HKTDC to host five major annual events in early December

HONG KONG, Nov 27, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is staging five industry-leading events at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in early December, including the Business of IP Asia Forum (BIP Asia Forum), HKTDC SmartBiz Expo, Asian E-tailing Summit, HKTDC Hong Kong International Franchising Show and DesignInspire. The annual events bring together small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore the latest opportunities and challenges arising from technological innovations, helping to promote a more sustainable growth trajectory.

HKTDC Assistant Executive Director Stephen Liang said: "Despite the current internal and external challenges facing Hong Kong, the HKTDC will continue to run its exhibitions and events as scheduled, working to support Hong Kong enterprises with new business opportunities. The five December events aim to help SMEs identify new opportunities and markets, find supply chain solutions, streamline processes for raw materials procurement, manufacturing and sales, enhance their brand image and sharpen their competitive edge. We are also promoting the financial support funds by the HKSAR government and providing the latest information on Sino-US tariff measures, enabling SMEs to plan ahead and make better-informed business decisions."

HKTDC strengthens SME support through service upgrades

The HKTDC is boosting its support for local SMEs through several new initiatives focused on promoting business transformation. The schemes will provide customised consulting services to SMEs, as well as workshops and business facilities to build their understanding of industry practices. Last month, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government merged existing SME service centres to create a "four-in-one" integrated service model, incorporating the Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs run by the Trade and Industry Department, the SME Centre run by the HKTDC, SME One run by the Hong Kong Productivity Council, and TecONE run by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.

BIP Asia Forum boosts competitiveness of enterprises

Accelerated business progress can be achieved through the development of new technologies as well as opportunities arising from the trading of intellectual property (IP). Building on this trend, the 9th BIP Asia Forum, organised by the HKSAR Government, HKTDC and Hong Kong Design Centre, will be held from 5 to 6 December. The theme for the two-day event is "IP: Building an Innovative and Inclusive Future for Businesses", featuring more than 70 international IP experts and business leaders to share the latest industry trends.

According to the latest figures from the World Intellectual Property Organization, the number of worldwide patent applications is currently in its ninth consecutive year of growth, with a year-on-year increase of 5.2% in 2018 to around 3.3 million. Mr Liang said that many patents in the market have the potential to facilitate SME growth by improving their competitiveness. "The BIP Asia Forum fosters cooperation within the IP field. We believe the trading of intellectual property can promote business opportunities in the service industry, especially since Hong Kong encompasses a diversity of talent across a range of professional services, such as intellectual property management, technology transfer, promotion and design, and legal arbitration."

In the plenary session on the first day of the forum, experts from leading technology corporations - including Kenichi Nagasawa, Managing Executive Officer, Group Executive of Corporate Intellectual Property & Legal Headquarters at Canon Inc; and Winnie Yeung, Assistant General Counsel, Corporate, External and Legal Affairs, Microsoft - will share IP strategies for sustainable corporate growth. At the Global Tech Summit on the second day of the forum, Dan Berman, Director of Business Development, Autonomous Driving at Nvidia; Timothy Tam, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs (Hong Kong), Google; Hilton Wong, Assistant Vice President, Mobility Solutions Consultancy, CSL Mobile Limited; Heidi Nam, General Manager (Hong Kong) of Impossible Foods; Dr Shuyu Chen, Chief Executive Officer, Acoustic Metamaterials Group; Dr Daniel Shi, Senior Director, Integrated Circuits and Systems, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute; and Roy Lim, Vice President of Tung Hing Automation will take to the stage to discuss what the next mega tech trends will be.

This year's forum will also introduce the second edition of the open innovation competition "IPHatch Hong Kong", which this year highlights new patented technologies and features 2018 winners as guest speakers. The 2019 competition will spotlight four industries, Smart City, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Property Technology, with participating start-ups encouraged to unleash their creativity and expand existing patented technologies to new business areas. Other forum highlights include two breakout sessions discussing trending IP strategies in Asia and the Greater Bay Area.

SmartBiz Expo boosts productivity through smart technology

The third HKTDC SmartBiz Expo will be held from 4 to 6 December as a one-stop platform to support SMEs in exploring innovative business solutions and management optimisation technologies that can enhance both productivity and competitiveness. The three-day event is expected to attract more than 400 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions, featuring at least 40 expert-led seminars.

