Entrepreneur Day and Business of IP Asia Forum start from late November

16 November 2022 – The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is organising the 14^th Entrepreneur Day and the 12^th Business of IP Asia Forum (BIP Asia Forum) between the end of November and early December. The two events will feature experts and high-profile speakers from various industries to share their insights with start-ups and small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs). Topics will include optimising business operations, pursuing entrepreneurship, and using the latest innovative technologies and creative mindsets to capture opportunities and expand your business globally, in particular in the Greater Bay Area.

HKTDC Assistant Executive Director Stephen Liang, said: "Entrepreneur Day and BIP Asia Forum will offer start-ups and SMEs a chance to clearly understand the latest trends in their respective industries and enhance their knowledge whether they wish to learn how to start a business, embrace a path of sustainable development, safeguard their intellectual property or how to improve their branding strategy, equipping them to pursue the best opportunities.

"Start-up Express International, one of the highlights of Entrepreneur Day, will introduce top-tier start-ups from Mainland China, the United States, Italy, South Korea and Japan to local start-ups encouraging inspirational exchanges and creating opportunities for start-ups in Hong Kong to widen their horizon in a way that will hopefully be conducive to upgrading business performance. Finally, the BIP Asia Forum will host experts in intellectual property from across the world and assemble business leaders to generate discussion on recent developments in the market and application of industrial metaverse."

Entrepreneur Day - Developing a diversified and balanced start-up ecosystem

The 14^th Entrepreneur Day will be on 30 November, with events culminating on 2 December. The theme for this year's edition is "Balance Beyond the Boom", with hybrid seminars and exhibitions being offered for the first time. Entrepreneur Day will involve more than 20 seminars and workshops and close to 60 speakers from 11 countries and regions sharing their innovative responses to market changes. More than 110 exhibitors will showcase their technological developments. At the same time, business matching sessions and networking events will be available for attendees seeking to explore cutting-edge products in the growing international start-up ecosystem. Start-ups will be encouraged to use Hong Kong as a platform to tap into the Greater Bay Area and global markets and seek out business partners.

This year's Entrepreneur Day Seminar series will cover four major themes: Entrepreneurship, Future Tech, Innovation for Good and Market Exploration. The key session, "T-Chat – Global VC Investment: Rise or Fall", will invite Eric Manlunas, Founder & Managing Partner of Wavemaker Partners; Duncan Chiu, Co-Chairman and Venture Committee of Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HKVCA); and Karena Belin, Co-founder & COO/CFO/RO of Hong Kong's first SFC licensed start-up investment platform AngelHub, share their views on the outlook for the global venture capital market in 2023. They will also guide start-ups on how to raise capital and expand their business at critical times.
 

Start-ups aspiring to achieve unicorn status (technology companies with a private market valuation of more than US$1 billion) can attend the "Unicorn Fireside Chat – Revival of the Travel Super App" with Kim Jong Yoon, CEO of Yanolja (the first and only travel unicorn based in South Korea, and owner of the most popular hotel booking app in the country). He will share how the company used emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology to reform its business during the pandemic. He will also discuss ways to seize new opportunities now that global borders are reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

With the growing importance of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) to the public, many companies use ESG criteria to ensure they run responsibly. In "Make Good Use of Waste", Shrikanth Narasimha, Director of Sustainability and Supply Chain - Far East Mainetti (HK) (the world's largest manufacturer of hangers); Rachel Barr, Vice President of Sustainability of Israeli start-up UBQ Materials; and Ricci Wong, Founder and CEO of HK Timberbank will discuss projects on achieving closed-loop recycling and reuse of plastic products, converting household waste into sustainable bioplastics, and upcycling local wood to make decorative materials, thus driving the development of the global circular economy.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have risen in importance and caused controversy. In the session "NFT: Eye Candy or Key to Gold?", Lucas Cheung, Managing Partner of Gusto Collective Hong Kong, Asia's first BrandTech group and Nick Lau, founder of WEAR (a Web3 platform for luxury brands to launch exclusive ‘phygital’ goods), will introduce the latest applications of NFTs in the entertainment and fashion industries and how they can boost sales and enhance customer loyalty.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has increased possibilities for trade and collaboration across the region. In "Start-up Ecosystem in RCEP", representatives from venture capital firms and start-up accelerators from Japan, South Korea and Australia will share the latest developments in the region’s start-up ecosystem and incentives for local start-ups that are interested in exploring the new market.
 

Meanwhile, exhibitions under 2 thematic zones, "Start-up Zone" and "The Boosters", will showcase more than 110 innovative companies and business establishment service providers covering many of the most sought-after technologies, including biomedical sciences, green tech, food tech, smart city technologies, fintech and more. Visitors can interact with exhibitors  at physical and virtual booths, and via daily guided tours and business matching sessions to learn about their innovative solutions. Some of the ingenious solutions include ZenxTag Technology Limited's smart food label, which changes its colour depending on the food's freshness; Key Points Exchange Limited's cross-border loyalty points aggregator for payment; Metamory Technology Limited's blockchain-enabled 'graveyard in the metaverse' for pets and humans; and Tencent Cloud's cloud solutions for start-ups.

Start-up Express International promote a vibrant exchange opportunities

To mark the 5^th anniversary of Start-up Express, the start-up development programme, the HKTDC has launched Start-up Express International as one of the highlights of Entrepreneur Day this year to encourage international start-ups to establish a presence in Hong Kong and strengthen ecosystem-to-ecosystem collaboration between Hong Kong and other countries. Start-up Express International is supported by global partners in Belgium, Mainland China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who have nominated start-ups from those countries to participate in the contest. Nominated start-ups come from a diverse range of industries, including greentech, healthtech, smart city technologies and edtech, as well as the metaverse, blockchain, robotics, marketing technology and agritech.

