Partnered with CB Insights to unveil Hong Kong leads Asia and ranks fifth globally for high-potential start-ups, orchestrating the next era of global tech innovation
Key Takeaways:
- HKSTP’s 25th Anniversary Prelude theme, “Innovation. Next by Nature.”, brings together great minds and bold ideas to inspire what comes next for Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem.
- The CB Insights-HKSTP white paper ranks Hong Kong first in Asia and fifth globally, with a Mosaic score of 370 — a key indicator of high-potential ventures and future unicorns.
- The research highlights Chinese Mainland’s lead in Asia’s physical AI wave, as the region powers global growth in robotics and AI funding.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 August 2026 – The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today officially kicked off its year-long 25th anniversary celebration with a landmark event “Together to NEXT”, bringing together Innovation and Technology Partners, Park Companies, industry leaders, academia and startups to mark a quarter-century of transforming bold ideas into global impact.
To commemorate this milestone, HKSTP unveiled its anniversary theme, “Innovation. Next by Nature.”, a vision that signals its evolution from ecosystem enabler to orchestrator of the next era of global innovation. HKSTP also announced the findings of a landmark study, “Inside Asia’s Fast-Track to Global Tech Scale,” conducted in partnership with the leading technology market intelligence firm CB Insights, revealing Hong Kong ranks first in Asia and fifth globally, with a Mosaic score of 370. Mosaic score is CB Insight’s proprietary and industry-recognised indicator of high-potential ventures and future unicorns, evaluating momentum, financing, market opportunity and leadership quality. Hong Kong’s top ranking among Asian markets reflects a concentrated pool of scale-ready ventures and highly-investable innovation.
Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP, said: “For 25 years, HKSTP has driven I&T as Hong Kong’s economic engine. Across our 240-hectare infrastructure and service ecosystem—comprising Science Park, InnoCentre, three InnoParks, and our Shenzhen Park—we turn research into real-world impact. Looking ahead, our ‘What’s Next’ vision is built on four dimensions, ‘Broad and Deep, Far Yet Near’: Broad means building a diverse talent ecosystem where human minds leverage technology; Deep involves advancing tech-industry convergence; Far entails expanding our global footprint; and Near focuses on drawing the future nearer with immediate action. Our community is our heartbeat. Together, we must strengthen, enhance, and collaborate, harnessing Hong Kong’s unique advantages to shape a better future for all.”
To kick off this next era, HKSTP has partnered with CB Insights to launch a white paper titled “Inside Asia‘s Fast-Track to Global Tech Scale.“ The report shows how Asia is reshaping the global innovation playbook with a network of specialist clusters, each optimised for a different stage of the innovation journey and built for today’s multipolar market landscape. CB Insights is a global tech intelligence leader and predictive data platform trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Mr Terry Wong, CEO at HKSTP, said: “Asia’s rising innovation power is rewriting the global innovation map. While Silicon Valley grew as a single, all-in-one hub, Asia, with the Chinese Mainland as a key technology engine, is evolving an accelerated and more specialised network for global innovation. Hong Kong’s role as a super connector and value-adder has never been more important as Asia sets a new benchmark for start-up ecosystems. As HKSTP steps up as an ecosystem orchestrator, we are connecting innovators with capital, talent, deep Mainland China links and trusted pathways to global markets.”
Other Key Report Findings:
- Chinese Mainland drives physical AI takeover
Asia’s AI investment exploding as physical AI leads the way with robotics raising US$26.1B and AI infrastructure hit US$21.4 billion in 2025, outpacing generative AI and fintech. China dominates region with close to 100% of deals in emerging segments: robot/industrial humanoid robot foundation models, vision language and autonomous driving models. - Asia‘s specialist hubs as accelerators of growth across innovation lifecycle
- Asia vies for global R&D lead to complement established manufacturing and consumer power
The region’s global R&D expenditure surge from 24% in 2007 to 45% in 2024, according to WIPO, while already the dominant region for global manufacturing as well as driving global consumption with growing purchasing power with Asia’s GDP reaching 48.6 percent in 2025, according to Boao Forum for Asia (BFA).
HKSTP: Global I&T Ecosystem Orchestrator and Innovation Accelerator
HKSTP’s 25th anniversary signals a renewed mission to make Hong Kong the global heartbeat of what’s next in innovation and technology (I&T). As HKSTP approaches its 25th anniversary, the new brand theme, “Innovation. Next by Nature.”, positions HKSTP as inherently built to lead the change. The year-long celebrative campaign “25 to NEXT” starts from August 2026 to July 2027 with 25 high-impact activations and cultural moments.
Anchored by three core goals — The Next Habitat (cultivating an innovation culture by connecting ecosystem stakeholders with signature events), The Next Horizon (broadening perspectives through industry-guiding insights, including the landmark study in partnership with CB Insights and 25 KOL collaborations), and The Next Pinnacle (developing overseas delegations and platforms across international markets). The campaign positions HKSTP as a more connected engine and forward-oriented convener of talent, capital, infrastructure and partnerships across sectors and borders.
Since its establishment, HKSTP has grown into Hong Kong’s largest I&T ecosystem, driving breakthroughs across Life and Health Technology, AI and Data Science, Microelectronics and Advanced Manufacturing, and GreenTech and New Energy. As the ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP is committed to powering Hong Kong’s rise as the international I&T hub, underpinned by leading critical partnerships across Hong Kong and beyond, attracting talent, engaging stakeholders, and building a connected, forward-looking I&T community for the next era of global innovation.
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About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 and has built a proven foundation as Hong Kong’s leading innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. Established for 25 years, HKSTP is supporting 14 unicorns, has nurtured more than 17,000 research professionals and built a community of over 2,600 technology companies from 26 countries and regions across four strategic technology clusters: Life and Health Technology, AI and Data Science, Micro-electronics, and New Energy and Green Technology.
As an ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP provides end-to-end support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate commercialisation and help technology ventures scale. Its innovation infrastructure spans over 240 hectares covering Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong, and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long, advancing Hong Kong’s vision for new industrialisation and smart manufacturing.
Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen, strengthens cross-border collaboration by connecting Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and global innovation networks and propels Chinese innovators onto the world stage, while also delivering comprehensive GBA landing support to accelerate cross-border success for local and international ventures.
As HKSTP enters its next chapter with strong foundations, it continues to deepen impact, elevate quality and create value for innovators. As an ecosystem built to lead change, HKSTP is empowering Hong Kong to define what comes next in innovation, growth and opportunity.
More information about HKSTP is available at 
www.hkstp.org.
