- Exhibiting start-ups attract recognition, demonstrating Hong Kong’s innovation and technology strength
Viva Technology (VivaTech) 2026, the annual technology and start-up extravaganza, successfully concluded in Paris, France last week. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), together with strategic partner the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO), and supporting organisations including Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Cyberport, hosted the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion to showcase innovative solutions from 24 local innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises and institutions to global investors and industry players.
During the exhibition, a series of thematic seminars, start-up pitching sessions and networking events were held to facilitate industry exchanges and business matching, helping local start-ups seize opportunities in the European market and deepen their international collaboration networks.
HKTDC’s Chris Lo, Regional Director, Europe, Central Asia & Israel, stated: “VivaTech 2026’s Hong Kong Tech Pavilion has achieved excellent results once again this year, facilitating multiple cross-border collaborations. We are pleased to see that some of these outcomes have gradually come to fruition from connections and exchanges initiated last year. Through its participation in overseas promotional platforms, the HKTDC has been helping local start-ups build networks and increase their exposure in international markets, creating collaboration opportunities for them and supporting their expansion into global markets, thereby injecting sustained momentum into Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development.”
The participating start-ups and institutions included Formwork IO, which specialises in developing carbon-negative construction materials and sustainable solutions, which was selected as one of the top 30 finalists for VivaTech’s “Tech for Change” Award. Tech for Change recognises start-ups that leverage innovative technology to drive positive impact for the environment, society or health, with an emphasis on the parallel pursuit of impact and commercial value. The finalists were selected from exhibiting start-ups worldwide based on their high growth potential. Additionally, from numerous startups and institutions worldwide, the organiser selected two Hong Kong Tech Pavilion I&T companies including PointFit Technology, a developer of wearable health monitoring and smart sports solutions, and Robocore Technology Limited, which develops globally leading open-platform service robot solutions, to give live demonstrations at VivaTech’s Discovery Stage to buyers and investors around the world. These achievements fully demonstrate the innovative capabilities and international competitiveness of Hong Kong startups in health technology, artificial intelligence, and other fields.
Forging cross-regional collaborations with fruitful results
Several participating companies successfully established connections with European investors, large enterprises and industry partners, and commenced business discussions, laying the groundwork for subsequent cooperation. Among them, Robocare Technology is in negotiations with JCDecaux, a France-based multinational outdoor advertising company, for a cooperation agreement that will provide 1,000 robots to JCDecaux for marketing campaigns. Robocore Technology first connected with JCDecaux at the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech last year. Its CEO, Lim Long-hei, said: “Leveraging the business connections we have built through the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech over the past two years, we hope to further deepen our collaboration with European multinational corporations, achieve greater market share, and attain rapid business growth in Europe and beyond.”
Additionally, LeafIoT Technology Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lecco Campus of Politecnico di Milano to further advance their cooperation and accelerate the pace of expanding into the European market. LeafIoT Technology specialises in developing smart tree monitoring solutions. The two parties will collaborate in talent cultivation and technological innovation, jointly promoting the application and market expansion of AI algorithms and remote sensing technology in enhanced tree monitoring and health assessment. LeafIoT Technology’s innovative solutions have successfully attracted international partnership interest. Its Managing Director, Chan Pak-kwan, said: “We hope to extend Hong Kong’s industry-university-research model further into Europe, while promoting the R&D achievements of Hong Kong institutions, and deepening collaboration with European academic institutions, thereby achieving five- to ten-fold business growth.”
During VivaTech, the HKTDC hosted a series of seminars, start-up pitching sessions, and networking events to facilitate in-depth exchanges between investors and start-ups. The Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic & Trade Affairs to the European Union, Shirley Yung, attended the thematic seminar and networking event titled “Building Resilient Tech Ecosystems: Powering the Next Wave of International Tech Leadership from Hong Kong” on 19 June. In Yung’s speech, she said Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem brings together four powerful advantages: top-tier research and talent, deep pools of global capital, unparalleled access to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area innovation cluster, and strong connectivity to global markets, providing businesses with a comprehensive platform to innovate, scale up and expand into the Asian and global markets.
The subsequent discussion session revolved around the strengths of Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem, and how to leverage Hong Kong as a springboard to explore international markets. Chief Executive Officer, Terry Wong from HKSTP shared that Hong Kong, with familiar frameworks in regulations, research and development excellence, enables a common ground for Europe companies to explore the vast market opportunities in the East; while Chief Innovation Officer, Yonghai Du from HKPC pointed out that Hong Kong possesses significant advantages in research capabilities and attracting international investment, including technical support to ensure that enterprise products meet international testing standards, thereby helping businesses successfully go global and expand into international markets.
The HKTDC is actively working with local enterprises to participate in major international technology exhibitions, assisting start-ups to expand into overseas markets and increase opportunities to connect with international investors and buyers. Following the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026) in Las Vegas, USA in January this year, the Mobile World Congress (MWC), and ‘4 Years From Now’ (4YFN) exhibition dedicated to tech start-ups held in Barcelona, Spain in March, the HKTDC once again organised the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech, providing a platform for start-ups to showcase their innovative achievements and connect with international funding.
The 10th VivaTech attracted participants from over 165 countries and regions worldwide, with more than 15,000 global start-ups and 200,000 visitors, making it one of the most important events in the global technology ecosystem. Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech is a flagship initiative under the “Economic and Trade Express” in Europe, Brussels ETO, HKTDC and InvestHK also jointly organised a series of other promotional and networking events to provide targeted support to the participating Hong Kong tech start-ups in exploring the local market, including pitching sessions, thematic seminars, and other networking activities.
List of 24 Start-ups and institutions at the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion:
Websites: https://vivatech.com/exhibitors/hktdc-hong-kong-trade-development-council
Media enquiries
For enquiries, please contact HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
| Winnie Kan | Tel: (852) 2584 4055 | Email: winnie.wy.kan@hktdc.org |
Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com
About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, 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.