Hong Kong Techathon+ Celebrates A Decade of Innovation

What draws award-winning startups from Brazil, Portugal, and Australia to fly halfway across the world for an innovation competition in Hong Kong? The international teams at this year's Hong Kong Techathon+ give definite answers: unmatched efficiency, world-class support, and a direct gateway to Asia's diverse markets.

Co-organised by Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and 15 local tertiary institutions, Techathon+ celebrated its 10th anniversary this year with a record-breaking number of international participation. Nearly 1,900 innovators formed over 470 teams, with 215 overseas entries. Following rigorous selection, 172 teams advanced to the finale, including 50 overseas teams from Australia, Brazil, Portugal, and more. Notably, Kazakhstan, Japan, Korea, and the UK joined for the first time, reflecting the event's growing reputation on the world stage.

Among the international participants are Phycolabs, a Brazilian biomaterials startup and H&M Foundation Global Change Award winner; Azores Life Science, a Portuguese biotech firm developing treatments for age-related diseases; and Bingage, an Australian team building AI-powered smart recycling solutions. Despite their impressive track records and funding success, all three see Hong Kong as the ideal place to grow, which is undeniably a strong signal of the city's appeal to global talent.

Beyond a Competition: A Comprehensive Soft-Landing Platform

Techathon+ offers far more than a stage for pitching ideas. Over the past decade, the platform has engaged over 9,000 participants, nurturing talent and supporting startups from concept to commercialisation.

Non-local teams benefit from a four-day immersive programme featuring ecosystem seminars, mentorship, investor matching, Science Park tours, and visits to Mainland China's innovation bases. High-potential finalists can join HKSTP's Ideation Programme, which provides up to HK$100,000 in seed funding, free co-working spaces, advanced technology resources, and professional mentorship. HKSTP supports teams from prototype to sustainable operations.

For Phycolabs founder Thamires Pontes, the experience goes beyond any prize. "It's about the connections and knowledge exchange," she says.

Why Hong Kong? Speed, Efficiency, and a Gateway to Asia

International entrepreneurs consistently highlight Hong Kong's unique advantages: speed, regulatory efficiency, and strategic access to Mainland China and Asia.

Miguel Pombo of Azores Life Science explains that Hong Kong offers a path to market three to four times faster than Europe or the US, which is critical for a biotech startup with limited resources. "Everyone here moves faster," he notes. "You can fail fast, learn fast, and iterate." For a company racing to bring treatments to an ageing population, this efficiency is decisive.

Pontes agrees with this and describes Hong Kong as a bridge to Asia's manufacturing expertise and R&D infrastructure. After evaluating locations across Europe and the Americas for nearly a year, she concluded that Hong Kong offered the strongest combination of infrastructure, talent, and market access. "If you work here, the world is yours," she says. "It's like being in 2050."

Co-founder Luca Surman emphasises that Hong Kong's competitive pace facilitates everything. "We can conduct a pilot project and validate our ideas here faster than anywhere else," he says. The team also sees Hong Kong's high-density living environment as the perfect testing ground for their smart recycling solution. "If we can make it work here, we can scale it anywhere," co-founder Ryan Muir adds.

HKSTP: Customised Support That Sets Hong Kong Apart

What truly distinguishes Hong Kong, according to the international teams, is HKSTP's hands-on and personalised approach.

Pombo describes receiving a level of support he has not encountered in any other science park. He highly appreciates HKSTP's effort to understand his company's specific needs. “HKSTP even arranged one-on-one meetings between us and their senior leadership. They really tried to understand our problems and come up with customised solutions," he recalls. He highlights resources such as lab facilities and introductions to potential industry partners, which allowed Azores to efficiently structure a clear development roadmap. 

Pontes and the Bingage team share similar experiences, praising HKSTP's ability to connect startups with mentors, advisors, and collaborators. For teams arriving from overseas with limited local networks, this targeted support accelerates progress dramatically.

Passing the Torch: A Culture of Mentorship

A standout story this year is the journey of Bingage. Last summer, team member Ryan Muir joined HKSTP's Industry Research Projects and worked alongside James Lam, co-founder of GrinBean, a local green-tech startup and former Techathon+ participant.

Muir recalls that working with Lam made the startup journey feel real. "Since we saw somebody else doing it, and we realised we could do it ourselves," he says. Being inspired, Bingage returned to Hong Kong with their own solution.

Lam is delighted to see the knowledge exchange come full circle. "It's not just about mentoring as they brought us new ideas too," he notes. "That's what's exciting."

This kind of mentorship, nurtured by HKSTP, is exactly what keeps innovators coming back to Hong Kong.

An Invitation to Global Innovators

When asked whether they would encourage fellow innovators to explore Hong Kong, all three teams respond with enthusiasm. "Even if you can't come in person, reach out to HKSTP to understand the possibilities," urges Pontes. Pombo sees Hong Kong as the base where his company will hire talent and pursue breakthroughs. "When someone offers you a chance to see a new world, you take it,” Muir concludes.