The expo theme in 2019 is "Smart Tech Makes Great Business", featuring three main business areas - Smart City, Smart Living and Smart Commerce. Industry leaders will share their professional insights, while international exhibitors will showcase the latest smart products and technical solutions. "Smart City" will focus on the opportunities brought by mobile networks, IoT, automations and environmental technology to improve urban lifestyles, while "Smart Living" will feature specialist discussions related to esports, health technology, virtual reality and augmented reality. "Smart Commerce" will touch on a myriad of topics, including e-commerce, fintech and supply chain management, that can help SMEs embrace dynamic business models and address industry fail points through innovative technologies.

The exhibition will feature five zones, including Tech, the Invention, The Boosters, Start-up and Global Opportunities Zone. The lnvention Zone will showcase the latest global inventions, while the second Asia Exhibition of Inventions Hong Kong, jointly organised by the Hong Kong Exporter's Association and Palexpo, organiser of the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, will reveal ground-breaking new Asian inventions to the world.

The expo will also feature the establishment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Portal Launch, a joint collaboration with the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. A seminar on Innovation and Collaboration in the Greater Bay Area will be held to introduce the latest economic information and ongoing trade and investment updates in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will be presented to further promote cross-border development.

Asian E-tailing Summit sets the stage for global expansion

E-tailing is a rapidly developing industry that offers competitive business opportunities to enterprises. According to the Online Retail Forecast conducted by independent research firm Forrester Analytics for Southeast Asia, the online retail industry of six ASEAN countries - the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - is estimated to reach US$53 billion by 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 23%.

The Asian E-tailing Summit, held on 4 and 5 December, serves as a one-stop platform for participants to explore the latest trends in e-tailing and discover business opportunities and solutions across Asia and the mainland. With the rapid rise of online shopping and ever-increasing market competition, the summit's first plenary session will examine how IoT solutions can help e-tailers manage data and create unique customer experiences. Another plenary session will assess how a thriving cross-border e-commerce market will be shaped by Southeast Asia's increasingly affluent middle class. Prominent speakers include representatives from social media platform Facebook and e-tailing platform Rakuten.

The two themed breakout sessions will help participants capture the latest e-commerce opportunities in the fashion and toys industries, while two roundtable sessions will highlight the e-tailing development outlook and help to foster partnerships in the Greater Bay Area and ASEAN region. Due to the overwhelming response at previous summits, this year's event will be extended from one to one-and-a-half days.

Franchising Show helps enterprises expand market share

The fifth Hong Kong International Franchising Show will take place from 4 to 6 December, attracting more than 100 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions. The show provides a platform for the sharing of trade insights, connecting with new business partners and exploring opportunities in potential new markets. Two major zones, the F&B Zone and Lifestyle Zone, will provide opportunities across the food and beverage, education and professional commercial service industries. Participating brands include TechBob Academy, Kung Fu Tea, Pineapple Canteen, Mr Arita, Water Laundry, Food Channels, KeePer Pro SHOP, Hong Kong Startup Consultancy and more. The expo will also invite industry experts to lead various seminars and share their experiences and insights on franchising.

DesignInspire to showcase local creativity

DesignInspire will be held from 5 to 7 December to showcase outstanding designs and award-winning projects, as well as providing creative solutions for the design industry. Under the theme "Co-create Sustainable Cities", DesignInspire aims to promote the sustainable development of the urban and commercial environment, and pay heed to the importance of preserving aspects of traditional culture. This year's DesignInspire focuses on local creativity. Sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the HKSAR, the "Hong Kong Creative Force" pavilion will showcase the design projects of 131 designers and 12 local institutions, including art installations created by 26 young local design talents that take inspiration from Hong Kong's traditional handicrafts. A series of interactive events will be arranged for visitors during the event that aim to promote design and innovative thinking. They include various talks and workshops.

Websites:
- Business of IP Asia Forum: http://www.hktdc.com/ncs/bip2019/en/main/index.html
- SmartBiz Expo: http://m.hktdc.com/fair/smartbizexpo-en/HKTDC-SmartBiz-Expo.html
- Asian E-tailing Summit: http://www.hktdc.com/ncs/aes2019/en/main/index.html
- Hong Kong International Franchising Show: http://m.hktdc.com/fair/hkifs-en/
- DesignInspire: http://www.hktdc.com/ncs/designinspire2019/en/main/index.html

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