Hong Kong as a global destination for AIR talent.
The Director of Broadcasting underscored the signal sent by jointly organising ABU Robocon 2026, indicating Hong Kong’s embrace of new technologies like AI and robotics. The collaboration with HKSTP is seen as an exciting opportunity to fuel new value, growth, and research and development opportunities from historical broadcasting datasets.
Finally, the Head of STP Platform at HKSTP emphasised the significance of data as the lifeblood of digital innovation and underscores the role of seamless data access and collaboration in driving a thriving I&T ecosystem. The collaboration aims to empower tech ventures to leverage RTHK’s rich historical datasets to explore innovative solutions and transform business and industry.
