Local companies encouraged to jointly develop products of significant commercial use for international sale
LAI YING-KIT
YINGKIT.LAI@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 09 December, 2015, 11:05am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 09 December, 2015, 11:05am
The programme’s launch came after a visit to Israel by Leung Chun-ying (pictured) in October. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Hong Kong has launched its first research and development cooperation programme with Israel, hoping local companies can bring in new ideas through partnership with a country at the field’s forefront.
The programme would allow science and technology companies in Hong Kong to each receive up to HK$10 million on a dollar-to-dollar matching basis for an R&D project.
The money would come from the government’s Enterprise Support Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund created in April this year, and the initiative followed a visit to Israel by Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying in October.
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The programme would involve a company from Hong Kong and another from Israel working together on a project for up to two years.
The resulting product would be highly innovative with significant commercial potential. Officials hope the R&D projects could lead to the products finding a footing in the international marketplace.
Assistant Commissioner for Innovation and Technology Pamela Lam Nga-man said yesterday on the sidelines of the programme’s official launching ceremony that companies and projects from all technology fields were eligible to apply.
The goal was to encourage innovation from every corner “as long as they have bright ideas, with an Israeli angle and were able to show how their projects could benefit both economies,” Lam said.
She said the bureau had established a database of potential partnering Israeli companies to help Hong Kong firms match up.
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Secretary for Innovation and Technology Nicholas Yang Wei-hsiung said he looked forward to the programme contributing to the city’s development in innovation and technology, particularly in re-industrialisation and human capital.
“Israel is at the forefront of science and innovative technology development,” he said. “It’s one of the few places in the world where everyone will always look to find the latest and best ideas.”
Israeli Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau Sagi Karni said Israeli companies were increasingly looking for business partnerships with Hong Kong as well as the mainland.
He said the city possessed talent in R&D for innovation that made it an appealing partner.
“Hong Kong has sound legal and finance systems, but I think the most important thing is its people,” Karni said.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1888892/hong-kong-tech-bureau-launches-hk10-million-rd-matching
