HKSTP Innovation Mixer Strikes at MWC 2024 Showcases Homegrown R&D in AI, Wireless Networking and Green Tech

(Hong Kong, 12 March 2024) – The world's pre-eminent Mobile World Congress (MWC), renowned for its scale and influence, has drawn to a successful close, setting a new historic record with attendance figures exceeding 100,000 delegates from 205 countries and territories. This year's MWC, under the theme “Future First”, centred on “5G and Beyond”, “Connecting Everything”, “Humanising AI”, “Manufacturing DX”, “Game Changers”, and “Our Digital DNA” as forward-looking sub-themes, cementing its status as a critical exhibition for the progression of cutting-edge technologies.

The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) presented the latest local R&D products from seven of its Park companies at this premier event to international markets, effectively attracting professional buyers from across the globe and enhancing brand visibility. This participation represents another significant milestone for Hong Kong's innovative technologies on the global stage following last month's participation in the globally acclaimed Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2024) in Las Vegas.

Global purchasers from around the world visited the “Hong Kong Technology Pavilion” where exhibitors reported fruitful outcomes from the event, having secured numerous potential business opportunities. Ir Dr HL Yiu, Chief Corporate Development Officer of HKSTP, said, “Innovation and technology have been key areas of focus in Hong Kong's strategic development in recent years. The involvement of our Park companies at MWC 2024 has reaffirmed the strength of Hong Kong’s R&D. HKSTP will continue to redouble its efforts to lead local start-ups to international markets, to enhance our training and support to nurture startups, thus driving the continuous, vigorous growth of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem.”

HKSTP’s Park companies showcased their latest products and technological solutions, including:

• A cutting-edge Wi-Fi network solution designed for speed, seamlessness, and security - Altai Technologies displayed its patented Altai Super WiFi™️ solutions, an industrial-grade advanced Wi-Fi network solution that offers an extensive seamless network coverage of up to 1.7 kilometres and fast handover up to 80 milliseconds. This innovation is tailored to provide rapid, expansive, seamless, and uninterrupted secure Wi-Fi network connectivity for container ports, airports, warehouses, smart manufacturing facilities, mining sites, oil and gas sites, power plants, and more.
• Network coding solutions – n-hop technologies showcased its network coding BATS solution which enables smart lampposts with wireless connectivity and supports 5G cellular network Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB). n-hop announced the development of a network coding accelerator semiconductor chip and a network coding-enabled data processing unit (DPU) designed for a range of applications such as data storage and network servers within the Content Delivery Network (CDN) sector. n-hop is evaluating various business models, with options including IP core licensing amongst others.
• AI Robotics for Cost Reduction and Enhanced Efficiency – Robocore has unveiled their premier robot, Temi, alongside an assortment of functional robots within their portfolio. Temi, a bespoke robot imbued with Artificial Intelligence and advanced navigational technology, has been engineered to optimise tasks conventionally managed by human staff. It boasts the capability to navigate autonomously along pre-configured routes within premises. Furthermore, Temi can be equipped with an array of sensors and various software, enabling it to undertake a multitude of tasks with great adaptability, making it suitable for industries including hospitality, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. The introduction of Temi stands to substantially elevate operational efficiency and reduce costs for enterprises.
• World's smallest gimbal camera – Vista InnoTech (VIT) has showcased to international buyers the world's smallest gimbal, the "Micro Gimbal Stabiliser". Its patented tilted spring mechanism and flexible printed circuit (FPC) design allow its size to be 40% less than its competitors. Coupled with a stability that is nearly twice that of traditional Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) technology and an exposure time that is extended by nearly 16 times, this gimbal enables clearer, low-latency, and real-time professional-grade video recording for wearable devices.

Other Park companies have also unveiled innovative networking systems and Web 3.0 solutions. Comba Telecom, a publicly traded company, has showcased advanced wireless network solutions under the theme of “High Efficiency and Sustainability”, including ComFlex Max and OpenRAN Micro RU. Notably, the Helifeed 2.0 Green Antenna features a green design, utilising environmentally friendly and recyclable materials, and results in no pollution from its manufacturing process. This product exemplifies a commitment to low-carbon practices from production to transportation and packaging, supporting operators globally in reaching their carbon neutrality objectives. GL Technologies presented the latest in Internet of Things (IoT) gateways, Wi-Fi routers, and network solutions. Paraverse Technology has merged the cutting-edge of metaverse and Web 3.0 technologies to launch ParaLab, a decentralised, real-time cloud rendering platform powered by LarkXR. Additionally, they showcased ParaHere, a Web 3.0 transaction circulation platform tailored for 3D applications. These platforms equip developers with sophisticated tools to swiftly construct metaverse environments and provide essential services for digital asset transactions.

Additionally, HKSTP hosted a Networking Reception on 28 February during the MWC. This event was designed to entice technology specialists and organisations from Europe and beyond to discover the boundless opportunities within Hong Kong's innovation and technology ecosystem, viewing the city as a gateway for expansion into Asia and beyond. At the reception, Derek Chim, Head of Incubation and Acceleration Programmes, HKSTP, shared insights on the trends in cutting-edge innovative technologies in Hong Kong and elaborated on how the corporation nurtures startups, assisting them to access global markets. Danny Ng, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Altai Technologies, and Professor Raymond Yeung, Co-founder of n-hop technologies, Professor of Information Engineering, and Co-Director of the Institute of Network Coding, had also provided insights on their respective companies' most recent technological advancements and future development plans.

Photo 1: HKSTP’s Park companies exhibit their latest locally developed products and solutions at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, the largest and most influential event in the international mobile communications industry.

Photo 2 to 5: Park companies showcase their latest products and technological solutions, including offerings from Altai Technologies, n-hop technologies, Paraverse Technology, GL Technologies, Comba Telecom, Robocore, and Vista InnoTech.

Photo 6 to 7: During MWC, HKSTP hosted and participated in numerous networking events, sharing the extensive opportunities within Hong Kong's innovation and technology ecosystem to technology experts and institutions from Europe and beyond.

Appendix 1: List of Hong Kong companies joining MWC 2024

• Altai Technologies
• Comba Telecom
• GL Technologies
• n-hop technologies
• Paraverse Technology
• Robocore
• Vista InnoTech