The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) announced the 10 winners of the ninth edition of Start-up Express following the Final Pitching Day held today. The winning start-ups span sectors including smart city solutions, green tech, and health tech, highlighting the increasing diversity of innovation and technology applications in Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem. The ESG Award was presented to BioZein Technology Corporation Limited for its commitment to sustainability, while Homing Therapeutics Limited received the My Favourite Start-up Award.
The 10 winners will participate in a series of local and overseas business events organized by the HKTDC, providing opportunities to build capability and connections, explore markets, seek business and funding partners, and enhance brand awareness. The HKTDC has long supported start-ups by providing platforms to raise market visibility and expand into Chinese Mainland and international markets, further promoting Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub.
Anna Cheung, HKTDC Assistant Executive Director, said: “When we launched Start-up Express in 2018, we had one simple goal: to help Hong Kong start-ups grow and flourish. Since then, we have supported 80 start-ups in building capacity, enhancing their visibility, making connections, finding new partners and investors and seizing opportunities and markets previously out of their reach.”
The 20 finalists presented their business ideas to a judging panel, with the 10 winners being: Alpha AI Technology Limited, BioZein Technology Corporation Limited, GABES Limited, Hay-koze Limited, Homing Therapeutics Limited, Muuse Limited, O-Spheres Limited, PetWell HK Limited, PregnaSense Co. Limited, and Pyramid AI Limited. The HKTDC will arrange exposure opportunities for the winning teams to interact with potential investors, buyers, and partners.
Jimmy Tao, Chairman of the Hong Kong Startup Council and one of the judges, commended the start-ups for embracing emerging technology trends, noting that many finalists have successfully integrated artificial intelligence into practical applications with strong commercial potential. He highlighted that Hong Kong’s start-up ecosystem continues to flourish, with the number of start-ups reaching a record high of 5,221 last year, an 11% year-on-year increase.
Start-up Express helps start-ups expand markets and commercialize innovation. Taranjit Singh, Chief Technology Officer of Entoptica, a winner from 2025, shared that the platform provided valuable opportunities to connect with investors and industry mentors, helping secure funding for clinical trials and production capacity. He added that participation in CES 2026, led by the HKTDC, enabled the company to establish connections with potential partners from Shanghai, Japan, and the United States, and successfully sold two prototype products at US$100,000 each.
In addition to promoting local ventures, the HKTDC is committed to strengthening exchanges between Hong Kong and overseas start-up ecosystems through Start-up Express International, launched in 2022. The fifth edition will be held during Entrepreneur Day in December this year, providing winning overseas start-ups with support to establish a presence in Hong Kong and leverage the city as a gateway to explore opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and international markets.
