(Hong Kong, 2 March 2026)— Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today officially launched the “Hetao-Hong Kong Youth Innovation Hub” (The Hub) at Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian. The launch marks a significant milestone in HKSTP’s “One Ecosystem, Two Cities’ strategy, establishing a vital “bridgehead” for cross-border collaboration and youth development.
By expanding its footprint and service capabilities in Hetao, HKSTP is reinforcing the connectivity between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Hub is designed to serve as a dedicated innovation service platform for both local and international enterprises, delivering "Stronger, Broader, and Deeper" synergistic effects that help businesses establish a presence in the GBA while accelerating access to overseas markets and resources.
Leaders from both cities gather to Witness a New Chapter in Hong Kong- Shenzhen Co-creation
The Launch Ceremony received strong support from high-level government officials and industry leaders from both cities. Officiating guests included Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; Mr Ivan Lee, the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology; Mr Huang Wei, Secretary of the CPC Futian District Committee and Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Hetao Development Authority, alongside Dr Sunny Chai, Chairman of HKSTP, and Mr Terry Wong, CEO of HKSTP.
Professor Sun Dong remarked, “With the launch of the Hetao-Hong Kong Youth Innovation Hub, the Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch will be equipped with more space and resources to serve a broader pool of outstanding innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises and young entrepreneurs. The HKSAR Government has been unwavering in its efforts to promote the development of I&T in Hong Kong. In particular, the Hetao Hong Kong Park officially opened in December last year. The Government will continue to expedite the development of the Hetao Hong Kong Park by adopting a ‘moving in while construction is underway’ approach and exploring public-private partnerships. As announced in the 2026-27 Budget, the Government will seek to inject HK$10 billion to the park company to accelerate the development of the Hetao Hong Kong Park. We are also actively exploring with the Shenzhen Municipal Government and Mainland authorities the specific implementation plans to allow cross-boundary flow of innovation elements, including personnel, materials, capital and data, to realise the vision of ‘One River, Two Banks’ and ‘One Zone, Two Parks’.”
Dr Sunny Chai added, "I am delighted to witness the phased achievements and future blueprint of HKSTP’s 'One Ecosystem, Two Cities' strategy. 'One Ecosystem' represents Hong Kong Science Park, while 'Two Cities' signifies Hong Kong and Shenzhen. We have seen significant results in the two-way flow of enterprises and talent. By aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and integrating into the national development framework, we are further expanding our ecosystem and strengthening our platform. Through the collaborative model of 'R&D in Hong Kong, Manufacturing in Mainland, and Clinical Application in GBA,' we are realising the vision of being Greater Together."
“Greater Together”: A Seamlessly Connected Innovation Corridor
The National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports Hong Kong in building an international I&T center, emphasising the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation. The launch of The Hetao-Hong Kong Youth Innovation Hub is a critical measure by HKSTP in leveraging Hong Kong’s unique strengths of “relying on the motherland and connecting with the world.”
HKSTP will efficiently connect Hong Kong’s international R&D talent network and fundamental research strengths with Shenzhen’s robust industrial chain, vast market, and mature manufacturing capabilities, building a seamless "1+1 Innovation Corridor" that accelerates the commercialisation and real-world application of major research outcomes, promote more efficient flows of talent, capital, technology, and data, and drive deeper integration of the two cities’ innovation ecosystems.
Three Core Advantages Driving Cross-Border Enterprise Growth
Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch comprises two six-story buildings equipped with co-working spaces, offices, dry and wet laboratories, and supporting facilities. It strengthens cross-border support in three key dimensions to drive enterprises' two-way expansion between the GBA and global markets:
- Stronger Cross-Border Acceleration: Combining the strengths of Hong Kong and Shenzhen to provide full-spectrum support from proof-of-concept to commercialization, removing barriers to operation.
- Broader Market Opportunities: Through the "Go Global" service platform, enterprises receive one-stop support for soft landings, market matching, and supply chain integration, helping them expand steadily into the GBA and global markets.
- Deeper Ecological Synergy: The "1+1 Innovation Ecosystem" will facilitate deeper Hong Kong-Shenzhen cooperation and knowledge sharing, accelerating high-value technology transfer. Through systematic entrepreneurship training and cross-disciplinary exchange, HKSTP continues to inject talent into the GBA industrial ecosystem, supporting scalable and international development.
Empowering Innovators and Startups to Facilitate Talent Flow Between the Two Cities
Talent is the engine of steady I&T development. HKSTP is providing young people in Hong Kong and Shenzhen with a platform to pursue ambitions and realise their potential. In 2025 alone, HKSTP led over 150 young people from Hong Kong and overseas to explore opportunities in the GBA and connected with over 3,000 mainland talents through recruitment drives. Future initiatives at The Hub will include professional technical training, incubation support, expert sharing, enterprise visits, internships and employment matching to ensure a dynamic flow of talent within the dual-city ecosystem and create greater shared value.
Showcasing Frontier Innovation and Connecting the World
The event also showcased innovative technologies from 25 park companies spanning life and health, AI and data, advanced manufacturing and beyond – demonstrating how the Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch helps companies accelerate from R&D and prototyping to market adoption.
Concurrently, a "Global Connect" partnership ceremony was held. As a bridge linking global technology ecosystems, Global Connect brings together technology companies, investors, industry leaders and strategic partners worldwide, online and offline, to strengthen the innovation community. HKSTP joined forces with various strategic partners across finance, legal, supply chain, listing, consulting and go-global services, providing diversified support to park companies, furthering the vision of "Deepening Roots in the Bay Area, Connecting to the World". The initiative will further expand HKSTP’s global innovation network, help companies access international resources and overseas markets, and advance two-way development—“bringing in” and “going out.”
