Swiss startups with Asian ambitions can hardly ignore Hong Kong anymore. Technology-driven companies in sectors such as deep tech, biotech and fintech in particular are using the city as a gateway to scale their innovations in a globally connected and highly regulated environment.
A Bridge Between Innovation and Scaling
For Swiss companies, Hong Kong is especially attractive for three reasons: direct access to mainland China and the Greater Bay Area, strong intellectual property protection, and the city’s role as Asia’s leading financial and biotech hub.
Whereas industrial and logistics companies once dominated Swiss business activity in Hong Kong, fintech firms as well as companies in life sciences and premium consumer goods are now increasingly driving interest.
Programmes such as Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK, as well as initiatives like Venture Leaders and Jumpstarter, serve as important platforms for showcasing Swiss innovation in Asia and connecting startups with investors.
Competitive Advantages Compared with Europe
The key differentiator is the scale of opportunity.
“Asia is not a homogeneous market – it requires local presence, relationships and cultural understanding. (…) Hong Kong enables founders to efficiently serve virtually all major Asian markets from one central location – from China and Southeast Asia to Japan and Korea,” says Jayne Chan, Head of Startups at InvestHK.
Jayne Chan from InvestHK. (Image: zVg)
international environment shaped by common law, intellectual property protection, and English and Chinese as business languages.
Fintech, Biotech and AI as Growth Drivers
Fintech remains a central growth engine. Hong Kong’s role as an international financial centre creates favourable conditions for innovation in areas such as digital assets, wealthtech, payments and cross-border financial solutions.
At the same time, the life sciences sector is gaining momentum. Hong Kong is increasingly evolving into a regional hub for biotech financing, clinical trials and commercialisation.
«We are also seeing strong momentum in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science and advanced manufacturing, supported by government initiatives and close collaboration with research institutions,» says Jayne Chan.
Not without consequences: according to InvestHK, interest among Swiss companies in Hong Kong is growing noticeably.
