EPIC 2025 Outdid Itself with Record-High 1,200 Applications
With the application period open from March to June, the response to participating in one of Asia's largest innovation arenas has been taken by storm. Where global startups with solutions in Digital Health Tech, FinTech, and Green Tech will be seen at 60-second pitches to get through to an unprecedented US$100M targeted investment funding and US$240,000 cash prizes, backed by 20 global financial and corporate partners that manage collectively of an AUM close to US$100B and operate across Asia, Europe and North America.
Monetary payoff aside, business matching and investment opportunities, as well as an extensive experience will be made available throughout EPIC Week––putting innovative solutions on display for potential investors and corporate decision makers with Tech Spotlight, and pulling a glimpse into the vast opportunities of the cities with Greater Bay Area Exploration guided tour––the series of highlights entailing complimentary flight and accommodation sponsored (*T&C applies) to contestants overseas, are set to enable mid- to late-stage startups to grow from indigenous names to international labels.
'First time ever that we're met with over a thousand applications, it's a feat right off the bat––we're expecting to see more aspiring tech gurus and their auspicious ideas rise to this year's shifts,' said Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP.
Currently in the works, multiple regional pitching sessions will be held July to August, for the best and brightest in US, Europe, APAC and Hong Kong, to show and tell a story of their visions, where only the top 100 will be making it to the next round into the finals, taking place in November at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Hong Kong's former international airport furbished to be a runway for an expedition in tech.
Please visit https://epic.hkstp.org for more details.
HKSTP
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 establishing I&T as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
43 minutes ago
- Borneo Post
Xinjiang's bold push empowers rural women at scale
Women work at a new energy technology company in Shule County of Kashgar Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on June 24, 2025. – Xinhua photo URUMQI (July 20): There was a time in the southern part of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region when many rural women lived out of public view, economically dependent on their spouses and bound by traditional household gender roles. Today in Xinjiang's Kashgar Prefecture, Aysham Abdureyimu's beauty salon buzzes with laughter and transformation. It has become a place where women come not just for stylish hairdos, but for a sense of community. In Kashgar's Shache County, the steady hum of sewing machines fills Adilmu Abdulla's bustling tailor shop, where she now employs dozens of local women, most of them Uygur. 'When I got divorced, it felt like my whole world fell apart,' Abdulla recalled. 'But these days, I have a steady monthly income and help others earn too. Being a single mom doesn't faze me anymore.' This profound transformation from social constraints to financial independence lies at the heart of Xinjiang's efforts to empower rural women. While women were once confined to seclusion by extremist ideologies, today they stroll the streets proudly clad in modern fashion. Speaking about this change, Abdureyimu said rural women now care more about looking their best. They're eager to learn new skills, start their own businesses, and achieve financial independence. Dressed in the latest styles and fluent in Mandarin, her salon apprentices have become living symbols of this very transformation. The shift extends from household kitchens to socio-economic structures. According to Aynur Mamat, chairperson of Kashgar's women's federation, empowered mothers build more prosperous families, marked by fuller wallets, brighter smiles, happier homes and, above all, unshakable confidence. Behind the change is a coordinated, multi-pronged effort led by the Xinjiang regional women's federation and aimed at dismantling long-standing barriers to women's empowerment. Skills training forms the foundation. According to Li Linghui, Party chief of the Xinjiang regional women's federation, the federation now organises more than 1,000 sessions annually, equipping over 40,000 rural women with skills such as hairdressing and tailoring. These skills have opened doors to entrepreneurship and factory employment. 'Women across rural Xinjiang, especially the south, are eager to work and start businesses,' Li said. 'We're helping make it happen through practical training programmes.' The 'beauty hair salon' programme stands as a striking example. Since 2017, 3,679 salons with a total investment of 63.9 million yuan (about US$8.9 million) have been established across Xinjiang, providing employment for over 10,000 women and serving as community hubs for them. Abdureyimu teaches makeup techniques at her beauty salon in Kashgar Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Nov 13, 2023. – Xinhua photo Across southern Xinjiang's villages, the beauty hair salons are more than just businesses. They have become engines advancing women's independence and cultural change, said Aynur Mahsat, chairperson of the Xinjiang regional women's federation. Through a programme that focuses on online and offline Mandarin classes, some 60,000 women mainly in southern Xinjiang have gained access to new opportunities. Financial assistance has also proven key to the successes of women entrepreneurs. Partnering with banks and rural credit cooperatives, the regional women's federation has provided 17.86 billion yuan in loans to more than 46,000 women, enabling business launches and expansions. The impact has reached far beyond personal income growth. Comprehensive policy support has empowered women to embrace modern lifestyles and economic independence, according to local officials. Rising incomes have also brought them greater influence, both at home and within their communities. Sustaining this momentum requires continuous, targeted effort. 