Two Indian ventures among Hong Kong government's Startup Programme finalists

Wifinity and YourStory Sociopreneurship 2010 winner Forus Health are the two ventures from India chosen among the 12 finalists of 2013 StartmeupHK Venture Programme by Invest HongKong. Wifinity is headquartered in Bangalore and is also registered in HongKong. Wifinity offers IoT (Internet of Things) semiconductors and Forus offers mass-screening ophthalmology solutions.The finalists include five ventures from the US, two from Canada, and one each from New Zealand, Hong Kong and Israel. Their businesses range from ophthalmology solutions to biomedical data research and the recycling of oil-based waste for clean fuel.

InvestHK is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government established in July 2000 to take responsibility for Foreign Direct Investment and support overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services to help businesses succeed in Hong Kong's economy.

The 12 finalists will take part in StartmeupHK Week from December 2 to 7 in Hong Kong. At the culmination of this year's programme, the Venture Forum on December 5, three Grand Award Winners will be chosen by the judges and forum attendees.

The 2013 StartmeupHK Venture Programme was launched in July as part of InvestHK's global initiative to encourage start-ups to set up business in the city. The department received 384 entries from 39 countries and cities including the US, Israel, the UK, Canada, India, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and others.

InvestHK's Director-General of Investment Promotion, Simon Galpin, said that the StartmeupHK Venture Programme should help to put Hong Kong on the global start-up map. "It is important for Hong Kong to seize the opportunities brought by start-ups and to grow the city's start-up ecosystem. I believe that the StartmeupHK Venture Programme is a terrific way to focus attention on this fast-growing segment of our economy," he added.

Simon added that the upcoming StartmeupHK Week is a collaborative effort by InvestHK and the broader start-up community in the city to generate awareness of Hong Kong's potential as the regional hub for entrepreneurs. He anticipates that more than 500 people in the local and overseas start-up communities will gather in Hong Kong between  December 2 and 7 for various events on the city's start-up environment and its opportunities. "The week-long programme will connect entrepreneurs with investors and business mentors in one of the largest events of its kind ever staged in Hong Kong," Simon said.

Details of the StartmeupHK Venture Programme 2013 are available on the dedicated website www.startmeup.hk.

The 12 finalists of the 2013 programme: