Official facts
Amounts, durations and eligibility come from the cited primary source and carry a verification date. Intake status and terms can still change, so recheck the current guide before applying.
Government-backed / Cyberport
Cyberport: digital products, market access and capital
Cyberport spans proof of concept, two-year incubation, external acceleration, overseas markets and equity. CIP is currently under enhancement.
50verified programmes
2026-08-25Last verified
Primary sourcesGovernment, official bodies, universities and programme sites
Editorial analysis
Suggested combinations are this site's analysis, not a government promise. Select by stage, cash flow, milestones and administrative cost.
From CCMF to investment
Each instrument serves a distinct stage.
- CCMF is a six-month, up to HK$100,000 proof-of-concept grant.
- CIP currently publishes up to HK$500,000 support plus HK$200,000 on-site rental subsidy.
- CASP and MDSS reimburse eligible accelerator and market costs.
- Cyberport Macro Fund makes HK$1m–20m equity investments.
CIP transition notice
Cyberport says the programme is being enhanced.
- The published 2025 guide retains a collective 51% founder or absolute-control rule.
- Companies are generally under seven years old and maintain substantive Hong Kong presence.
- Graduation support requires evidence of eligible expenses.
- Future applicants must recheck the enhanced guide.
Fit and non-fit
Cyberport favours scalable digital products.
- SaaS, AI, fintech, digital entertainment and platforms are common fits.
- A traditional service company does not qualify merely by using software.
- A normal media channel without a digital product is less likely to fit.
Official facts
Programme matrix
Compare instrument, stage, published support, equity and matching. N/A means no universal rule was published, not that there is no restriction.
High-risk amount and eligibility fields retain their verified canonical English wording so translation does not alter the rule; names, summaries and fit guidance are localized.
| Programme | Type / Stage | Published support | Equity / Matching | Best for | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberport Accelerator Support Programme (CASP)Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited Partial reimbursement for eligible Cyberport companies admitted to an endorsed accelerator. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| AcceleratorSeed / Early growth / Series A / Scale-upActive | Up to HK$300,000 | Equity: NoMatching: Published subsidy rates vary by expense category, commonly 75% and 50% | Cyberport companies entering an external accelerator and incurring eligible programme or market costs. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| Cyberport Creative Micro Fund (CCMF)Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited A six-month digital-tech proof-of-concept grant paid at commencement, interim and completion stages. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| GrantIdea / Pre-MVP / MVPActive | Up to HK$100,000 | Equity: NoMatching: No | Individuals or small teams turning a digital idea into a prototype. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| Cyberport Incubation Programme (CIP)Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited A two-year digital-tech incubation programme. Cyberport currently warns that the programme is being enhanced and terms may change. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| IncubatorMVP / Pre-seed / SeedNeeds review | Up to HK$500,000 financial assistance plus up to HK$200,000 on-site rental subsidy under the currently published terms | Equity: NoMatching: No | Hong Kong startups targeting a market-ready digital product within 12–18 months. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| Cyberport Macro FundHong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited Co-investment equity capital for scalable Hong Kong digital-tech companies in the Cyberport community. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| InvestmentSeed / Early growth / Series A / Scale-upActive | HK$1 million to HK$20 million per investment | Equity: YesMatching: N/A | Digital-tech companies raising seed through Series A or later rounds. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| Overseas/Mainland Market Development Support SchemeHong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited Reimbursement support for eligible Cyberport companies expanding beyond Hong Kong. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| Market expansionSeed / Early growth / Series A / Scale-upActive | Up to HK$200,000 | Equity: NoMatching: N/A | Cyberport companies with a product ready for Mainland or overseas markets. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| HYAB Youth Start-up Internship Programme 2026Home and Youth Affairs Bureau / Cyberport / HKSTP HYAB funds 200 three-to-six-month placements administered with Cyberport and HKSTP. The support funds placements, not unrestricted company cash. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| InternshipMVP / Pre-seed / Seed / Early growthActive | 200 funded internship placements across the 2026 programme; no universal per-company cash amount is published | Equity: NoMatching: No | Local startups admitted as participating employers and able to provide substantive internship work. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
Editorial analysis
Strategy combinations by company type
Solve the company's most real constraint first; the number of applications is not the goal.
AI / Software / SaaS
Validate demand cheaply and use cloud credits before choosing HKSTP, Cyberport or institutional capital.
- Illustrative route
- Founder capital → MVP plus cloud credits → one primary incubator → RTH or ESS after real R&D and hiring needs → equity after traction.
- Key caution
- Do not build a heavy team to chase subsidies; the same cloud bill, payroll or R&D cost cannot be claimed twice.
FinTech
Cyberport and InvestHK can provide incubation, institutional connections and financing access; a regulatory sandbox is a test route, not funding.
- Illustrative route
- Define compliance → Cyberport prototype/incubation → institutional pilot or regulatory test → acceleration and matching → equity.
- Key caution
- Resolve licensing, data and financial-regulation questions early; never present sandbox admission as a grant.
E-commerce / Consumer / Cross-border
Market, brand and financing tools usually fit better than R&D grants; consider Cyberport only for a genuine digital product.
- Illustrative route
- Small-batch validation → real sales and unit economics → BUD market project → trade channels → guaranteed lending if needed.
- Key caution
- An online store is not automatically R&D because it uses software; BUD requires matching cash and documented costs.
Creator / YouTube / Digital media
A normal channel rarely fits STEM or R&D funding; a platform, AI video tool or virtual-production technology is a different case.
- Illustrative route
- Validate content and audience → earn commercial revenue → brand/market tools; assess Cyberport, cloud and R&D separately only for a technology product.
- Key caution
- CreateSmart requires sector-level benefit; do not re-label one channel's routine production costs as an industry project.
Visa and long-term status planning
Entrepreneurship does not automatically create immigration status
Forming or operating a Hong Kong company does not automatically qualify anyone for a visa, extension or permanent residence. Entrepreneurship may form part of an individual case, but the Immigration Department decides on the actual facts.
Quality Migrant Admission SchemeAn admission route for highly skilled or talented applicants.Top Talent Pass SchemeA talent route for high-income applicants and eligible university graduates.Immigration Arrangements for Non-local GraduatesA work and stay route for non-local graduates of Hong Kong institutions.General Employment PolicyAn employment route generally based on a genuine professional role with a Hong Kong employer.Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and ProfessionalsAn employment route for Mainland residents with skills or experience needed in Hong Kong.Hong Kong permanent residence and right of abodeUnderstand ordinary residence, the seven-year requirement and long-term status planning.