Stall Owner ApplicationsY.E.S. is inviting eligible members to become stall owners of "Chill Bazaar 2026". Successful applicants as selected by Y.E.S. will run their retail businesses at the temporary rent-free stalls set at Mira Place for two days.Purposesto provide free learning and practice opportunities to young persons who want to set up their own businesses for their handmade or creative products;to assist young entrepreneurs to extend client network and market as well as promote their products or services.Details of Chill Bazaar 2026Date: 31 October & 1 November 2026 (Saturday & Sunday) Time: From 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Venue: Mira Place 1 Atrium, Tsim Sha TsuiFree Training Course"Youth Entrepreneurship: Temporary Retail Stall Operation Training" will guide participants on using bazaar retail stalls as a strategic testing ground for their ventures, boosting their sales acumen, broadening their customer base, and exploring pathways for sustainable business growth. Participants will be able to master both the necessary knowledge and theories before applying them to the actual businesses.【Date and time of training course: 2 September 2026 (Wednesday) 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.】In "Practical Experience Sharing From Market Vendor", the speaker will talk about entrepreneurial journey, insights on running markets, experience on setting up stalls at overseas markets and the behind-the-scenes stories of cultural and creative markets.【Date and time of training course: 23 September 2026 (Wednesday) 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.】Professional ConsultantTo create good basis for future business paths of participants, Y.E.S. will invite a professional business consultant to provide individual professional consultancy services to participants before the event and round up with them after the event.Notes for ApplicationApplicants may participate in the programme on individual or team basis. Each team should comprise of not more than 4 persons;The team leader, i.e. the First Applicant, must be a Y.E.S. business member aged 18 to 29 and holder of a valid Business Registration Certificate (BRC);If you are not a Y.E.S. business member, please register as Y.E.S. member first, and send the copy of the BRC to Y.E.S. by email;If you are not a BRC holder, registered social worker of Y.E.S. will offer assistance to you. Eligible persons can also apply for exemption from payment of business registration fee and levy!

With the growth of the global awareness of decarbonisation, consumers have been demanding green and low-carbon products and services.  At the same time, the relevant laws and regulations of the major markets of Hong Kong businesses have been kept on updating.  To assists the SMEs, the Trade and Industry Department has set up a one-stop thematic webpage, "Decarbonisation ‧ Business Action", under the "SME Link" portal to provide concise information on the requirements and regulations of Hong Kong and our trading partners; links to services about decarbonisation and carbon audit including self-assessment tools; resources on technological solutions and services provided by solution providers and market practitioners; as well as information on carbon reduction related government funding support.For more details, please visit the thematic webpage "Decarbonisation ‧ Business Action", or contact the Support and Consultation Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises at (852) 2398 5133 or by email ([email protected]).

According to the 2024 Startup Survey released by Invest Hong Kong, both the number of startups and their employees have reached record high—underscoring the ecosystem's vitality. Let’s take a closer look at the key findings:1. Record high in the total number of startupsThe total number of startups in Hong Kong soared to 4,694 in 2024, marking a 40% increase compared to 2020.2. Record high in the total numberof employees recruited by startups Startup hiring has been on the rise since 2021. In 2024, startups recruited 17,651 employees—a 65% jump from 2020.3. Continuous growth in locations of co-working spaces/incubators/acceleratorsSince 2020, the number of co-working spaces/incubators/accelerators grew by 18%, rising from 116 to 137 locations.4. Attraction of non-local talentsNon-local founders made up 28% of Hong Kong’s startup community in 2024. Among them, 40.3% originated from Mainland China.5. Most startups are engaged in the FinTech sectorThe FinTech sector ranks the top in terms of number of startups in 2024 with 619 such companies. Apart from the leading industries such as Infomration, computer & technlogy and E-commerce, noteworthy growth has been observed in Health & medical and Sustainable technology / Green technology, reflecting a heightened focus on personal health and sustainability.Interested in starting your own business in one of the fast-growing industries? Here below are some useful resources:GovHK - Starting a Business (Financing & Planning)Support and consultation Centre for SMEs of Trade and Industry Department website - Business Start-up Information ServiceWe Venture website SourcesStartmeupHK website - Hong Kong’s Startup EcosystemInvest Hong Kong’s 2024 Startup Survey