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

Thinking of starting a business? Want to learn what to watch out for when setting up business in Hong Kong? Curious about government funding available, or incubation and start-up internship programmes for young entrepreneurs? The “SME Link” website might be able to help you out!To strengthen support for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and to raise SMEs' awareness of the various funding schemes, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has consolidated the services of the existing four SME centres, namely, the "Support and Consultation Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises" (SUCCESS) under the Trade and Industry Department, the "SME Centre" under the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the "SME One" under the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the "TecONE" under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, to provide one-stop "Four-in-One" integrated services for SMEs. Enterprises can obtain business information, funding schemes information and advisory services, etc. at any of the centres. The "SME Link" web portal is a new initiative of the Government to further enhance the integrated services of the SME centres whereby SMEs can access information and support services from a single online platform.The "SME Link" features links to information and services provided by the four SME centres, various industrial and trade organisations, professional bodies and government bureaux and departments. The contents are mainly organised into four clusters, namely "Support for SMEs", "Decarbonisation ‧ Business Action", "Events & Activities", and "News".Under the cluster "Support for SMEs", information and services are further categorised by subjects under a customer-oriented approach, comprising "Government Funding Schemes", "Non-financial Assistance", "Startups", "Mainland Market" and "Overseas Markets", facilitating SMEs to search for useful information and services in a more systematic way.Among all, the "Government Funding Schemes" section features over 70 government funding schemes, each with an overview and links to relevant websites. SMEs can search for suitable funding schemes based on their business needs and industry, and explore details such as eligibility criteria and maximum funding amounts etc.The "Startups" section offers links to websites packed with entrepreneurial tips, guides to doing business in Hong Kong, insights into local startup trends, and other online resources tailored for SMEs. If you're considering starting your own business, it's worth visiting the “SME Link” website regularly to stay updated on the latest support services available for SMEs!Source：SME Link Website