“SME ReachOut - 2021 Fund Fair PLUS” Opens HKPC-HKSAR Government-Business Sector Join Forces to Promote Funding Schemes to SMEs

(Hong Kong, 11 August 2021) Organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and co-organised by the Trade and Industry Department of the HKSAR Government, the “SME ReachOut – 2021 Fund Fair PLUS” kicked off today. Being held at HKPC Building, the three-day event provides information on over 50 government funding schemes and support programmes available for SMEs and startups of different industries to apply. At the venue, there are 20+ seminars and close to 35 exhibition booths as well as one-on-one free consultation to give enterprises access to first-hand information on government funding schemes from Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to help embrace the post-pandemic New Normal.

The opening thematic seminar titled “New Page for Your Business” was held this morning with Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; Ms Pamela Mak, President of Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association; Mr Calvin Chau, President of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business and Mr Frank Fang, Head of Commercial Banking, Hong Kong, HSBC; joining Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC, in outlining the latest government policy directions in supporting enterprises to thrive under the New Normal and discussing the advantages of doing business in Hong Kong and the development opportunities in the GBA and how SMEs can leverage Hong Kong’s strengths and apply products in the market and government funding to accelerate business expansion.

Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, said, “For the past two years, SMEs in Hong Kong have been hard hit by multiple challenges such as the global economic slowdown, China-US trade tension, social incidents and epidemic. Through the Budget and four rounds of the Anti-Epidemic Fund, the Government has injected over HK$300 billion and made enhancements to various funding schemes. These include both focused support as well as measures for different industries. The Government also encourages enterprises to apply funding in a variety of ways such as streamlining the process, setting up SME ReachOut to help enterprises submit applications and subsidising HKPC to stage the Fund Fair.”

Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC, said, “With the global economy severely hit by the pandemic, Hong Kong enterprises are facing unprecedented challenges. HKPC has been committed to supporting SMEs for the past 54 years, and remains so during the pandemic. We are holding the government funding fair again to help enterprises identify the government funding support to cope with challenges and get ready for digital transformation and the economic recovery. The Government has also been very generous in its support for SMEs, rolling out funding schemes for different industries to address their various business and pressing needs. HKPC will continue to use its strengths to provide SMEs with support in funding, technology and talent development, allowing them the flexibility to expand to new markets and seize new opportunities in order to overcome the current adversity.”

In another thematic seminar titled “Keep Upgrading with Continuous Innovation” to be held tomorrow (12 August), Mr Alfred Sit, Secretary for Innovation and Technology; Dr Dennis Yip, Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries; and Dr Allen Shi, President of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong, will join Mr Mohamed Butt, Executive Director of HKPC, to discuss the effective use of innovative technologies and related funding schemes to enhance enterprise’s competitiveness.

Coordinated by SME ReachOut whom the government has commissioned HKPC to operate, the three-day “SME ReachOut – 2021 Fund Fair PLUS” is free of charge. Under the theme of “Make Your Fund Count for the New Normal”, this year’s event is jointly participated by over 20 government departments, public organs and SME service platforms from Hong Kong and the GBA; sponsored by of strategic banking partner HSBC, diamond sponsors Dun & Bradstreet (HK) Ltd, HKBN Enterprise Solutions Ltd and SAP Hong Kong Co., Ltd; and supported by over 50 industry chambers and associations and public organs.

The exhibition booths cover different types of business including finance and business development, startups and creative industries, overseas and Mainland market promotion, export trade, etc., providing assistance for various sectors. Apart from being able to register online for the on-site seminars, the participants can also make advance booking for one-on-one consultation services with SME ReachOut and other government funding schemes to understand and match suitable funding to get ready for future business expansion.

Interested parties can go to the Fair’s website: http://u.hkpc.org/2021fundfairplus-27 now to register their participation. For enquiries, please contact SME ReachOut via telephone: (852) 2788 6868; or email: sme_reachout@hkpc.org.

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Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (third from left); Ms Pamela Mak, President of Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association (second from right); Mr Calvin Chau, President of The Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business (second from left); Mr Frank Fang, Head of Commercial Banking, Hong Kong, HSBC (first from right) and Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC (third from right) took part in the opening thematic seminar hosted by Ms June Lam, media professional (first from left) to share the latest government policy directions in supporting enterprises and discuss about the advantages of doing business in Hong Kong and the development opportunities in the GBA.

Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government shares the latest direction of government policy for industries to overcome the challenges arising from COVID-19 at the thematic forum.

Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC, says HKPC will continue to use its strengths to provide SMEs with support in funding, technology and talent development, allowing them the flexibility to expand to new markets and seize new opportunities in order to overcome the current adversity.