Hong Kong, November 2, 2026: The 16th Business of IP Asia Forum (BIP Asia Forum) and the 18th HKTDC Entrepreneur Day (E-Day) are set to take place from November 19 to 20 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The events will convene global innovators, investors, professional service providers and policymakers to discuss trends in intellectual property (IP), innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, and to promote commercialisation and cross-sector collaboration.
The two flagship events are expected to attract over 370 start-ups and innovation projects from 14 countries and regions, with close to 100 industry pioneers speaking at the BIP Asia Forum. The gatherings aim to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as an international platform for connecting innovation, capital, and markets, and to support the city’s development as an International Innovation and Technology Centre and a Regional IP Trading Centre under its first Five-Year Plan.
BIP Asia Forum to focus on IP financing and sports innovation
This year’s BIP Asia Forum will be held under the theme “Powering Commercial Success Through IP & Innovation.” The opening session on November 19 will feature remarks from Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, and Sophia Chong, Executive Director of HKTDC. Plenary Session I, “From Sandbox to Scale: Unlocking the Next Phase of IP Financing,” will include speakers such as Adam Williams, Chief Executive and Comptroller General of the UK Intellectual Property Office, and Ying-ying Cheng, Head (Banking Supervision) of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, who will address IP financing and market adoption.
Plenary Session II, “Reinventing Sports: Unlocking IP Value Inside and Beyond the Stadium,” will align with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s 2026 theme and feature Tom Cheng, General Manager of Solutions & Services Group (HK) at Lenovo, and Filipe Gonçalves, Chairman of Asia Partners Holding Corporation Ltd., discussing IP’s role in the sports industry.
Thematic sessions on AI, brand protection, and technology transfer
The Forum will introduce a new Tech Chapter, with sessions such as “Play Beyond Boundaries: IP Strategies in the World of Play” featuring Jessica Qian, Senior Director of Licensing Consumer Products in APAC & MENA at Hasbro, and Johnny Sze, CEO of Eastcolight Hong Kong Ltd. Other sessions include “Strategic IP Investments: From Innovation to Monetisation,” “IPHatch Asia,” and “Bring Tech to Business Demo.” A WIPO-led session, “Empowering Business Success: Practical Solutions for AI and IP Licensing,” will include experts Ignacio de Castro, Director of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, and Yuhong Zhou, Legal Director of Tencent Music Entertainment Group, focusing on AI-generated content and copyright licensing.
Brand development and IP protection will be addressed in the panel “Protecting Brand Value: IP Enforcement in E-Commerce,” with Vishal Salunkhe, Chief Business Officer of Carousell. The session “Hong Kong Brands Reimagined: The Power of Strategic IP” will feature Adrian Cheung of The Garden Company Limited, Renee So of Kung Wo Bean Curd Factory, and Kevin Kwong of 9GAG Limited and MemeStrategy, Inc., who will also exhibit signature products.
Innovation showcase and GoGlobal Connect Zone
The Innovation & IP Market will display technologies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Education University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). The new GoGlobal Connect Zone will bring together legal, financial, and corporate services providers to support Chinese Mainland enterprises in expanding globally through Hong Kong.
Entrepreneur Day highlights start-up ecosystem and international collaboration
E-Day, under the theme “Where Start-up Dreams Take Flight,” will feature an exhibition, business matching, and seminars, focusing on sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, Deep Tech, Green Tech, and Health Tech. The HKSAR Government Digital Policy Office will host the “Hong Kong Innovation Pavilion” with over 35 award-winning projects from the Hong Kong ICT Awards, while the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau will showcase more than 50 ventures supported by its Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the GBA. The Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong, co-organised by the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association and Palexpo, will present over 170 projects from across Asia.
E-Day’s seminar programme will address topics including SportsTech and start-up scaling. The “T-Chat – Turning Sweat into Startups” panel will feature Alvina Chen, Founder & CEO of Feldspar; Perry Ko, CEO of Actywell Digital Ltd; and Thomas Butter, Founder & CEO of Movaia Tech Ltd. Another session, “Building Beyond Your First Business,” will include Ken Ching, Chairman & CEO of LocoBike.
Start-up Express International, now in its fifth edition, will highlight global innovators in AI, Green Tech, and Health Tech, with winning teams showcasing their solutions and sharing experiences at E-Day. DesignInspire will also run concurrently from November 18 to 21, bringing together design talents from Hong Kong and abroad.
Silas Chu, Associate Executive Director of the HKTDC, said the two events will create synergies to boost Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem, accelerate technology transfer and IP commercialisation, and support market expansion into the Chinese Mainland and international markets.
The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote Hong Kong’s trade, with over 50 offices worldwide, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a press release provided by the concerned organisation and has been edited for style and clarity with the assistance of AI tools. BusinessFortnight does not verify, endorse, or take responsibility for the claims, figures, or statements made in the original release.