'Enhanced training and guidance mechanisms measurably boost women's aspirations and abilities to pursue business and career opportunities,' Li said, underscoring the need to establish long-term training frameworks with strong policy backing. To further empower rural women in Xinjiang, experts have highlighted the importance of better policy coordination, flexible employment models and enhanced financial support. According to Aygul Imin, a researcher at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, strengthening rural social security, providing targeted support, and closely monitoring employment and family dynamics are essential to removing barriers faced by rural women in southern Xinjiang while ensuring that progress benefits both the women and their communities. – Xinhua China rural women Xinhua xinjiang
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Myanmar to offer low-interest loans to drive growth in agriculture, livestock sectors
YANGON (Xinhua): The Myanmar government will disburse low-interest loans from the State Economic Promotion Fund, aiming to promote the country's agriculture and livestock sectors, state-owned daily The Mirror has reported. At a Union Price Stability Committee meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday, Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein said the government plans to disburse 688 billion kyats (US$327.61 million) in agricultural loans for over 5 million acres of land in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the report said. The minister called for high production of foodstuffs to ensure proper prices, promoting agriculture and livestock-based manufacturing, and expanding the cultivation of edible oil crops, it said. The Union Price Stability Committee, formed on August 18, 2023, is working on basic food price stability, balancing between local needs and production, ensuring the proper flow of goods in and out and supervising matters that disrupt commodity price stability in accordance with the law, the report said. - Xinhua
New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia should focus on critical economic sectors in tariff negotiations
IF there was ever any doubt that US President Donald Trump's tariffs were nothing but political, recent American actions have put it to rest. Early this month, Trump announced updated duties on imports from 25 nations through template letters that talked about everything but trade. Malaysia was not spared. Trump's letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim raises Malaysia's tariff from 24 to 25 per cent. More worryingly, the revised rate now covers "any and all" of Malaysia's US$43 billion exports to the United States. This means critical exports like semiconductors are no longer tariff-exempt, at least unless a subsequent Truth Social post or amended executive order indicates otherwise. Previously, 45 per cent of Malaysia's exports to the US were explicitly excluded from Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs, primarily in the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector. Barring any deal, about 13 per cent of Malaysia's total exports will become more expensive overnight. US demand for Malaysian goods will come up against intense competition from markets subject to lower tariffs, such as the Philippines and Singapore. Until July 7, US-Malaysia trade talks seemed to be progressing well. Negotiations had entered their second round. Trump's team boasted of signing "90 deals in 90 days". So, what happened? It is premature to conclude that the negotiations failed outright. Even close US allies like Japan and South Korea were targeted despite months at the negotiating table. Trump is raising the stakes out of frustration with the inevitably slow pace of talks. Malaysia has until Aug 1 before the updated tariffs kick in. In the meantime, Putrajaya's priority should be to secure tariff exemptions or reductions in key sectors, including E&E. A critical consideration is that US tariffs are likely to stay for some time. The UK, despite its bilateral trade deficit, could not push tariffs below 10 per cent. Tariffs on Indonesia and Vietnam still hover around 20 per cent. Rather than chasing marginal across-the-board cuts, Malaysia should focus on sectors most exposed to the US, both in dollar terms and as a share of exports. Machinery and E&E products should top the list, as they make up 55 per cent of Malaysia's US-bound exports. This is more important than dismantling all our tariffs and non-tariff measures in the hope of a deal. Such an approach sets a dangerous geoeconomic precedent, leaving Malaysia vulnerable if the US reneges on any deal later. Instead, Malaysia should address legitimate concerns in a calculated way without surrendering policy space. One step is to strengthen legislation against "origin washing", or the transshipment of foreign goods to circumvent US tariffs. Another is to increase imports of high-profile American products, such as aircraft and soybean, to signal goodwill. Domestic regulations no longer serving credible public policy objectives, such as Malaysia's 2022 ban on compliant US poultry imports, should also be revisited. Malaysia must continue to diversify trade, positioning itself as a bridge between the Global South and North. Washington's policies should not distract from the existential task of strengthening economic complexity and equitable growth at home. There is no quick fix to the challenges that the tariffs have created but a strategic, nuanced response will serve Malaysia better. The writer is an analyst at Institute of Strategic & International Studies Malaysia
