Hong Kong to launch new innovation fund in 2026

The government said venture capital is critical to its growth.

The Hong Kong government will launch a new Innovation & Technology Industry-oriented Fund in 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen the city’s startup ecosystem, Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof. Sun Dong said.

The government also plans to expand its Innovation & Technology Venture Fund and roll out a Pilot I&T Accelerator Scheme aimed at attracting global startups to Hong Kong.

Sun said venture capital is critical to Hong Kong’s growth and that the new measures are designed to make the city’s innovation sector “more vibrant.”

The announcement came as the World Intellectual Property Organisation ranked the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster first in its Global Innovation Index 2025, citing 2,292 Patent Cooperation Treaty applications, 3,775 published scientific articles, and 135 venture capital deals per million inhabitants over the past five years.

The Hong Kong government said the recognition highlights the Greater Bay Area’s innovation capacity and reaffirmed plans to deepen cooperation with Shenzhen and Guangzhou to support China’s national innovation strategy.