HKPC Welcomes Policy Address Measures on SME Support and I&T Promotion to Pivot New Economy with Innovation

(Hong Kong, 25 November 2020) The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) welcomes a series of support measures announced in the Chief Executive’s 2020 Policy Address for SMEs to promote sales in the Mainland and tap into the overseas markets, and to endeavour to drive forth the development of innovation and technology (I&T), leveraging innovation to pivot the new economy of Hong Kong.

In view of the severe challenge of economic and business uncertainties, HKPC firmly supports the initiatives in the Policy Address, and will continue to fully cooperate through its works in various aspects, including:

Support SMEs Development

• The HKPC-operated “SME ReachOut” has been providing information on various government funding schemes to SMEs and Startups in Hong Kong since January this year. The team proactively organises outreach activities and one-on-one matching and supporting services. Over the past ten months, it has contacted more than 20,000 entrepreneurs and management executives of SMEs.
• SME ReachOut also organised two government funding promotion activities this year, attracting more than 30,000 views for live webinars, and over 180,000 traffics for the large-scale virtual online event.

Support SMEs expansion to GBA and Overseas Markets

• As the implementer of the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund), HKPC will continuously promote the Fund and streamline the procedures, and become a trusted partner for SMEs to develop sales in the Mainland, ASEAN region and economies with which Hong Kong has signed Free Trade Agreements.
• HKPC supports the measures of supporting innovation and entrepreneurship by Hong Kong youth in the GBA. Our subsidiaries in the GBA will actively provide comprehensive support services, co-working spaces and communication platforms for Hong Kong SMEs and start-ups in the region.

Drive Forth I&T Development

• The HKSAR Government launched the $2 billion Re-industrialisation Funding Scheme in July 2020 to subsidise manufacturers to set up new smart production lines in Hong Kong. As an expert of Industry 4.0 and Enterprise 4.0, HKPC is endeavoured to assist local enterprises to achieve digital transformation, set up smart production lines, leading the re-industrialisation efforts of Hong Kong and injecting new economic impetus. 
• HKPC welcomes the launch of “Global STEM Professorship Scheme” and is keen to collaborate with I&T professions around the world to drive the talent development in enterprise digital transformation, Enterprise 4.0 and re-industrialisation.

Promote the Development of Smart City

• In cooperation with the government’s 5G development plan, HKPC provides an one-stop 5G testing service for testing smart autonomous vehicles at outdoor environment, or testing IoT related applications, in order to facilitate the development of 5G innovative application.
• Being the facilitator for autonomous driving technology in the region, HKPC will research actively on innovative technologies related to smart city and autonomous driving and support the upcoming projects related to the “Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong 2.0”.
• HKPC welcomes the development of a “Gerontechnology Platform” by the government. HKPC has established a gerontechnology cluster back in January 2019, namely “GLink”, to facilitate various sectors to develop relevant application solutions. More than 100 organisations/ enterprises have joined the cluster.

Promote environmental protection and sustainable development

• HKPC welcomes the upcoming first roadmap on the popularization of electric vehicles (EV). HKPC has been promoting EV adoption in Hong Kong through the research and development of new charging solutions, and technology transfer and commercialization of its proprietary technologies to local enterprises.
• “Recycling Fund” and “Cleaner Production Partnership Programme” implemented by HKPC will continue to support the government’s measures to strengthen waste reduction and recycling, and improve air quality.

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