A one-year early-stage technology validation programme with up to HK$100,000 released across three milestone-linked grant tranches.
Official facts
Editorial analysis
This fit analysis is based on published eligibility and programme positioning. It is not an admission guarantee.
Teams outside the published applicant, sector, stage or company conditions should not apply solely because of the headline support. Check the current guide and weigh administration, cash-flow and reporting costs.
Before investing in an application, verify applicant entity, company age, team, IP, budget, matching cash and eligible costs. Ask the programme directly about anything not published.
Official facts
Unless an official guide says otherwise, this is an application-preparation framework, not an official assessment sequence or timing promise.
Choose an individual, team or Hong Kong company applicant route
Complete the online application and submit a 10–20 page pitch deck or business plan
Complete HKSTP assessment and selection
After admission, complete three milestones over one year
Claim up to HK$100,000 in total against milestone evidence
The current guide calls for online application information and an approximately 10–20 page pitch deck or business plan. Individual or team PICs must check the stated Hong Kong identity-card and age conditions; company applicants must check incorporation age.
The current application guideline describes a one-year programme and HK$100,000 of support paid across three milestones. Deliverables, evidence and payment remain governed by the admission agreement.
For a company, the PIC should be an existing shareholder; for a team, the PIC should become a shareholder of the company to be formed; an individual applicant acts as their own PIC. The PIC and registered email generally cannot be changed after portal registration begins.
FAQ v2 calls for a 10–20 page PowerPoint or PDF in English or Chinese. It should cover the problem, solution, market, competition, quarterly milestones over 12 months, core team and the support sought from HKSTP.
The PIC should appear and use their own voice in a 2.5–3.5 minute video of no more than 20MB. English, Cantonese or Mandarin may be used. The FAQ says AI avatars and generated voices are generally not permitted.
Individuals need qualifying address evidence issued within three months. Company or team cases generally need incorporation, valid business-registration and shareholder records showing the PIC, or an effective share-transfer document where needed.
Sources
We provide official links, versions and structured explanations only. Original documents are not rehosted.
This page provides a plain-language interpretation of official materials. The official source remains authoritative.
The current application FAQ specifies the PIC rules, pitch-deck and pitch-video formats, and identity or company documents required after approval.
The provider's official programme page for checking current purpose, eligibility, support and application access.
The current guide covers mandatory criteria, application and assessment, three milestones, funding, monitoring, early graduation and the suggested business-plan structure. The file is v6.1 while the document identifies itself as Version 6 dated 8 March 2024.
An HKSTP announcement with AWS states that the Ideation Programme launched in 2019 and records a 2022 co-ideation initiative.
The official annual report describes STEP as a one-year pre-incubation programme for ideation and reports membership, graduates and progression as of March 2021.