The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin), together with Invest Hong Kong and StartmeupHK, co-hosted the StartmeupHK Salon in a hybrid format in Berlin on August 24 (Berlin time) to introduce the strengths and benefits that Hong Kong can offer to the start-up community in Germany and other Central and Eastern European countries.
 
     Under the theme "Metaverse and Scaling Up in Asia", the StartmeupHK Salon included keynotes and testimonials from representatives of start-ups and technology companies from Hong Kong and Germany who shared their first-hand insights and experience of doing business in Hong Kong.
 
     The Director of HKETO Berlin, Ms Jenny Szeto, introduced Hong Kong's start-up scene in her welcome remarks. "Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem has proven to be very robust and resilient, thanks to its strong network of incubators, accelerators and venture capitalists. There are now more than 3 700 start-ups in Hong Kong, an increase of 68 per cent compared to the number just five years ago," Ms Szeto emphasised.
 
     Moreover, Ms Szeto remarked on Hong Kong's appeal as one of the most dynamic start-up centres in the region and highlighted Hong Kong's strengths and benefits for entrepreneurs. Hong Kong attracts entrepreneurs from all over the world and has been a perfect launch pad for start-ups, with everything a start-up needs: funding, access to markets, infrastructure, a talent pool, a simple tax regime and a business-friendly environment.
 
     Launching a business in Hong Kong also allows entrepreneurs to grasp the enormous potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). "As part of the GBA, a city cluster with a population of 87 million and a gross domestic product of 1.9 trillion Euros, Hong Kong also offers direct access to the huge Mainland market with a multitude of business opportunities," Ms Szeto continued.
 
     The StartmeupHK Salon in Berlin was part of a series of events globally in the lead-up to the StartmeupHK Festival, Asia's leading annual start-up event, which will take place in Hong Kong from September 5 to 10.
 
About HKETO Berlin
 
     HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Ends/Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Issued at HKT 21:05

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