HKPC Launches BIZ Expands Easy (BEE) Funding Portal with BEE ePass Service Enabling Fully Digitalised Government Funding Application and Management in One Go

(Hong Kong, 16 September 2022) The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today announces the launch of the new BIZ Expands Easy (BEE) funding portal empowered with BEE ePass service. The launching ceremony was held to showcase how the one-stop platform can help systematise and optimise the funding application process for government funding application, unlocking boundless opportunities for the industries.

BEE is a one-stop integrated platform consolidating information of various government funding schemes covering digitalisation & cyber security, smart & green living, SME & startup support, enabling different industry sectors to explore funding resources and support for business development. In order to help users successfully apply for suitable funding schemes, the funding portal provides a self-checking eligibility kiosk, allowing users to check their application eligibility for funding schemes at their fingertips by understanding their own business conditions and development needs, and the funding objectives, scope and application requirements, etc. Through the BEE ePass service, enterprises or organisations can log in, view and manage those government funding schemes which HKPC serves as the secretariat, and process different applications simultaneously with a single user account and password. This function also enables users to auto pre-fill registered company information, saving the time of repeatedly filling in the application from scratch.

Hon Sunny TAN, Chairman of HKPC, said, “HKPC has always been the most trusted partner of industries and government. On top of providing enterprises with technical support and talent training services, it also serves as the secretariat of over ten government funding schemes, striving to offer professional one-stop services for stakeholders and support various industries to utilise government funding for upgrading and transformation. To further enhance the service quality of the secretariat, HKPC has continuously implemented various digitalisation measures to optimise the user experience of the applicants. Thanks to the trust of the government and industry and the efforts and dedication of HKPC team, the BEE funding portal with the new functions has successfully been launched today. HKPC will continue to uphold the code of compliance and the operational and customer service excellence in expanding the support of government funding to the industries, so that they, especially SMEs, can leverage government funding to go digital, secure a foothold in the market and open up new opportunities.”

Ms Vivian LIN, Chief Operating Officer of HKPC, said, “The Funding Scheme Branch under HKPC adheres to the four core elements including Operational Excellence, Customer Service Excellence, Professional Integrity and Digitalisation, and is committed to serving Hong Kong SMEs and various organisations, striving for excellence in the work area of the secretariat. In 2021/22, HKPC received over 12,000 funding applications in total, 75% of which were SMEs. In view of the huge demand from enterprises for government funding, HKPC launches this wholly-funded one-stop BEE funding portal with an aim to provide applicants with more all-round information of government funding schemes. It also allows users to check and understand the requirement of funding applications with the self-checking eligibility kiosk. Together with the BEE ePass service, this platform even allows enterprises and organisations to manage different funding applications simultaneously with a single user account and password, and auto pre-fill registered information to streamline the application process. HKPC hopes that BEE can render great help to enterprises, and continue to exert the professional customer service spirit of the Funding Scheme Branch to bring positive influence on the society and benefit more SMEs.”

The launching ceremony has also invited nine representatives from enterprises of different sectors that have successfully applied for different government funding schemes as guest speakers in the panel discussion sessions, sharing their successful cases and experiences on applying for funding and exploring how the funding schemes can promote enterprises to respond to smart and green living and develop digital businesses. It is aimed to encourage different industries to upgrade and transform their business operations and improve their cost-effectiveness with the support of government funding.

HKPC plans to launch the BEE Mobile App early next year, allowing users to view and manage government funding applications anytime and anywhere in a more convenient manner. For more information about BEE funding portal and BEE ePass service, please visit: https://bee.hkpc.org/en/

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Chairman of HKPC Hon Sunny TAN (third from right), Executive Director of HKPC Mr Mohamed BUTT (second from right), and Chief Operating Officer of HKPC Ms Vivian LIN (first from right), officiated the launch of BIZ Expands Easy (BEE) funding portal to further expand the government funding support platform with Dr Paul YEUNG, President of Hong Kong Commerce and Industry Associations (first from left); Mr Andrew KWOK, President of Hong Kong Small & Medium Enterprises Association (second from left); and Mr Calvin CHAU, President of Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business (third from left).

Hon Sunny TAN, Chairman of HKPC, said HKPC will continue to uphold the code of compliance and the operational and customer service excellence in expanding the support of government funding to the industries.

Ms Vivian LIN, Chief Operating Officer of HKPC, shared on the services and development direction of the Funding Scheme Branch under HKPC.

The event invited representatives from various enterprises that have successfully applied for different funding schemes to share their successful cases and experiences in the panel discussions on how government funding helps transform and improve their business operations.