HKTDC's Start-up Express names 3rd batch of winners

The pitching contest for the third Start-up Express, an entrepreneurship development programme organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), has concluded.

The contestants proposed innovative and disruptive solutions to transform business and social ecosystems. ICT-related startup winners include Arical, Arovia Hong Kong, Gense Technologies, imBee, Inovo Robotics, Open Ocean Engineering, Return Helper, Shopkyo, and Wineworld Xplorer. MICology won the My Favourite Start-up Award in a live poll.

- Arical offers geospatial artificial intelligence (AI).

- Arovia produces collapsible displays which can be connected to mobile devices.

- Gense Tech makes a home-based device that scans cross-sectional images of a person's lungs, abdomen, or limbs in real-time for diagnostic screening.

- ImBee, a Twilio partner, enables customer relationship management (CRM), lead generation, sales boosts and customer service excellence on messaging platforms such as WeChat, WhatsApp and Line with its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms.

- Inovo Robotics produces robot arms.

- MICology provides predictive simulation in interactive 3D environments that are remotely streamed.

- Open Ocean Engineering's Clearbot is an autonomous, solar-powered swarm of trash-collecting robots that use AI vision to detect and collect trash from bodies of water.

- Return Helper has a SaaS platform that leverages big data and machine learning to help online retailers handle e-commerce returns effectively, efficiently and in an ecofriendly way.

- Spaceship.hk from Shopkyo is the first mobile platform in Hong Kong that allows users to compare and book global door-to-door courier shipments online.

- Wineworld Xplorer is a global wine trading and asset management platform.

Financial services conglomerate AMTD Group has been the strategic partner of Start-up Express for two years. With the support of AMTD Group, the SpiderNet Award was established to recognise the top performer selected by AMTD in the Pitching Final. The award will provide winner imBee with an opportunity to access the resources and network of the AMTD SpiderNet ecosystem.

Stephen Liang, Assistant Executive Director of HKTDC said: "Startups have been affected by the economic downturn like much of the world but the true essence of entrepreneurship is persistence in the face of adversity. There can always be opportunities found amid what otherwise appears to be a crisis.

"Traditional business and consumption models are seeing a new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which can in turn increase receptiveness to new ideas. With outstanding achievements in innovation and technology, local startups launched products and services to fight against the pandemic.

"The HKTDC will continue to support local startups in exploring business opportunities amid the pandemic-struck economy, and to promote the city's capabilities in innovation and technology to overseas buyers."

Calvin Choi, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, AMTD Group - and one of the judges - said: "I am impressed by the innovative ideas and practical solutions presented by our city's young entrepreneurs in this year's Start-up Express Pitching Final presentation. This recurring programme serves as a valuable platform for participants to showcase their unique business ideas and demonstrate the innovative power of the young generation in Hong Kong.

Jason Chiu, Chairman, Hong Kong Startup Council, said: "In every entrepreneurial journey, there are bound to be challenging times and the strength of a true entrepreneur is the ability to fight through the hard times and learn from each setback. This year has been especially trying due to the health situation that has impacted businesses globally but these startups have shown the resilience to fight through the adversity and succeed.

"It has been great to see how this batch of startups have navigated the past few months to present themselves in a shining light, ready to embrace new opportunities on the international market through Start-up Express' unique support system."

The startups will be invited to exploratory sessions, power meet-up sessions with successful business leaders, business-matching sessions and local events organised by the HKTDC. The HKTDC will also bring the startups to the international stage by organising overseas missions and setting up Hong Kong Pavilions at international technology exhibitions - including CES in Las Vegas and MWC in Barcelona.

A key driver for Start-up Express participants has been the opportunity to enhance brand and media awareness, while also connecting with mentors, partners and investors through HKTDC-organised local and overseas events.

Past winners of Start-Up Express include Miscato, whose aromatherapy solutions can be controlled with a mobile app, and Quikec International, which developed a one-stop cloud-based supply chain management solution.

Michelle Fno, Founder & CEO of Miscato said: "HKTDC's strong network has helped us land interview opportunities with local and overseas media outlets, which in turn allowed me to share how my company developed our new series of antiviral smart aromatherapy products. Thanks to this increased exposure and HKTDC's support, we've since been able to capture new business opportunities and expand our clientele."

Peter Li, President and Co-founder of Quikec International said: "Start-up Express has provided us an opportunity to participate in different exhibition and international exchange events. This has helped us expand our client base and find excellent partners despite operating on a tight budget. For example, meeting with Duncan Chiu, a well-known investor, offered many valuable lessons for us as he offered suggestions on business-development strategy."

The HKTDC will continue to support the city's entrepreneurial ecosystem. To support enterprises, the HKTDC has launched the HKTDC Transformation Sandbox (T-box), offering free support on branding, e-commerce, manufacturing relocation and new market development. A Voice of Start-ups series has been launched on the HKTDC online platform to promote the success stories of local startups. In addition to organising Start-up Express, HKTDC will support startups by hosting an annual Entrepreneur Day in July.

Source: HKTDC. Start-up Express Pitching Final winners photographed with jurors and guests.