HONG KONG: ASIA’S MOST VIBRANT STARTUP ECOSYSTEM
Driving Momentum: Hong Kong’s Startup Ecosystem Soars to New Heights in 2025
Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem surged to a record high in 2025, with 5,221 startups employing nearly 20,000 staff. FinTech remains the leading sector, followed by Information, computer & technology and Biotechnology. Despite ongoing challenges, the ecosystem continues to broaden its reach, showcasing resilience and sustained momentum.
Why Hong Kong?
The positive survey results underscore Hong Kong’s strategic value for startups, driven by fundamental strengths and key initiatives:
- A competitive business foundation, featuring a simple, low-tax system and strong access to international capital.
- A unique two-way gateway between Chinese Mainland and global markets.
- A deep, skilled, and multilingual talent pool with expertise in both local and international markets.
- Strategic government initiatives, such as the Northern Metropolis development, enhancing I&T capacity and deepening integration with the Greater Bay Area.
Together, these pillars solidify Hong Kong’s position as a dynamic global launchpad, empowering international growth for Asian companies and Asian growth for international firms.
The encouraging results reflect Hong Kong’s allure for startup founders, bolstered by several key advantages:
- Simple tax system and low tax rate
- Accessibility to funding
- Business opportunity in Mainland China
- Accessibility to international and regional markets
- Availability of multilingual staff and talent
These factors highlight Hong Kong’s strategic role as a gateway for businesses aiming to access the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the broader Asian market.
Hong Kong Continues to Draw International Founders
The startup founder community reflects a diverse talent pool, composed of 67% Hong Kong locals, 1% returnees and 33% non-locals. Among the non-local founders, the largest contingent originated from Chinese Mainland, followed by the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Australia.
"Adversity so often drives innovation. For the second year running we’ve seen just how agile and innovative our startup community really is, despite the great challenges that face the business world right now. In Hong Kong, we pride ourselves on providing robust support for the startup ecosystem to grow, focusing on access to talent, market and funding."
Major origin countries/ territories of non-local founders
Percentage based on total number of non-local founders with origins provided; individual percentage figures quoted above do not add up to 100% due to rounding
Startups Across a Wide Range of Industries
Hong Kong continues to be a thriving global startup hub, with FinTech and Information, computer & technology holding their positions as the top two sectors. Biotechnology has been growing steadily, complementing other active sectors such as Education & learning, Health & medical, and E-commerce. This diverse and evolving ecosystem reflects Hong Kong’s adaptability and strong foundation in nurturing innovation.
Note: A new category for “Core/Application AI” was introduced in 2025 to capture startups engaged in machine learning, natural language processing, LLMs, chatbot, and agentic AI. Given the consequential reclassification of startups’ business sectors by operators, direct comparison of the sector distribution in 2025 vis-à-vis previous survey rounds is not recommended.
The above information is based on an online survey conducted by InvestHK with results finalised in October 2025. The survey was conducted in collaboration with a total of 55 operators of co-work spaces, incubators and accelerators.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is for general reference only. While every effort has been made to keep information current and accurate, InvestHK does not accept any responsibility whatsover in respect of such information. There is no implied endorsement of any material or recommendation of a company or service provider over another.
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