GIC organised the first cross-border GBA Innovation Day of 2024 together with the German Chamber of Commerce in China (South & Southwest) and leading up to the Start.up! Germany Tour 2024.
The day started in Hong Kong with a lively panel discussion, moderated by Michael Keppe, CEO of Impala Services. The panel of leading tech and innovation experts included Karena Belin, Co-Founder and CEO of WHub, Patrick Deloy, Co-Founder of Zupe, Rainer Duespohl, Founder and CEO of uHey, and Nico Schuster, CEO of TecPal, who each shared their first-hand insights and advice on smart tech strategies for start-ups to become successful.
In the afternoon, the innovation journey continued in Shenzhen with the celebration of the re-opening of the AHK Innovation Hub and a highly entertaining AHK Innovation Night under the motto “Pitch the Dragon”. The competition featured 12 exciting start-ups in life science, smart manufacturing, and green tech from Mainland China and Hong Kong, who competed for a place in the Grand Finale of the Start.up! Germany Tour later this year.
Many thanks to ABAKA AI; Advanced Electrophoresis Solutions; Aura Labs; Cloudready Technology; Ecolar Technology; Finger Dance; H2.Asia Suzhou Connen Hydrogen Energy; HyperPark; Lonlink Smart Storage Solution; Mentor Environmental Technology; Mestrocolin Limited; and big congratulations to the winning start-up of the night: Mech-Mind Robotics.
It was particularly exciting to see Hong Kong-grown start-up Aura Labs win third place overall, and Ecolar Technology as well as Mestrocolin from Hong Kong Polytechnic University deliver fantastic pitches as well. Thanks to everyone who joined this exhilarating day, to Invest Hong Kong for their generous support, and to the AHK teams on both sides of the border for the great collaboration!
