InnoEX promotes Hong Kong as international I&T hub

HONG KONG, Apr 13, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The second edition of InnoEX, co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opens today. Themed Innovations for A Smarter World, this year’s exhibition, together with HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition), will be held for four consecutive days at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Leveraging Hong Kong’s international platform, the leading tech fairs showcase new-generation smart solutions and technological products brought by innovation and technology (I&T) experts, entrepreneurs and start-up companies from around the globe. Forums, seminars, business matching and networking activities deepen Hong Kong’s I&T development and promote cross-disciplinary cooperation, accelerating the city’s progress towards becoming an international I&T hub and boosting new productive forces to drive the country’s growth.

Sophia Chong, the Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “This year's InnoEX, in conjunction with the Electronics Fair, brings together some 3,000 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions, showcasing groundbreaking I&T achievements and fully highlighting Hong Kong's advantages as an emerging international I&T hub. The HKTDC continually leverages Hong Kong’s globally renowned business platform to promote the development of the I&T product market and enhance Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem. Moreover, as talent plays a vital role in I&T development, in order to enrich the I&T talent pool in Hong Kong, the HKTDC is organising talent-matching activities and sharing sessions to assist exhibitors in recruiting professionals and enhancing competitiveness, thereby creating a strong momentum for the local I&T industry.”

InnoEX features the inaugural Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference organised by the Hong Kong Alumni Association of Beijing Universities, where John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, and Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Hong Kong SAR, addressed its opening ceremony along with the 2024 Hong Kong Nobel Forum. In addition, the four-day conference features a stellar lineup of speakers including Nobel Prize and Turing Award laureates, top innovative technology experts, and renowned scientists. Together, they explore important topics in areas such as big data, AI, quantum computing, biotechnology and new materials, helping industries seize opportunities brought about by the new industrial revolution.

Professor Sun attended the InnoEX welcome dinner last night, joined by over 180 exhibitors, buyers and industry representatives. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR, and Prof Sun also visited the tech fair today to learn about exhibitors’ innovative achievements and support industry innovation.

Government leads digital transformation, Smart Hong Kong Pavilion presents I&T solutions

The Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint proposes ways to accelerate smart-city development and improve quality of life. The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) staged the "Smart Hong Kong Pavilion" at the InnoEX. Through interactive experiences and live demonstrations, the Pavilion shows the fruitful achievements in advancing the development of innovation and technology and smart city in Hong Kong, brought about by the concerted efforts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and various sectors.

The Pavilion, focusing on artificial intelligence applications, will feature six smart areas namely, "Smart Living", "Smart Mobility", "Smart Environment", “Smart People", "Smart Government" and "Smart Economy", and will showcase innovative solutions adopted by more than 20 government bureauax and departments and a series of winning entries from local innovators and students. Highlights include the award-winning proof-of-concept solution "AI Environmental Air Nuisance Investigation Robot Dog" in the "Innovative Application with AI" Innovation Competition that can track the source of air pollution autonomously, the "Smart K9 Management System" of the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department that utilises Internet of Things to monitor the real-time canine health data, and the "Digital Herbarium for Chinese Medicines" developed by the Department of Health that is the first in the world using photogrammetry to produce three dimensional (3D) images on traceable CMM specimens.

InnoHK to showcase I&T achievements along with renowned French tech companies

The HKSAR Government’s Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) once again participates in InnoEX to showcase remarkable I&T advancements achieved by 16 research centres under InnoHK, a platform that fosters collaboration among esteemed researchers from local, mainland and overseas communities. Additionally, the Hong Kong SAR Government’s five research and development (R&D) centres introduce groundbreaking innovations. Other participants include Cyberport, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), the B4B Challenge, the Smart City Consortium and eight local universities. The Chinese University of Hong Kong showcases the E-Coating made from recycled glass, which reduces building temperatures. E-Coating won a Silver Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2023. Furthermore, the Automotive Platforms and Application Systems R&D Centre presents the Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV Charger, which uses hydrogen to generate power to rapidly charge electric vehicles without emitting pollutants or greenhouse gases.