Start-up Express International has already shortlisted the top 30 start-ups, and a professional panel of judges will select 10 global winners. The top 30 start-ups are entitled to a series of supporting services such as marketing support, technology support, peer support, mentorship and advisory, and incentive offers to help them set up business in Hong Kong and enter the Greater Bay Area market. The 10 global winners will share the stage with local winners from Hong Kong Start-up Express and exchange views on the industry and entrepreneurial experiences.

Business of IP Asia Forum create new value and discover new frontiers

With the flourishing development of innovative technology in Asia, companies have to formulate their Intellectual Property (IP) strategies to keep up with market development and changes. Jointly organised by the HKSAR Government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Design Centre, the 12^th Business of IP Asia Forum will be held online and physically at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 1-2 December 2022. With the theme of "Creating New Value, Discovering New Frontiers", the two-day forum will bring together global IP experts and business leaders to explore the latest trends in the Global IP market.

The first-ever "Policy Dialogue" will feature Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization; Antony Taubman, Director of the Intellectual Property Division at the World Trade Organization (WTO); Rowel S. Barba, Chairman of ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC); Kyo-sook Choi,  Chair of Intellectual Property Rights Experts Group at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); and  António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office. They will discuss the co-creation of a resilient and sustainable IP ecosystem.

Following the policy dialogue, the plenary session "Powering the Future: Robust Patent Strategies Amid Challenges" will see industrial leaders like Brett Alten, Senior Vice President of Deputy General Counsel and Chief IP Counsel at Hewlett Packard Enterprise;  Michael Ding, Vice President and Head of IP AMEA Region of ABB Group; and Masaki Ito, General Manager of the Intellectual Property Department at Toyota Industries Corporation, share their insights about how companies could scale up their businesses by making the best use out of IP.

Chaired by H.L. Yiu, Head of Re-industrialisation of the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation, the “Global Tech Summit” will focus on how the Industrial Metaverse propels re-industrialisation in Hong Kong. It will feature Simon See, Global Head and Chief Solution Architect of NVIDIA AI Technology Center; T. John Koo, Director of Cyber-Physical Systems at the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI); and Eric Liu, Deputy Executive Director of the Vocational Training Council (VTC). The speakers will share NVIDIA's journey to build Omniverse, an open modular platform for metaverse developers, artists and enterprises, integrating virtual collaborations and real-time physical simulation for virtual worlds. They will also discuss plans to nurture local talent in the field of metaverse technology.

HKTDC will join hands with the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and organise “Innovation & IP Market” under the theme “Smart Manufacturing and Building" for the first time ever to strengthen IP commercialisation and foster industry collaboration. “Innovation & IP Market” will connect universities, research centres, start-ups, IP users and service providers to facilitate business networking and explore potential business opportunities. The “Innovation & IP Market” will include Inno Showcase with over 30 homegrown innovations  applicable to a range of sectors, including manufacturing, construction, property development, transportation, energy, healthcare & beauty; Open Stage, where tech and IP experts will be sharing global trends and best practices on IP & tech commercialisation and adoption; and the Tech Consultation Salon, where enterprises can seek professional advice on business transformation and upgrading.

In an affiliated event titled “ASEAN Roadmap to Successful IP Commercialisation in a Knowledgebased Economy”, co-organised by ASEAN and the Intellectual Property Department, local and ASEAN representatives from the legal, research and business sector will shed light on the characteristics of the financial and legal systems that favour IP commercialisation, their prior experiences with technology transfers and the key to success in a knowledge-based economy.

Meanwhile, the "Inspo Talk" will highlight IP-related points that matter for business collaboration with KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders), discuss IP issues related to KOL marketing and connect IP service consumers and providers.

Finally, HKTDC and Hong Kong's Intellectual Property Department will jointly provide IP Training sessions during the forum introducing basic intellectual property concepts such as IP applications in e-commerce. Participants can learn about how intellectual property can protect original inventions in the digital era, empowering their ability to protect and manage IP on behalf of companies.

Websites
HKTDC Entrepreneur Day: https://eday.hktdc.com/

Start-up Express International: https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/tc/s/start-up-express-international

Business of IP Asia Forum: https://bipasia.hktdc.com/en/

Media registration

To attend, media representatives must pre-register by completing the following registration form and emailing it to hktdc@hkstrategies.com by 28 November (Monday). A confirmation email with access links to the fairs and conferences will be sent to successful registrants. Please note that the events are not accessible to unregistered media representatives.

*********************** Media Online Registration Form *****************************

Members of the media wishing to interview speakers should email interview requests to clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org, janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org, rachel.zhu@hkstrategies.com or joyce.kwong@hkstrategies.com by 25 November.

Media enquiries

Please get in touch with PR agency Hill+Knowlton Strategies：
 

Entrepreneur Day

Joyce Kwong           Tel：(852) 6842 5929         Email：joyce.kwong@hkstrategies.com

Nannerl Yau             Tel：(852) 6846 7888         Email：nannerl.yau@hkstrategies.com

Business of IP Asia Forum

Rachel Zhu               Tel：(852) 6816 5846         Email：rachael.zhu@hkstrategies.com

Jade Sin                    Tel：(852) 5646 8944         Email：jade.sin@hkstrategies.com

HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department：
Clayton Lauw           Tel: (852) 2584 4472           Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

Janet Chan               Tel: (852) 2584 4369           Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org

Sunny Ng                  Tel: (852) 2584 4357           Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

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 in the mainland and global markets, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn