HKSTP Teams Up with HKU and CUHK Medical Schools to Showcase Hong Kong's Life & Health Innovations at BIO International Convention
Seizing Global Business and Investment Opportunities for Sustainable Growth
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 17 June 2025 - Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in collaboration with InvestHK, led 16 prominent life and health technology companies to BIO 2025, the world's largest biotechnology event, held in Boston, USA, from June 16 to 19. This year marks the first time HKSTP joined forces with Hong Kong's two leading medical faculties—the LKS Faculty of Medicine at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) - to form a delegation, showcasing Hong Kong's cutting-edge research capabilities and innovation potential in life sciences and health technologies. The initiative further strengthens Hong Kong's position as a world-class biotech innovation hub.
The HKSTP Pavilion highlighted the groundbreaking technologies and products of its park companies, featuring innovative solutions across diverse fields such as novel drug development, diagnostic technologies, and medical innovation. Among the 16 participating companies, they were the members of HKSTP's incubation programmes including Incu-Bio and ELITE Programme, cutting-edge work from the InnoHK research centers, and other outstanding biotech companies. On the first day of the exhibition, the delegation successfully attracted attention from global industry leaders, corporate partners, and venture capital firms.
During BIO 2025, HKSTP and its park companies made significant strides in fostering cross-border innovation ecosystems and exploring new market opportunities:
Immuno Cure, partnering with HKUMed, the developer of the first-in-human novel therapeutic HIV vaccine ICVAX, announced its collaboration with PharmaJet to explore the application of a needle-free vaccination solution, accelerating the global commercialization pathway for ICVAX.
HKSTP signed a partnership agreement with DLRC to provide legal advisory services in clinical trials and certification, promoting global ecosystem collaboration and growth.
Mr. Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said: "We are thrilled to partner with two leading medical schools for the first time at BIO 2025, demonstrating Hong Kong's breakthroughs and innovation in life and health technology. This delegation not only deepens collaboration between Hong Kong and top global research institutions but also highlights our unique advantages as a core I&T hub in the Greater Bay Area. With strong policy and funding support from the HKSAR government, Hong Kong will further serve as a bridge connecting Mainland China and global tech partnerships, solidifying its leadership in life sciences innovation."
Ahead of BIO 2025, the delegation participated in the "2025 Biomedical Pitch Competition", co-organized by the Boston Capital Investment Club (BCIC) and HKSTP. The event connects global life and health innovators with investors and business partners. Three HKSTP companies—ARBELE, GenEditBio, and Cogsmart—excelled in the preliminary rounds, competing against over 100 global life sciences firms, with ARBELE, HKUMed's affiliated spin-off company, winning the championship, underscoring Hong Kong's research excellence. Over the past three years, this platform has helped startups secure over USD 100 million in funding and connect with hundreds of international investors and partners, driving further business growth.
HKSTP is committed to propelling Hong Kong's life sciences sector onto the global stage, showcasing the city's unique strengths to attract international enterprises and talent. The delegation also organized networking events and visits, enabling Hong Kong companies to engage with overseas investors, leading corporations, and renowned academic institutions, including visits to MIT Professor Robert Langer (Described as "Edison of Medicine"), Harvard Innovation Labs, Cambridge Innovation Center, and more. This initiative reinforces Hong Kong's sustainable development in life sciences and its role as a global innovation leader.
Appendix: List of Park Companies Participating in BIO 2025:
Allegrow Biotech Limited
ARBELE Limited
Beth Bioinformatics Co., Limited
Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology
The Centre for Virology, Vaccinology, and Therapeutics
DECODE CURE Limited
GenEditBio Limited
Great Bay Bio
Hong Kong Universal Biologicals Company Limited
Immuno Cure Holding (HK) Limited
The Institute for Innovation, Translation and Policy Research (ITPR)
LEE'S PHARMACEUTICAL (HK) LIMITED
Serilink Biotechnology Company Limited
Xiaomo Biotech Limited
XUXIN (HongKong) Biotechnology Co., Limited
Zhaoke (Hong Kong) Ophthalmology Pharmaceutical Limited
Hashtag: #HKSTP
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 to create a thriving I&T ecosystem grooming 13 unicorns, more than 15,000 research professionals and over 2,300 technology companies from 25 countries and regions focused on developing healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies, etc.
Our growing innovation ecosystem offers comprehensive support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation for technology ventures, with the I&T journey built around our key locations of Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long realising a vision of new industrialisation for Hong Kong, where sectors including advanced manufacturing, micro-electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined.
Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen plays positive roles in connecting the world and the mainland with our proximity, strengthening cross-border exchange to bring advantages in attracting global talent and allowing possibilities for the development of technology companies in seven key areas: Medtech, big data and AI, robotics, new materials, microelectronics, fintech and sustainability, with both dry and wet laboratories, co-working space, conference and exhibition facilities, and more.
Through our R&D infrastructure, startup support and enterprise services, commercialisation and investment expertise, partnership networks and talent traction, HKSTP continues to contribute in stablishing I&T as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong. More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
China's AI and semiconductor sector showing strong growth despite US export controls, report says
China is making strides in semiconductor production deemed crucial for artificial intelligence despite US export controls and diffusion rules, a new report suggests. Recent semiconductor analysis focusing on China says since the start of the year, Beijing has taken inventory of and redistributed some of its semiconductor production tools acquired in recent years, and in turn put them under control of China-based companies best-placed to use them. One of those is Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (Smic), China's largest chipmaker, says the report from Jefferies, an investment banking and capital market firm based in New York. This move, according to the report, and other Beijing strategies, suggests US efforts to thwart China's progress in the continuing AI race have been less than effective. 'Smic is adding capacity in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing for advanced node capacity … they will have nearly 50,000 (microchip) wafers per month of capacity this year,' Jefferies says. Such a forecast runs counter to others by Jeffrey Kessler, US undersecretary of commerce for industry and security. 'Our assessment is that Huawei Ascend chip production capacity for 2025 will be at or below 200,000 and we project that most or all of that will be delivered to companies within China,' Mr Kessler said. He warned that China was working to blunt the impact of any US measures to slow its chip output. The Jefferies report notes that Huawei, which has had a laser-like focus on competing with US tech firms in the AI space, could ultimately be a benefactor of China's semiconductor infrastructure plans. 'If they increase their yield, they can reach serious numbers on Huawei Ascend 910C packages,' the report said. As another way to work around US export controls, Jefferies indicated China was using the semiconductor power of gaming PCs as 'AI inferencing workstations'. US AI tech giants such as Nvidia have been vocal about US export controls, which they have said will ultimately backfire and prevent American technology from reaching the rest of the world, therefore creating a vacuum that will be filled by Chinese companies. Microsoft has also come out swinging against strict US export controls designed to protect the country's lead in AI development, maintaining that they hurt US efforts far more than they help in the race for dominance in the sector. Then, of course, there's the recent developments of DeepSeek, a China-based generative AI chatbot that has boasted about achieving as much as ChatGPT but with far fewer resources. Sceptics have blamed strict US technology exports on that development. The Trump administration has tried to engage some of the countries that might be affected by US export policies, and co-operate on AI and semiconductor efforts. But it has not reversed the broad policy objectives put in place by the Biden administration that sought to keep US AI technology out of China. 'Even if the diffusion rules are abandoned, we are unlikely to see any move that would be more China friendly,' while a complete about face is unlikely, Jefferies said, Those in favour of strict American AI export policies might view the China semiconductor developments as proof of the need to increase enforcement and vigilance. Mohammed Soliman said the report indicates that AI competition and the burgeoning sector overall continues at rapid pace. 'You can see in the supplier data that China isn't slowing down,' said Mr Soliman, director of the strategic technology and cybersecurity programme at the Washington-based Middle East Institute think tank. The US 'tried to slow down's Beijing's AI trajectory, but what we're seeing here is resilience and a domestic ramp up', he said. 'The emerging bottleneck is not just semiconductors but the surrounding systems like electricity, cooling and land,' Mr Soliman added, referring to a portion of the Jefferies report that also gives China an advantage with its approach to AI and the country's ample energy supply.
