The Porto University Science and Technology Park (UPTEC) will host the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) at a lunch meeting this Friday, promoting Hong Kong as a destination for Portuguese startups.
Companies from all sectors are welcome, although presentations will put special emphasis on startups in finance, health, technology, Web3, sustainability, logistics, design, fashion and textiles, and entertainment.
The organisers say there will also be an opportunity for startups to pitch their products and connect with investors.
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UPTEC is promoting the Friday event as a “window of opportunities for startups in the early stages” from all sectors who are “looking to expand into the Asian market or raise funds from Asia.”
There were 4,257 startups in Hong Kong in 2023, according to a survey conducted by the official promotional agency InvestHK – 34 percent more than there were in pre-pandemic 2019. The sector employed some 16,450 people, up by almost a third since 2019.
Hong Kong has been marketing itself as a natural hub for international startups looking to tap Asian markets. Among the city’s advantages are its proximity to the Chinese mainland, substantial government investment in innovation and technology, a business-friendly environment, common law system, free flow of information and well-developed infrastructure.
