HKSTP European Tour: Attracting Global Tech Talent to Hong Kong’s I&T Hub
17th March 2025, Kathmandu
Mr Albert Wong, CEO of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), led a delegation on a highly successful European Innovation Mixer tour in March, engaging with over 1,000 students and innovation and technology (I&T) talents, encouraging them to pursue opportunities in Hong Kong. The delegation also secured over 1,000 business collaboration opportunities, further strengthening Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem.
HKSTP European Tour
As part of its European tour, HKSTP together with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), led 24 I&T companies to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, achieving remarkable results. The Hong Kong Pavilion welcomed over 7,500 visitors, attracting representatives from global brands such as AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone, and securing 1,000+ business collaboration opportunities. HKSTP also signed a cooperation agreement with 22@Network Barcelona to bolster cross-regional exchanges and jointly promote the sustainable development of innovative technologies.
The delegation also visited multiple universities ranked among the world’s top 10 in the UK, including Imperial College London, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and the University College London. They met with representatives from academic departments, research institutes, and innovation and entrepreneurship centers to explore various collaboration opportunities in talent development and startup incubation. The delegation hosted multiple sharing sessions on campuses, engaging with over 300 local students face-to-face and introducing internship and career opportunities at Hong Kong Science Park. They actively encouraged Hong Kong students pursuing studies in the UK to return to Hong Kong for work or entrepreneurship, collectively contributing to the thriving growth of Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem.
HKSTP works closely with the government, industry, academia, and research sectors. In London, HKSTP co-hosted a seminar with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO-London), Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES). The event attracted interest from the local business community, academia, and the I&T sector, with nearly 100 attendees focusing on Hong Kong’s potential investment and collaboration opportunities. The seminar featured guest speakers delivering keynote speeches on Hong Kong’s I&T development prospects, highlighting the city’s dynamic I&T ecosystem.
During his speech at the seminar, Mr Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said: “As a growing engine situated at an international I&T hub in Asia, the HKSTP understands that nurturing next-generation I&T talent is as important as any R&D project, if not more. We’re currently an ecosystem that over 2,200 tech companies from 26 countries and regions call home, offering comprehensive support to more than 15,000 research and development professionals – a network we’re looking overseas to extend, and a number we’re eager to invest in for a sustainable future.”
While continuing to support park companies in recruiting overseas talent, HKSTP will soon launch a new talent program designed to attract Hong Kong students and research professionals abroad to pursue careers in the city. The program will provide eligible park companies with targeted salary subsidies and accommodation support for returning professionals, incentivizing them to leverage the immense opportunities within Hong Kong’s thriving I&T ecosystem. Together, these efforts will advance Hong Kong’s rise as a leading global I&T hub.
