Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited fully supports the Budget Speech (February 2025)
(Hong Kong, 26th February) Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC) fully supports the 2025-26 Budget Speech (the Budget) announced by the Financial Secretary, which outlined the key focus of Hong Kong’s future development on innovation and technology (I&T) and venture capital investment with strong support. This could further play to the strengths of Hong Kong and bring impetus for Hong Kong’s economic development.
The Budget announced that the HKIC would host the inaugural “International Conference on Embodied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Robot” and the inaugural “International Young Scientist Forum on Artificial Intelligence”, and facilitate the interactions between technology companies and local primary and secondary school students for sharing of knowledge and experience.
Ms Clara CHAN, CEO of the HKIC, said “The development and broader application of cutting-edge I&T not only is an important driver of economic growth, but also provides increased support to the long-term development of AI, benefiting the public and society directly.
Ms Clara CHAN added “We will spare no effort to work with our investee companies and collaboration partners to organise these events. We will also source, lead and curate more companies with cutting-edge technology to come to and establish in Hong Kong through more investment projects and strategic partnerships. Furthermore, the HKIC will channel and gather international “Patient Capital” and build cross-jurisdictional platforms, with a view to capturing the opportunities brought by the accelerated development of AI, and solidifying and expediting the robust construction of the I&T ecosystem.
She pointed out that the “International Conference on Embodied AI Robot” would pool together top technology enterprises, academic institutions and investors, and showcase the research outcomes and application scenarios of embodied AI. The HKIC believes that the conference will help enhance Hong Kong’s international influence on AI applications and the relevant areas, and facilitate traditional industries to explore how to leverage technology more broadly to enhance productivity and launch new services.
The HKIC will also actively involve in nurturing I&T talents, organise the “International Young Scientist Forum on Artificial Intelligence”, and support investee companies and collaboration partners in different sectors to interact with local primary and secondary school students directly. This will further promote the science enlightenment and establishment of the I&T, venture capital investment and entrepreneurial mindset in the local community.
As “Patient Capital”, the HKIC will continue to leverage our role to seek reasonable financial return in the medium to long term, while contributing to Hong Kong’s economic growth and social development through attracting I&T companies to come to and establish in Hong Kong with the channeling effect of capital, and curating international “Patient Capital” to participate in Hong Kong market, including the financial market and I&T ecosystem.
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About HKIC
The HKIC was established and is wholly owned by the HKSAR Government. As “Patient Capital”, it carries a dual mandate - seeking reasonable financial return in the medium to long term through optimizing the use of fiscal reserves, and leveraging its ability to guide and channel capital to build a more vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem and industry chain.
The HKIC manages HK$62 billion currently, covering the “Hong Kong Growth Portfolio”, “Greater Bay Area Investment Fund”, “Strategic Tech Fund” and “Co-Investment Fund”. At this stage, it is focusing on three key sectors, namely Hard and Core Technology, Biotech, and New Energy and Green Technology.