香港特区政府持续加码优化科创投资生态,内地资本加速赴港布局
The HKSAR Government continues to strengthen its efforts to optimize the ecology of science and technology innovation investment, and mainland capital accelerates its deployment to Hong Kong
Compiled by Global Times Finance from The Securities Times, the signing ceremony for Victoria Harbour Nexus Innovation LPF (the“Fund”) was recently held in Hong Kong, with nine proposed Shanghai‑Hong Kong sci‑tech innovation projects making their debut.
It is reported that this is the first fund jointly established by the Hong Kong SAR government and mainland institutions under the Optimisation Programme for the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund (ITVF). Shanghai State-owned Capital Investment (SSCI) acts as its cornerstone investor and CITIC Capital serves as fund manager. The ITVF of the Hong Kong SAR participates as a limited partner, with the fund reaching an overall size of HK$600 million.
Observers note that over the past year, mainlandbased "hardtech" enterprises have accounted for a notably higher share of Hong Kong IPOs. As the Hong Kong SAR government ramps up efforts to improve the sci-tech investment ecosystem, mainland capital speeds up its expansion in Hong Kong, opening up a critical window of opportunity for Shanghai-Hong Kong innovation collaboration.
Sun Dong, secretary for innovation, technology and industry of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, noted that the SAR government has rolled out multiple initiatives in recent years to revamp the scitech investment model, step up support for local strategic industries and address financing challenges for startups. Under the ITVF Enhanced Scheme, the government provides matching capital with marketbased institutions at a ratio of 1:3. Since its launch, the scheme has received more than 60 fund applications, drawing an enthusiastic market response.
The Fund will fully launch its regular investment operations. It will keep identifying early-stage hard-tech projects from Hong Kong’s universities and innovation parks, and organize twin-city roadshows as well as industry‑university‑research cooperation. Drawing on Hong Kong’s institutional strengths as a “super-connector” and Shanghai’s comprehensive industrial foundation, the Fund will foster two-way flows of talent, technology and capital between the two cities. It will connect the Yangtze River Delta and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the two national-level sci-tech innovation clusters, leverage cross-border capital to underpin high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology, and further unlock the long-term value of Shanghai-Hong Kong sci-tech collaboration.