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Silicon Valley is the first of four regional semi-finals for the Elevator Pitch Competition 2024 (EPiC), followed by Stuttgart, Singapore and Hong Kong.
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HKSTP, Hong Kong’s leading incubator, aims to nurture top FinTech, PropTech and MobilityTech startups and accelerate their journey to global success.
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EPiC will connect the innovation ecosystems of Hong Kong and the United States, and connect global innovators through Hong Kong as a launch pad to market opportunities in Asia, the Greater Bay Area and China.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – January 19, 2024 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) successfully completed the first-ever regional semi-final of the Silicon Valley Elevator Pitch Competition 2024 (EPiC) on January 17-18, with 20 of the Valley’s best innovators, from 127 local applicants, selected to fly to Hong Kong on April 26, 2024 for the EPiC 2024 grand finale.
In the end, 72 startups from around the world will be selected by judges in the regional semi-finals of Silicon Valley, Stuttgart, Singapore and Hong Kong for a chance to secure $5 million in venture capital funding , $240,000 in cash prizes, plus partnership opportunities. The EPiC 2024 annual grand finale will take place on the 8thth in Hong Kong and is expected to include 80% international finalists and 20% local Hong Kong finalists, making it a truly global competition.
US startups with global innovation ambitions are looking to growth opportunities overseas, with the Asia-Pacific region expecting 4.2% growth in 2024.[1] compared to 2.9% globally[2] according to the IMF. While the last
Global Innovation Index 2023[3] shows that the Hong Kong-Shenzhen-Guangzhou science and technology cluster in China is now ranked number two in the world for the total number of patents filed worldwide.
HKSTP operates Hong Kong’s largest innovation ecosystem and hosted a two-day regional semi-final pitch competition at the Silicon Valley Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, California. The featured startups presented FinTech and PropTech innovations on the first day, while Mobility Tech innovations were presented on the second day. Industry leaders came together to reveal insights into the rapidly emerging market opportunities across three technology sectors in Asia. Guests also enjoyed exciting and lively social activities while engaging in the serious business of startup pitching.
Eric Or, Head of Partnerships at HKSTP, said: “At HKSTP, we believe that innovation must be global to reach its full potential and have maximum impact. The Silicon Valley Region Semifinal for EPiC 2024 is an ideal opportunity for Silicon Valley’s top innovators. to propel itself among investors and partners in Asia and on the global stage. While for HKSTP, this is a huge opportunity to directly connect the innovation ecosystems of Hong Kong and Silicon Valley and pave the way for new growth and opportunities in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area , Asia and beyond.”
Semi-final applicants had a strict eight-minute time frame to present their presentation, with a two-minute Q&A session to demonstrate their innovative technology and business models. The startups were deliberately examined in this pressured situation by judges and exposed to an intense and exciting competitive atmosphere. Finalists were evaluated and selected based on three key criteria: uniqueness and the level of innovation and competitive advantage; market size and the growth potential of the product and service; as well as the strategy and planned actions designed to achieve the set business objectives.
The remaining EPiC 2024 regional semi-finals will take place in Singapore (February 22-23), Hong Kong (February 29) and Stuttgart (March 5). The 72 selected finalists will come together for the grand finale on April 26 in Hong Kong to make their 60-second live pitch to the judges while riding the iconic Sky100 elevator to the top of Hong Kong’s tallest building, the International Commerce Center.
All EPiC applicants must be startups established for less than 10 years as of April 30, 2023. All EPiC 2024 finalists will have the opportunity to benefit from an investment of up to US$5 million from HKSTP Corporate Venture Fund. External companies also have the opportunity to further co-invest in notable startups, further increasing the potential final funding opportunity.
Pioneers and industry leaders are also joining the cause to elevate local innovation to the global stage with confirmed sponsors including Hong Kong’s global transit leader MTR and more .
HKSTP successfully won the first-ever regional semi-final of the Silicon Valley Elevator Pitch Competition 2024 (EPiC) on January 17-18, 2024, with 20 of the Valley’s top innovators selected to fly to Hong Kong on April 26, 2024 to the Grand EPiC 2024. Final.
Eric Or, Head of Partnerships at HKSTP, said: “The Silicon Valley region semi-final for EPiC 2024 is an ideal opportunity for Silicon Valley’s top innovators to propel themselves to investors and partners. in Asia and on the world stage. ”
The featured startups showcased FinTech and PropTech innovations from day one.
The featured startups presented Mobility Tech innovations on the second day.
Hashtag: #HKSTP #HongKongScienceandTechnologyParksCorporation
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