MTR Lab Company Limited (“MTR Lab”) and Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (“HSITPL”) announced the launch of the “Venture Partner Programme”. This partnership combines MTR Lab’s strengths as an international innovation and technology (“I&T”) investor with the vibrant community of high-potential startups at Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (“HSITP”), connecting and scaling emerging tech companies to drive impact in AI, new energy, new materials, microelectronics, and robotics.
The Venture Partner Programme is intended to drive technology investment on a global scale. Through this initiative, tech companies from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, the broader APAC region, Europe, and North America will gain direct access to funding opportunities, strategic guidance, and commercial partnerships to help them grow and scale. To kickstart the partnership, MTR Lab and HSITPL co-hosted an information session with HSITP’s startup community to facilitate early-stage engagement and align on enterprise-ready technologies.
Capturing Global Venture Momentum Through Strategic I&T Partnership
Amid the global push for AI and advanced technologies, there is a growing need for high-potential ventures to access robust investor networks and scaling expertise. The Venture Partner Programme is designed to meet this demand by bridging capital and expertise. Both MTR Lab and HSITPL play pivotal roles in this ecosystem. HSITPL carries the important mission of developing the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (i.e., HSITP) into a world-class I&T hub that connects the Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world. MTR Lab serves as a strategic I&T investor and collaborative platform, with a global mandate, supporting startups in scaling beyond local boundaries.
Closing the Enterprise Readiness Gap Through Ecosystem Synergy
The partnership between MTR Lab and HSITP for the Venture Partner Programme leverages the complementary strengths of both parties to address a critical gap in the market, where high-potential startups often struggle with enterprise readiness and access to meaningful investment pathways.
At the co-hosted information session, MTR Lab provided participating startups with strategic guidance on international expansion and shared insights into high-demand application scenarios, aiming to facilitate their connections with Hong Kong’s technology ecosystem.
The information session covered various technology areas aligned with MTR Lab’s investment mandate, with a focus on solutions that enable enterprise-grade applications in real-world operational environments. Going forward, participating companies will be invited to pitch their solutions, explore opportunities for potential proof of concept (PoC) collaborations and, where appropriate, prospective investment.
“As an international I&T investor, MTR Lab is committed to supporting our portfolio companies in scaling up and expanding globally,” said Jing Shi, Head of Investment at MTR Lab. “This partnership goes far beyond merely providing capital: it combines MTR Lab’s business network with HSITP’s tech community to give startups the real-world opportunities they need to expand. Ultimately, this collaboration links strategic capital, innovative minds, and new markets together across the GBA and globally.”
Anita Chau, Director of Ecosystem Development of HSITPL, added: “This partnership highlights HSITP’s role as a ‘super connector’ driving the GBA into a global I&T hub. By combining our pipeline of innovative technology companies with MTR Lab’s business network and strategic investment capabilities, HSITP provides a platform for these companies to directly connect with investors for investment and PoC opportunities. This programme injects fresh momentum into the Hetao Cooperation Zone, supports Hong Kong’s high-quality economic growth, and proves that our region is a true global powerhouse for turning innovative ideas into real economic value.”
Empowering Startups to Scale from the GBA to Global Markets
MTR Lab primarily invests in technology companies under smart city and sustainability themes. To align with such priorities and leverage the broader ecosystem of technology companies and the startup community within HSITP, the first batch of participating companies from HSITP focuses on AI, new energy, new materials, microelectronics, and robotics, spanning Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and global markets including Australia, Canada, and Singapore. The inaugural cohort showcases the Venture Partner Programme’s international and high-calibre nature, featuring a diverse array of award-winning and boundary-pushing tech ventures.
To support these ventures in achieving commercial success, the Venture Partner Programme provides a robust suite of support services. Participating startups will benefit from thematic pitching days, 1:1 pitching sessions, pitch-deck advisory, and experience-sharing sessions. This comprehensive support structure offers a clear pathway for growth, ranging from vital showcase opportunities to PoC engagements and, ultimately, potential investment opportunities.
