Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) is approaching 20 years of driving innovation and is revealing a vision for the next stage of its innovation journey to spark new impetus in I&T and propel a new era of growth for Hong Kong. The goal is to elevate Hong Kong’s world-class I&T status based on a wave of GBA opportunities, Re-industrialisation and next-generation talent.
The unveiled new roadmap will help realise the government mission to establish world-class I&T as a pillar of Hong Kong’s next era of economic success. The CEO of HKSTP stated that the new vision will capture emerging GBA opportunities to ensure innovation translates to success, spark a future of revitalised industries and new industries, while also developing the critical skills and talent for tomorrow.
To meet new GBA growth opportunities, HKSTP is expanding its infrastructure and eco-system deeper into the GBA to accelerate region-wide development. This critical next step will unlock potential for tech ventures as they go global and also attract foreign talent and investment into the region and across Asia.
Together with the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone (Shenzhen I&T Zone), this strategy will further promote I&T collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. HKSTP will capture the opportunities presented by the 14th Five-Year Plan and support the government’s drive, which reinforces the foundations for Hong Kong to become an international I&T hub. HKSTP has also established its “GBA InnoExpress” and “GBA InnoAcademy” programs to nurture start-ups, talent, provide business development and investment matching support to I&T enterprises.
HKSTP INNOPARK to spark “Innofacturing Tomorrow”
The next core component of the vision is to maximise Hong Kong’s huge R&D potential through Re-industrialisation. HKSTP is repositioning the city’s iconic industrial estates as the newly-branded “INNOPARK” in Yuen Long, Tai Po and Tseung Kwan O to fuel high-potential sectors like advanced manufacturing.
The INNOPARK will help industrialists and pioneers accelerate their research into innovation-driven manufacturing or ‘innofacturing’ and market-ready offerings in areas like advanced manufacturing. HKSTP has established eight re-industrialisation guiding principles to enable I&T-driven manufacturing.
These include output as to economic value-add contribution; investment in capital expenditure for equipment together with fit-out or building construction; high-skilled employment creation; advanced technology content or novel application in products or services; advanced process applied in the manufacturing of products or delivery of services; R&D activities and capabilities; local consumption for a stable supply chain; sustainability in terms of business, environment or resources.
The ultimate impact is three-fold: transformative INNOPARK to develop new industry and drive Hong Kong’s economic growth; transfer “made in Hong Kong” into “Innofacture in Hong Kong” and reinforce Hong Kong pride in areas like advanced manufacturing; plus create future career opportunities for the younger generation through new higher-value skills and roles. The transformation of industries will also see demand for skillsets in deep-tech segments like AI, robotics, biotech, fintech, data analytics.
Nurturing talent for the next-gen workforce
HKSTP believes talent is Hong Kong’s innovation imperative to fuel growth in the digital economy. HKSTP is assuming a strategic approach to deliver the next generation of innovators and technology pioneers.
This will create leaders, deep-tech talents and grass-roots skills to ensure a thriving talent ecosystem at all levels. The programs in place to drive this include the two-way cross-border GBA InnoAcademy and GBA InnoExpress programs to develop high-quality talent across the region.
HKSTP is also supporting the scientific and research communities with vital commercial skills that will set them up for future success. The “HKSTP Institute for Translational Research” (ITR) is being established this month in October to promote research-based entrepreneurship, equip researchers and scientists with the entrepreneurial skills they need to transform promising research into action and impactful innovation. ITR also aims to expedite the often-lengthy translation of biomedical technologies into genuine benefit for the public and ultimately establish Hong Kong as a preeminent hub for translational research and development.
HKSTP is investing heavily into partnerships and collaboration to maximise the power of integration in driving seamless cross-border, cross-industry, cross-community engagement. HKSTP is committed to creating a world-class hub where talent flourishes, where innovations are found and where the future is created, for Hong Kong and the world.