Khaleej Times
4 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Gold rises on weaker dollar; investors await US jobs data
Gold edged higher on Monday, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar, while investors hunkered down for U.S. economic data due later this week for signals on the Federal Reserve's policy path. Spot gold rose 0.5% at $3,287.64 per ounce as of 1047 a.m. EDT (1447 GMT) after reaching its lowest point since May 29 earlier in the session. The yellow metal was up for the second straight quarter, rising 5.2%. U.S. gold futures was up 0.4% at $3,299.40. "A weaker dollar today is providing a bit of support. But we're still within the well-defined range that has dominated since the middle of May," said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals. The dollar fell against the yen and hit its lowest in almost four years against the euro, as market optimism over U.S. trade deals bolstered bets for earlier interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. However, "Easing of geopolitical tensions and trade worries put some pressure on gold. So,it continues to coil within that range. I still think that we're going to see new all-time highs. $3,800 is a likely objective for the second half of the year," Grant added. On the trade front, the U.S. and China resolved issues over rare earth minerals and magnet shipments last week, renewing hopes for further talks between the two superpowers. Elsewhere, Canada scrapped its digital services tax targeting U.S. tech firms late Sunday to revive stalled trade negotiations with the U.S. Gold, traditionally considered a hedge during times of uncertainty, also thrives in a low-interest rate environment. Investors now await the U.S. ADP employment data, due Wednesday, and Thursday's initial jobless claims data for hints on the central bank's potential policy path. Spot silver was flat at $35.97 per ounce, while platinum eased 0.5% to $1,332.05, and palladium dropped 2.1% to $1,109.78. All the three-metals were headed for gains so far this quarter.
Gulf Business
5 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Dubai's aerial taxi services: RTA tests region's first flight
Image credit: Dubai Media Office/Website In a landmark step toward the future of urban air mobility, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in partnership with US-based Read- The trial flight featured Joby Aviation's all-electric aircraft, which is capable of vertical take-off and landing, enabling it to operate in densely populated urban areas with minimal spatial requirements. The aerial taxi is powered by electricity, generates zero operating emissions, and has been engineered to operate at significantly lower noise levels than traditional helicopters, The test flight was attended by prominent UAE officials, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai. 'Dubai continues to lead the way in shaping the future of mobility, guided by the strategic vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,' said Sheikh Hamdan. 'This achievement reflects our commitment to placing the UAE at the forefront of transformative technologies that drive global progress. It also underscores our determination to turn breakthrough innovations into practical solutions that improve quality of life.' Urban air travel set to transform mobility The Joby Aerial Taxi is designed to accommodate one pilot and four passengers, with a flight range of up to 160 kilometers and a top speed of 320 kilometers per hour. The aircraft's VTOL design uses six rotors and four battery packs, enabling it to take off and land vertically from specially designed vertiports. The successful test was part of a series of ongoing flight evaluations intended to assess the aircraft's performance in Dubai's unique climate and urban conditions. The trials are an early step toward a broader commercial rollout, which is set to begin in 2026 with the inauguration of the first Aerial Taxi station near Dubai International Airport. The ultimate goal is to offer a premium and efficient alternative to ground transportation. A trip from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah, for instance, is expected to take just 10 to 12 minutes by aerial taxi, compared to roughly 45 minutes by car. The demonstration was attended by senior figures in Dubai's aviation and transport sectors, including Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA; Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA); and executives from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Dubai Air Navigation Services. Commenting on the achievement, Mattar Al Tayer said the aerial taxi's introduction is a natural progression in the city's embrace of smart and sustainable mobility. 'The test flight reflects the leadership's vision for a sustainable and technologically advanced public transport system,' Al Tayer said. 'It also aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the UAE's broader vision for sustainable development.' Infrastructure development underway for 2026 launch In collaboration with Shamal Holding, RTA has already begun developing the infrastructure to support aerial taxi services. This includes a dedicated vertiport, a hangar equipped with real-time flight tracking systems, and cutting-edge electric charging facilities. These installations are integral to ensuring the smooth and safe operation of eVTOL aircraft across the city. JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, and Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA's Public Transport Agency, briefed officials on the project's roadmap. According to the timeline, Dubai's first commercial aerial taxi service will begin operations in 2026, with routes designed to serve key destinations and integrate with the broader public transport network. 