Hong Kong a hub for entrepreneurship & innovation
HK Fintech Week 2025 & StartmeupHK Festival
Mr. John Lee, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, delivered a speech at the Hong Kong FinTech Week and StartmeupHK Festival, emphasising the significance of this strategic alliance for fostering innovation, technology, and global collaboration. He noted that this year’s event is the largest in Hong Kong’s fintech history, attracting over 37,000 executives and 800 speakers from more than 100 economies. Lee highlighted Hong Kong’s impressive standings in various global rankings, including third in the Global Financial Centres Index and first in Asia for its fintech hub. He reported significant growth in the fintech sector, projecting revenues to exceed US$600 billion by 2032.
Lee acknowledged the city’s attractive environment for professionals, citing Hong Kong’s rise in the World Talent Ranking and its ranking as a key destination for foreign direct investment. He referenced the vibrant IPO market and the substantial foreign investment facilitated by InvestHK, which has aided over 1,400 companies, creating around 20,000 jobs.
During his address, Lee outlined the government’s initiatives to enhance Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre, focusing on deepening equity markets, expanding bond markets, and promoting technology company listings. He also mentioned ongoing efforts in the bond market and the use of offshore Renminbi.
Further, Lee detailed advancements in fintech, highlighting the Monetary Authority’s Project Ensemble and initiatives to foster innovation in areas like AI and sustainable finance. He announced the GoGlobal Task Force, aimed at helping Mainland businesses expand internationally via Hong Kong.
As he concluded, Lee expressed optimism for Hong Kong’s future and encouraged attendees to engage with the week’s events while exploring the city as a hub for international cultural exchange. He wished everyone a productive week at the festival and success in their fintech endeavours.
On Day 2, Mr. Algernon Yau, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, delivered a speech highlighting the significance of the StartmeupHK initiative, launched in 2015 to support external start-ups in Hong Kong. Celebrating the festival’s 10th anniversary, he noted its growth into an international brand that integrates with FinTech Week to showcase synergies between fintech and other technologies like AI and healthtech. Yau emphasised Hong Kong’s advantages as a global gateway, citing its robust legal framework and dynamic financial ecosystem, which have attracted a record number of non-local companies.
Further, he outlined the impressive growth of Hong Kong’s start-up ecosystem, with the number of start-ups tripling from 1,600 to around 4,700 within a decade. The international composition of founders reflects its global appeal. He also stressed Hong Kong’s strong fintech sector, ranked top globally, housing over 1,200 fintech firms. The government’s ongoing support for SMEs and start-ups includes new initiatives such as expanding overseas economic and trade offices and enhancing intellectual property support.
Yau invited attendees to explore Hong Kong’s business opportunities and utilise InvestHK’s resources to support their ventures. He concluded by encouraging collaboration to innovate and scale within the city’s vibrant environment, reiterating the government’s commitment to building a robust innovation economy.
Picture Source: HKSAR Government