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 / HKSTP
HKSTP: from idea validation to deep-tech growth
The current ladder includes Ideation, Incubation / Incu-Bio, Co-Acceleration, Elite and investment support. Old names and funding splits should not be carried forward.
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.
Current programme ladder
Public programmes progress by maturity.
- Ideation is a one-year validation programme with up to HK$100,000.
- General Incubation lasts three years and currently states up to HK$1.29m total support.
- Incu-Bio lasts four years with up to HK$6m.
- Co-Acceleration is invitation-only equity investment, not a grant.
Old assumptions to retire
Current public material does not support several common templates.
- Do not hard-code HK$840k cash plus HK$450k rent inside the HK$1.29m total.
- Current acceleration is Co-Acceleration; the old HK$4.8m programme is not the current rule.
- No universal SAFE, D-Day or founder minimum shareholding rule was found for all programmes.
- General Incubation currently states more than two full-time employees and at least 50% technical staff.
Fit test
HKSTP is strongest where R&D facilities, technology peers, industrial links and deep-tech capital matter.
- Ordinary e-commerce, consulting or media without core R&D will often be a weak fit.
- Prepare evidence of technology differentiation, Hong Kong R&D, team and commercialisation.
- Published amounts are ceilings, not entitlements.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HKSTP Co-Acceleration ProgrammeHong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation An invitation-only equity investment and industry collaboration programme for more mature deep-tech ventures. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| InvestmentSeed / Early growth / Series A / Series B+ / Scale-upInvitation only | Up to HK$15.6 million equity investment | Equity: YesMatching: N/A | Pre-A to Series B deep-tech companies with commercial traction. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| HKSTP Ideation ProgrammeHong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation A one-year early-stage technology validation programme with up to HK$100,000 released across three milestone-linked grant tranches. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| IncubatorIdea / Pre-MVP / MVPActive | Up to HK$100,000 | Equity: NoMatching: No | Technology teams still validating the product and business case. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-09-03 |
| HKSTP Incu-Bio ProgrammeHong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation A four-year incubation route for biotechnology ventures with longer R&D and commercialisation cycles. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| IncubatorMVP / Pre-seed / SeedActive | Up to HK$6 million | Equity: N/AMatching: N/A | Biotechnology, health technology and life-science startups. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| HKSTP Incubation ProgrammeHong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation A three-year technology incubation programme offering up to HK$1.29 million; revamped Stage 2 requires a passed D-Day assessment and a SAFE with HKSTP. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| IncubatorMVP / Pre-seed / SeedActive | Up to HK$1.29 million: up to HK$840,000 financial subsidy plus up to HK$450,000 rental subsidy; revamped Stage 2 is conditional on passing D-Day and signing a SAFE | Equity: YesMatching: No | Technology startups with a team, product and commercialisation plan. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-09-03 |
| HKSTP Venture FundHong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Direct or co-investment in Hong Kong I&T companies; this is equity capital, not a grant. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| InvestmentSeed / Early growth / Series A / Scale-upActive | Investment amount is deal-specific; HKSTP states a HK$1 billion fund size | Equity: YesMatching: N/A | I&T companies seeking institutional equity and fitting the fund mandate. | Official sourceLast verified: 2026-08-25 |
| HSITP Incubation ProgrammeHong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park A three-stream programme launched in 2026 for life and health technology, AI and data science. No universal per-company amount is published in the launch material. Eligibility, payment and double-funding details
| IncubatorIdea / Pre-MVP / MVP / Pre-seed / Seed / Early growthActive | N/A | Equity: N/AMatching: N/A | Relevant technology startups planning R&D, validation and commercialisation in the Hetao Hong Kong Park. | 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.
Deep tech / Hardware / Robotics
Separate university or laboratory R&D, prototyping, trials and production-line work into distinct funding stages.
- Illustrative route
- Technology and IP → university/TSSSU or HKSTP → prototype and patent → ESS/RTH → public trial → smart production line → specialist VC.
- Key caution
- R&D, trial and production-line awards have different scopes; budget for hardware cash flow and reimbursement timing.
Biotech / HealthTech
Build the stack around university IP, laboratory access, regulation and a long R&D cycle.
- Illustrative route
- University IP or licence → Incu-Bio or TSSSU → RTH/ESS → validation and trials → specialist biotech capital.
- Key caution
- Laboratory, clinical and regulatory costs are not automatically eligible; a headline incubator amount does not replace a detailed plan.
GreenTech / ClimateTech
Prove environmental impact and technical feasibility before choosing R&D, trial or production support.
- Illustrative route
- Environmental problem and metrics → HKSTP/prototype → ESS or Green Tech Fund → public trial → Hong Kong production → industrial capital.
- Key caution
- Ordinary ESG consulting or green marketing is not green-tech R&D; large funds require matching cash, milestones and audits.
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.