'Dubai serves as a launchpad for a global revolution in mobility,' said Bevirt. 'Flying our aircraft here represents a pivotal step toward integrating aerial taxis into the daily lives of people around the world. Our strategic partnership with RTA enables us to help shape a future where clean and quiet aviation becomes the new standard.' Bevirt highlighted the efficiency of the aircraft, noting that it can reduce travel times dramatically while offering a quieter, safer, and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional helicopters. He emphasized the significance of the partnership with Dubai in showcasing American aerospace innovation on a global stage. 'This achievement is the result of two years of close collaboration,' he added. 'It underscores Joby's leadership in the field and reaffirms the UAE's position as a pioneer in adopting next-generation air mobility technologies.' Building on years of research and global testing Joby's readiness to initiate testing in Dubai follows more than 15 years of research and development. The company has logged over 40,000 miles of flight testing and completed numerous successful piloted transition flights. Much of the recent testing has been carried out under extreme weather conditions at Edwards Air Force Base in the U.S., ensuring that the aircraft is fully prepared for the heat and humidity of the Gulf region. Earlier this year, Dubai's RTA signed a multi-party agreement to bring aerial taxi services to the city. The deal includes partners such as the GCAA, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and Skyports Infrastructure—a UK-based firm specializing in vertiport development. The agreement makes Dubai the first city in the world to plan a fully integrated eVTOL service with operational infrastructure tailored for urban air mobility. According to RTA, the aerial taxi service will complement existing transportation options and promote seamless multimodal mobility across Dubai. This includes integration with the metro, buses, e-scooters, and bicycles—helping to create a cohesive and future-proof transport ecosystem. Looking ahead, Joby Aviation intends to expand its footprint across the UAE and the wider region. The company sees Dubai as a strategic launch point for the broader Middle East and envisions aerial transport as a key part of the region's smart city evolution. 'Dubai is a model for transportation innovation,' Bevirt said. 'With a highly developed metro, a world-class road network, and now the first aerial taxi system in the region, the city is setting a global benchmark for urban mobility.' New era of urban mobility on display The Museum of the Future, in collaboration with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has unveiled Exhibited on the museum's 'Tomorrow, Today' floor, the aerial taxi prototype reinforces Dubai's commitment to its Self-Driving Transport Strategy, aiming for 25% of all trips to be autonomous by 2030. A greener way to travel The electric aerial taxi, developed by California-based Joby Aviation, showcases zero-emissions technology that aligns with global sustainability goals. Its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) design and advanced safety features make it a compelling alternative to traditional transport. 'We are honoured to showcase the aerial taxi model at the Museum of the Future, which underscores Dubai's ambition and forward-thinking approach to redefining mobility,' said Khaled Al Awadhi, Director of Transportation Systems at RTA. 'Dubai is set to become the first city in the world to launch an aerial taxi project, with services expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026.' Look inside the Joby S4 The aircraft features six rotors, four battery packs, and seats for four passengers plus a pilot. It can reach speeds of up to 322 km/h and has a range of 161 km. Notably quieter than helicopters, the vehicle offers a faster and more comfortable experience. Initial routes will connect key locations across the city, including Dubai International Airport, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah. A typical flight from the airport to Palm Jumeirah is expected to take just 12 minutes, compared to 45 minutes by car. Smart infrastructure and vertiport development The vertiport infrastructure, which will support around 42,000 landings annually and accommodate 170,000 passengers, will feature state-of-the-art facilities and meet international safety standards. Vehicle operations and passenger logistics will be handled by Joby Aviation, while Skyports Infrastructure will manage the design, construction, and operations of the vertiports. RTA will oversee the integration of aerial taxis into Dubai's broader transport network. Royal approval for vertiport construction In November 2024, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, officially approved construction of the c The vertiport will cover 3,100 square metres and include zones for take-off and landing, charging stations, an apron, and parking. Air-conditioned facilities will enhance passenger comfort while adhering to stringent safety protocols. Agreements and operational timeline The initiative follows a 2024 agreement signed between RTA, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Skyports Infrastructure, and Joby Aviation to bring aerial mobility to the emirate. J Dubai's leap into the future 'The Museum of the Future has become home to the aerial taxi prototype, reflecting Dubai's pioneering leadership in shaping the future of transportation,' said Majed Al Mansoori, Executive Director of the museum. 'Our partnership with the RTA underscores the museum's mission to inspire groundbreaking ideas and foster a culture of innovation.' Joby's entry into the UAE market positions Dubai as a global leader in urban aerial mobility, with plans to expand services across the country and the wider region.