This year’s InnoEX has expanded its international reach, attracting exhibitors from 13 countries and regions, including pavilions from India and Canada. The So French So Innovative pavilion has brought a number of renowned innovative companies from France. Mainland China is also well-represented with 20 pavilions from 16 provinces and cities participating in the event. The Zhongguancun pavilion from Beijing, which achieved fruitful results last year, is leading even more enterprises this year, including listed companies, unicorns and new, distinctive, specialised and sophisticated enterprises from across the country. They showcase cutting-edge technological solutions in various fields such as commercial aerospace, satellite technology, AI and microchips. The Guangdong pavilion also debuts at InnoEX, bringing together 30 companies from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities. These companies are presenting reindustrialisation and smart-city development technologies, aiming to promote I&T cooperation between Hong Kong and GBA cities.

Comprehensive platform to analyse I&T trends and promote exchange

Forums, seminars, business matching and networking sessions at InnoEX include today’s ASEAN Roundtable, which brings together government representatives from ASEAN countries such as Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Officials from Mainland China and the Hong Kong SAR Government are also attending to share experiences and discuss smart-city development needs, promoting government-to-government (G2G) and government-to-business (G2B) cooperation.

Other highlighted activities during InnoEX include a seminar, co-organised by the OGCIO and Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, which focuses on how Hong Kong and Shanghai can collaborate in establishing a data ecosystem. Additionally, the So French So Innovative pavilion will hold a seminar on 15 April to explore four major topics namely industrial development, smart mobility, green technology and architectural technology, revealing how innovative technologies from France can drive sustainable development worldwide.

Tech Trends Symposium to focus on hot topics such as spatial computing and AI

The HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) enters its 20th edition this year. Themed World’s Leading Electronics Marketplace, the exhibition features three special theme zones – Hall of Fame, Startup Zone and Tech Hall, showcasing innovative electronic products and technological solutions from renowned international brands and I&T companies. The New Energy Storage Zone debuts to feature products that provide power for outdoor activities and electric vehicles. EV industry leader Tesla showcases their latest electric vehicles at the event. A Digital Entertainment Experiential Zone offers visitors gaming and interactive experiences from game developers and creative enterprises specialising in extended reality and AI.

The Tech Trends Symposium on 15 April will discuss The Future of Spatial Computing & Generative AI. Industry experts will analyse the latest developments in related technologies and equipment, as well as real-life application cases.

The HKTDC launches Exhibitors Meet Talents at InnoEX and Electronics Fair this year in collaboration with recruitment platform Jobsdb, Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association, and Cyberport. Job seekers can attend the event tomorrow (14 April) and engage with actively recruiting exhibitors to apply for desired positions. The events also include various sharing sessions to provide insights for those interested in joining Hong Kong’s I&T sector.

The two technology exhibitions continue to adopt the HKTDC’s EXHIBITION+ model, merging online and offline elements. Exhibitors and buyers can continue to use the Click2Match smart business-matching platform for up to seven days after the exhibition. The event also introduces the Scan2Match service, allowing buyers to continue online discussions with exhibitors by scanning QR codes at the physical fairs using the HKTDC Marketplace App.

BITWeek brings exciting I&T events

The Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BITWeek), driven by the HKSAR Government’s Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and the HKTDC, includes InnoEX, the Digital Economy Summit co-organised by the HKSAR Government’s Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and Cyberport, and the HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition). Other events during BITWeek include HKSTP’s Elevator Pitch Competition, HKTDC Smart Lighting Expo, the Hong Kong Web3 Festival and Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference.

Photos Download: https://bit.ly/49v0jcY

Websites
InnoEX: innoex.hktdc.com/en
Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition): hkelectronicsfairse.hktdc.com/en

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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. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn