Empowering SMEs and start-ups and reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as an IT hub and Regional Intellectual Property Trading Centre
The 14th Business of IP Asia Forum (BIP Asia Forum), jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR) and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and the 16th Entrepreneur Day (E-Day), hosted by the HKTDC, will be held from 5 to 6 December at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Through forums, exhibitions, competitions, workshops, and business matching sessions, BIP Asia Forum and E-Day combine to provide an ideal platform for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to discover the potential of intellectual property (IP) and explore business growth opportunities.
Under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong is positioned as a development centre for eight key areas, including an international innovation and technology hub and a regional intellectual property trading centre. The HKSAR’s Policy Address further proposes expanding the IP trading ecosystem for the innovation and technology and cultural and creative industries, creating favourable conditions for Hong Kong’s development in these areas.
Stephen Liang, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “The HKTDC is dedicated to promoting the development of new quality productive forces in Hong Kong and exploring new engines for economic growth. BIP Asia Forum and E-Day play a vital role in transforming Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub and a regional IP trading centre. The two events bring together over 130 industry leaders and more than 360 exhibitors from the IP industry, innovation and technology sector, and start-up community helping participants seize opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, ASEAN, and beyond. A highlight this year will be the Global Tech Summit which will enable attendees to explore the impact of AI across industries with valuable insights and experiences from industry experts.”
BIP Asia Forum Unlocks Potential of IP
The theme of this year’s BIP Asia Forum is “Reimagining IP for Impact and Growth”. Featuring more than 90 speakers, the Forum will explore the immense potential of IP in nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship and driving impactful economic and social development on a global scale. More than 40 exhibitors from some 10 countries and regions will showcase their solution and projects.
Dr Peter KN Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, and Hu Wenhui, Deputy Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), will speak at the opening ceremony, while Xaysomphet Norasingh, Chairman of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation, and Wang Binying, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), will discuss the latest trends and developments in IP during the Policy Dialogue.
The Plenary Session, titled “Unlocking Business Success with IPs”, will feature Michael Moriarty, Managing Director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Guy Riddell, Managing Director of Peninsula Merchandising Limited, and Na Wei, Senior Director of IP Licensing at Xiaomi, sharing their insights on how to leverage effective branding and IP strategies, along with technological advancements, to unlock business potential and create opportunities.
This year’s Global Tech Summit will feature dedicated sessions focusing on the impact of AI on various industries, including communications, food and agriculture, sports, and Web3. Beatrice Ho, Co-founder of Mushroom-X; Philip Ng, Founder and CEO of AI Farming Technology (Hong Kong) Limited; Nick Balke, Head of Sales, APAC & EMEA at KUDO Inc.; and Cerena Ip, CEO and Founder of Welldify, will share the latest application trends and business expansion opportunities in their respective industries. In the Startup Playbook series, Sun Choi, Founding Partner of 2080 Ventures; Fred Li, Senior Executive Director of Gobi Partners GBA; and Andrew Young, Advisor at Sino Group and Executive Director at Ficus Technology Holdings, will provide start-ups with practical tips on global expansion, venture capital, and IP strategies.
The two-day forum will also feature various thematic sessions. The ASEAN Session, hosted by the ASEAN Secretariat and the Intellectual Property Department of the HKSAR Government, will discuss IP in the arts, cultural, and creative industries. Another highlight, “Reimagining Content IP”, will feature Jake Hwang, Chief Manager of Story IP Business at Kakao Entertainment Corp., sharing insights on IP related to popular Korean dramas, webcomics, and web novels. Theodora Lau, Founder of Unconventional Ventures, will analyse AI ethical issues in the session “Responsibility of AI: Ethics, Inclusion, Impact”. This year’s forum will also introduce a new session on IP valuation and financing, sharing strategies and helping attendees understand how to leverage intangible assets as a valuable financing tool for businesses.
This year’s Innovation and IP Market, themed “Smart City Innovation”, will showcase more than 20 innovative projects from universities, R&D centres, service providers, and IP service agencies in areas such as smart cities, digital business, smart living, AI and robotics, and transportation, facilitating industry exchange, partnership building, and business networking.
Entrepreneur Day Explores New Business Opportunities in the Tech Era
“Where Start-up Dreams Take Flight” is the theme for this year’s E-Day and will feature an exhibition with more than 320 start-ups, inventor projects, and start-up support services from 10 countries and regions. During the two-day exhibition, some 15 events will be organised, with business leaders sharing and exchanging insights on the latest start-up and investment trends.
E-Day has so far attracted exhibitors from various countries and regions including the first ever Thailand pavilion, organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, which will feature 10 key start-ups from Thailand. The Australian pavilion, led by Investment New South Wales (NSW), will also participate for the second consecutive year, presenting green tech start-ups to explore potential opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
The HKSAR’s Digital Policy Office is also joining E-Day for the first time to showcase over 30 award-winning local technology projects at the Hong Kong Innovation Pavilion and the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association will once again co-organise the annual Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions with Geneva Palexpo, and showcasing over 120 innovative projects from Asia at E-Day.
The Symposium of the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area, hosted by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, will invite the Alliance and start-ups under the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the GBA to share their success stories and promote the high-quality development of youth innovation and entrepreneurial bases in the region. Shenzhen Qianhai DreamWorks Operation Co., Ltd., an innovation and entrepreneurship platform, and Hexcubes will join investors and stakeholders in sharing insights at the event.
E-Day seminars will cover four main themes: Inspirational Masterclass, Start-up 101, Global Tech Summit, and Uncovering Hidden Gems. On the first day, “T-Chat – Changes, Challenges and Chances: A Startup’s Guide to Navigating the AI Era” will feature Martin Karafilis, CEO of Fishburners and award-winning entrepreneur, and Keith Jackson, Chairman of Hong Kong UK Business Forum and renowned business consultant, discussing the innovative mindset entrepreneurs must possess in the rapidly developing era of AI and sharing strategies for leading start-ups to success.
The “Rising Stars: Gen Z Entrepreneurs” seminar and Start-up Mixer, co-organised with the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, will be held on the second day, bringing together outstanding young founders to explore how to leverage technology to reshape the business landscape. The seminar will explore their key success factors, the challenges they face, and how they use innovative strategies to realise their ambitious visions.
Start-up Express International, supported by partners from Mainland China, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, the United States and United Arab Emirate, will feature ten global winning start-ups to share and exchange insights.
The HKTDC and Hang Seng Bank’s one-stop platform, InnoClub, will also host the InnoClub Award Presentation Ceremony and Networking Reception to recognise the outstanding achievements of its members in innovation and technology, with award winners sharing their success stories. There will also be a networking reception for start-ups, investors, and business partners to connect and create business opportunities.
In addition, DesignInspire will be held concurrently with BIP Asia Forum and E-Day from 5 to 7 December at the same venue. The event will bring together numerous local and international design superstars, providing an exciting design experience for the industry and the public. The three events aim to create synergy and generate more business opportunities for the industry.
Websites:
Business of IP Asia Forum: https://bipasia.hktdc.com/en/
Entrepreneur Day: https://portal.hktdc.com/eday/en
Start-up Express International: https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/s/start-up-express-international
Also read: 14th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference concludes today
About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.
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