(Hong Kong, 13 August 2026) – The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in collaboration with the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), announced the successful conclusion of the HYAB Youth Start-up Internship Programme 2026 (YSIP 2026), which recorded its strongest response to date in its fourth consecutive year. The programme provided 100 fully funded internship placements and attracted more than 4,300 applications from students across 17 tertiary institutions, representing a growing recognition of Hong Kong's innovation and technology (I&T) opportunities among young talents.
Open to full-time students aged 18 to 30, YSIP 2026 welcomed both STEM and non-STEM talent from a wide range of academic disciplines, with internships running for three to six months. This year also saw participating park companies offer around 260 internship opportunities across technical and business functions, reflecting continued interest from start-ups in engaging emerging talent through structured placements. The programme’s longer-term impact is also reflected in career outcomes, with the proportion of final-year interns receiving full-time job offers through HKSTP’s Talent Conversion Scheme rising from 15% among 2024 graduates to 21% among 2025 graduates.
Patrick Li, Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, said, "The HKSAR Government attaches great importance to youth development, and the HYAB has been actively providing diversified development opportunities for young people. YSIP offers subsidies to local startups to hire interns and provides students with more working experience at startups. At the same time, YSIP supports startups in recruiting young talent, which helps inject new thinking and vitality into enterprises, enlarge the I&T talent pool and accelerate Hong Kong’s development into an international I&T centre.”
Max Tung, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of HKSTP, said, “YSIP reflects the importance of giving young people structured pathways to engage with the I&T sector at an early stage. In addition to their day-to-day responsibilities within start-up teams, participants can join workshops, exchange activities and Greater Bay Area visits that broaden their perspective on the wider innovation landscape. We are particularly encouraged that nearly one-third of participants accept return offers to continue their careers within the HKSTP ecosystem this year. It is highly rewarding to see that, for many participants, the experience has helped shape a clearer sense of direction for their future development and strengthened their interest in pursuing opportunities within the sector.”
YSIP 2026 included a series of activities, in addition to internship placements, designed to extend participants’ learning beyond the workplace. Interns joined professional development workshops on Team Innovation, Career Reality Check and Personal Branding, which focused on collaboration, career planning and professional presentation. A key part of the programme was a three-day, two-night Greater Bay Area study trip, during which participants visited Tencent, Shokz, Qianhai Block V and Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch, and took part in a cultural exchange with students from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. These activities provided broader exposure to I&T developments in the region and offered participants a wider perspective on possible career pathways.
Throughout the internship period, students also took part in company visits, industry sharing sessions, networking events and exchanges with founders and investors. At the closing ceremony, awards were presented to recognise outstanding intern performance, exemplary employer mentorship and active programme participation.
Kelly Chan, a Year 3 Mechanical Engineering student at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, highlighted how the programme bridges theory and practice: “This internship pushed me beyond textbook workflows to think strategically about entire projects. Solving real-world challenges—like aligning scans across uneven surfaces—required a holistic mindset I could only gain by driving the reverse engineering process."
Angus Law, Founder and Director of Refined Motor and Kelly’s employer, added, “As a start-up specialising in electric powertrain conversion, we actively cultivate an open and inclusive workplace where young talents feel empowered to voice their engineering insights. This programme has been invaluable in helping us overcome resource limitations, allowing us to recruit and invest in top-tier students like Kelly. With the right funding and a culture that welcomes fresh perspectives, we can turn innovative ideas into real engineering solutions."
Another living proof of the programme's success comes from Horace Yeung, a final-year Computing student at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, and his employer, Michael Wong, Clinical Consultant of UP Innovations – a start-up dedicated to Special Education Needs (SEN) development, rehabilitation therapy, and gerontechnology.
Michael Wong shared the lasting impact of the programme, "The programme has been a true win-win for our small team and the students. It not only provides the funding to bring young talent on board but also offers invaluable real-world exposure that helps cultivate their communication skills and empathy across different community segments. Because at the end of the day, real empathy sparks real innovation, and we are excited to extend our collaboration beyond this programme."
Horace Yeung, added, "I joined thinking technology was just about code, but taking my work to the frontlines at various expos—from realizing elderly users struggled to grip smart stress balls, to calming ADHD students with interactive games—taught me that true innovation starts with empathy. From creating gamified solutions for SEN students to developing algorithms that track handwriting errors, every step has been guided by clinical experts who trusted me to grow. Thanks to Michael’s guidance and HYAB’s support, I've learned that technology can truly change lives."
Launched in 2023, the HYAB Youth Start-up Internship Programme remains part of broader efforts to strengthen Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem and deepen the city’s talent pool for future growth. HKSTP will continue to work with the HKSAR Government, academic institutions and industry partners to support the development of young talent in Hong Kong.
