The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) announced the 10 winners of the ninth edition of Start-up Express at its Final Pitching Day on June 25, 2026. The winning start-ups span smart city solutions, green tech, and health tech, reflecting increasing diversity in Hong Kong's innovation and technology landscape. The ESG Award was presented to BioZein Technology Corporation Limited for its commitment to sustainability, while Homing Therapeutics Limited received the My Favourite Start-up Award.
The 10 winners will participate in a series of local and overseas business events organized by the HKTDC, aimed at building capabilities, making connections, exploring markets, and enhancing brand awareness. The HKTDC has long supported start-ups, providing platforms to raise market visibility and expand into the Chinese Mainland and international markets. HKTDC Assistant Executive Director Anna Cheung said, 'When we launched Start-up Express in 2018, we had one simple goal: to help Hong Kong start-ups grow and flourish. Since then, we have supported 80 start-ups in building capacity, enhancing their visibility, making connections, and seizing opportunities.'
This year's Start-up Express Final Pitching Day attracted over 200 industry participants, including investors and business leaders. Booths were set up for finalists to showcase their businesses, fostering networking and collaboration. The 20 finalists presented their ideas to a judging panel, with the following 10 start-ups selected as winners: Alpha AI Technology Limited, BioZein Technology Corporation Limited, GABES Limited, Hay-koze Limited, Homing Therapeutics Limited, Muuse Limited, O-Spheres Limited, PetWell HK Limited, PregnaSense Co. Limited, and Pyramid AI Limited.
Judge Jimmy Tao, Chairman of the Hong Kong Startup Council, commended the start-ups for embracing emerging technology trends. 'The quality of participating start-ups continues to improve year after year. Many of this year's finalists have successfully integrated artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies into practical applications, demonstrating strong commercial potential,' he said. Tao noted that Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem has flourished, with the number of start-ups reaching a record high of 5,221 last year, an 11% increase year-on-year.
Start-up Express helps start-ups expand markets and commercialize innovation. Taranjit Singh, Chief Technology Officer of Entoptica, a winner from the 2025 edition, highlighted the program's impact. 'Start-up Express provided valuable opportunities to connect with investors and industry mentors, helping us secure funding to advance clinical trials and expand production capacity.' He added that participation in CES 2026 in the United States, led by the HKTDC, enabled the company to establish connections with potential partners and sell two prototype products at US$100,000 each.
In addition to local ventures, the HKTDC runs Start-up Express International to attract overseas start-ups to establish a presence in Hong Kong. Since its launch in 2022, the competition has drawn participants from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The fifth edition will be held during Entrepreneur Day in December 2026, providing winning overseas start-ups with support to leverage Hong Kong as a gateway to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and international markets.
For more information, visit the Start-up Express portal at https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/. Details on the 20 finalists are available at https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/s/Top-20.
