Hong Kong: A Launchpad for Young Innovators from Europe

A big tech competition held in Munich, Germany, on June 6 and 7 brought together 250 talented students from more than 25 countries and over 100 universities. The event was called the EuroTech x HKTE Hackathon. It was organized to help promising young innovators from Europe learn about job and business opportunities in Hong Kong. The goal was to connect European talent with Hong Kong's fast-growing innovation and technology scene.

Students at the hackathon worked on some very creative ideas. One team came up with a way to check for anemia — a blood condition — without needles or lab tests. Another team built technology that can spot problems in roads before drivers even notice them. These projects showed the wide range of skills students brought to the competition, from computer science to engineering to artificial intelligence, also called AI.

To compete, students had to do more than just build a working project. They also had to design their ideas with Hong Kong specifically in mind. That meant researching the city's needs, its market, and its rules and regulations. Many students said this pushed them to learn a lot about Hong Kong that they never knew before.

One moment stood out to the judges. During the event, one team reached out to more than 250 doctors in Hong Kong to ask if their idea could really work there. Before the hackathon even ended, they heard back — and the response was positive. Wendy Yau, a judge and senior manager at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, said their eagerness to connect showed just how serious they were about building a future in Hong Kong.

Felix Chan is the director of Hong Kong Talent Engage, also known as HKTE. He said many students were thinking seriously about building a career or a business in Hong Kong. "They were no longer just asking what Hong Kong was — many wanted to understand how they could explore turning an idea into a venture here," Chan said. He added that the energy at the event was exciting to witness.

HKTE is a government organization that helps people from around the world find jobs and start businesses in Hong Kong. The group helps connect new talent with partners for job matching, housing, and settling into the community. It also runs more than 120 online and in-person events each year on topics like entrepreneurship, family life, and learning Cantonese. HKTE gives newcomers access to about 5,000 job openings in tech, finance, and related fields.

The 16 winners of the hackathon will travel to Hong Kong and nearby cities in the Greater Bay Area, or GBA, in September. They will visit research centers, meet with investors, and build connections with potential partners. The trip is designed to show them what it really takes to turn a great idea into a product or business. It will also give them a look at how their ideas could reach markets across Asia.

Hong Kong's location makes it very attractive for entrepreneurs and innovators. It sits at the heart of the Greater Bay Area, a region that includes cities like Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster recently ranked number one on the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index for 2025. This annual ranking measures the world's top innovation regions.

Hong Kong is also planning a massive new development called the Northern Metropolis near the border with Shenzhen. This 300 square kilometer zone is planned to become a major hub for research, tech development, and advanced manufacturing. It is expected to create thousands of high-value jobs for global talent. Workers there will have new ways to connect with markets across Asia.

Since late 2022, Hong Kong has launched several programs to attract skilled workers from around the world. More than 640,000 people have applied through these programs, and around 300,000 have already arrived in the city as of June 2026. In the coming months, HKTE will hold a Career Showcase in the United Kingdom to reach even more prospective professionals. For students with big ideas, Hong Kong is making one thing clear: there is a place for you here.