The "2025 Shanghai-Hong Kong Innovation Awards," organized by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (HKCCS), has been officially launched at the Global Hub in Waigaoqiao. This year's competition zeroes in on two key sectors—artificial intelligence and biomedicine—aiming to strengthen collaboration between Shanghai and Hong Kong in scientific innovation through a dual-city incubation mechanism for tech projects.
On May 20, HKCCS signed a strategic cooperation memorandum with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Group and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, solidifying a tripartite consensus to facilitate the implementation of Shanghai-Hong Kong innovation projects and paving the way for deeper collaboration.
Last year, HKCCS partnered with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to host the "Innovation Without Borders" competition, which attracted numerous tech startups specializing in AI, biomedicine, and other cutting-edge fields. The event received 68 qualified submissions, culminating in five championship awards and 15 outstanding innovation projects, with over 10 projects securing preliminary cooperation agreements.
"This year’s program has been fully upgraded, adopting a more pragmatic approach to build new channels for the flow of innovation resources," said Cheung Kwok-ching, president of HKCCS.
The 2025 Shanghai-Hong Kong Innovation Awards will spotlight high-potential projects in AI and biomedicine, welcoming applications from startups, university students, and creative individuals/teams. The competition features a dual-track system (Startup Track and Growth Track) and provides end-to-end support from initial screening and mentorship camps to pitch sessions and investor matching. Winning projects will gain priority access to four major industrial parks across both cities. They are Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, CyberPort (Hong Kong), and Hong Kong Science Park.
The 2025 Shanghai-Hong Kong innovation program is now accepting applications through mid-July, with the competition culminating in October.
