Twelve outstanding young innovation and technology talents from Germany, together with six organisers, concluded a five-day intensive visit to Hong Kong and Shenzhen that provided an in-depth experience of the region’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, state-backed industry support, and innovation opportunities.
The visit, held from September 7 to 11, was co-organised by Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE), an initiative under the Labour and Welfare Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and Germany’s Young Founders Network.
It followed a pitch competition jointly hosted by HKTE and YFN in Munich, Germany, in June 2025, where the twelve talents were selected as winners.
Chris Sun, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, said, “Talent and technology are the key engines driving high-quality economic and social development. The government will continue to promote complementarity and synergy between Hong Kong and other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, facilitating the integration of technology and talent to foster Hong Kong’s economic development and contribute to national development.”
He added that Hong Kong’s leap to fourth place globally and first in Asia in the World Talent Ranking 2025, alongside the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster’s first-place ranking by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, underlines the region’s growing international appeal.
The delegation’s itinerary included visits to leading innovation hubs such as Hong Kong Science Park, the Shatin Communications and Technology Centre of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Entrepreneurship Centre at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Qianhai International Talent Innovation and Exchange Centre in Shenzhen.
The group engaged with representatives from Invest Hong Kong, prominent technology enterprises, and startups from both Hong Kong and mainland China, exchanging valuable insights on ecosystem dynamics, funding opportunities, and collaborative potential.
Sophie Defauw, Co-Founder and CEO of AthleteIQ, a startup developing a patent-pending device that predicts muscle overuse injuries, stated, “Hong Kong and Shenzhen have completely changed my perception of what’s possible in Asia. The level of innovation here and access to the Greater Bay Area and Southeast Asia make this a very attractive development hub for expanding my startup, validating product-market fit in Asia, and connecting with hardware accelerators.”
Isa Taflan, Co-Founder and CFO of Fibclick, a company revolutionising composite manufacturing through AI and augmented reality, showed particular interest in high-end manufacturing, construction, and mobility industries.
According to him, the efficient supply chain in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, combined with vibrant innovation clusters and regional access, offers excellent collaboration potential.
“This programme with HKTE was eye-opening,” said Taflan.
Since its inception, HKTE has organised approximately 70 outreach visits and over 170 talent promotion programmes across Mainland China and overseas.
This visit represents HKTE’s continued effort to enhance Hong Kong’s standing as a global startup and innovation hub by attracting diverse high-calibre talent. Their approach is aligned with the development of the “eight centres” strategy, aimed at consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international base for innovation and entrepreneurship.
