HKTDC’s five autumn technology fairs conclude

The four-day exhibition attracted more than 9,800 buyers to attend the fairs in person at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to view products and discuss business opportunities. This year’s fairs adopted the HKTDC’s new EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, with the Click2Match platform providing a smart business-matching function to help build connections between exhibitors, buyers and industry professionals worldwide. As of today, the HKTDC has arranged more than 3,000 business-meeting sessions through Click2Match while over 10,000 buyers have browsed products and made business connections via the five fairs’ online platforms. Click2Match will remain active until 23 October for the five fairs.

Sophia Chong, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “The five autumn technology fairs featured more than 1,100 exhibitors, over 340 of which are online exhibitors from Mainland China and overseas, showcasing numerous creative ideas, smart products and innovative solutions that can benefit Hong Kong’s future development. The fairs were the first business-to-business (B2B) exhibitions held following the Hong Kong government’s implementation of the ‘0+3’ quarantine arrangement and we were delighted to see some of the international buyers gradually returning to our physical events. The HKTDC will continue to provide comprehensive support to Hong Kong’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), assisting them to connect with global buyers and capitalise on post-pandemic business opportunities.”

She added: “The HKTDC will launch an international innovation and technology (I&T) promotion campaign on a larger scale next April. The goal is to further promote Hong Kong’s technological development and the complementary advantages of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area industrial chain, contributing to the city’s transformation into an international I&T hub.”

Industry more optimistic regarding medium-term outlook for I&T sector

The HKTDC conducted an on-site survey during the fairs to understand exhibitors’ and buyers’ views on the outlook for the I&T sector and what they expect the major trends to be. The survey found that 35% of respondents expected product sales will increase in the next six to 12 months, while 47% anticipated that sales will remain unchanged. Respondents were more optimistic about market conditions in the medium term; 46% expected that sales of their products will increase in the next one to two years, while 42% believed sales will remain unchanged.

The rapid development of technologies presents enormous business opportunities. More than 70% of those surveyed expected that the smart lighting market will present ideal market potential in the coming two years, while 60% saw robotics offering the best growth prospects. As for the application of robots, most respondents believed their use in the medical field has the greatest potential, including for surgery and rehabilitation.

Demand for smart products continues to grow

Presented under the theme “Innovations for Better Living”, the five autumn technology fairs brought together exhibitors and industry professionals from across the globe, offering Hong Kong’s start-ups an important platform to showcase their I&T solutions and generate business opportunities. Stang Limited, a Hong Kong start-up joining the HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn Edition) for the first time, featured its Qoolmate, an ice pack incorporated with a thermal thick film integrated circuit. Sidney Tang, the company’s project manager, said they had met more than 100 potential buyers from Hong Kong, Europe, Japan, Korea, Mainland China and the United States through the fair. He revealed that one Japanese buyer will order 500 sets of Qoolmate once Stang has obtained the necessary safety certifications from authorities in different regions.

Five fairs assemble top-notch technologies, attracting global buyers to source onsite

Following the implementation of the “0+3” quarantine arrangements, overseas visitors with an Amber Code are able to participate in B2B exhibitions in Hong Kong during their three days of medical surveillance. The five autumn fairs welcomed buyers from India, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Poland and Thailand, among other countries and regions, to source at the fairground. Przemysław Kowalczyk, a buyer at Polish company LEDIN Sp. z o.o., said he was able to return to the HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) thanks to the HKTDC’s support. “I am pleased to have a chance to visit the fair again this year. I have found two potential suppliers of tri-proof lights and garden lights. I plan to do business with one of the suppliers and place an order for US$1 million worth of tri-proof lights next year.”

Smart business-matching platform builds global opportunities

The five autumn technology fairs all adopted the new EXHIBITION+ hybrid model that combines four key exhibition elements, including HKTDC-organised physical fairs, the smart business-matching platform Click2Match, online-to-offline seminars under the Intelligence Hub, and the hktdc.com Sourcing platform. LED Lighting & Energy Storage Systems, an importer of commercial and industrial lighting from the US, was looking to develop partnerships with new suppliers through the fairs in order to offer quality lighting solutions to its customers.

Jorge E Cruz, the company’s representative, said he found six or seven potential business partners supplying smart lighting solutions, landscape lighting and smart downlights at the physical Autumn Lighting Fair and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo. He plans to place orders with three potential suppliers. “The online meetings arranged through the HKTDC’s Click2Match platform provided a good option for me to meet with suppliers that are not participating in the physical fairs. I will have online meetings with six suppliers after the physical fairs,” Mr Cruz said.

Nearly 50 content-rich events were held during the fairs, including the Symposium on Innovation & Technology, the Hong Kong Electronic Forum and seminars held by the So French So Innovative pavilion and the B4B Challenge pavilion respectively, with visitors keen to participate. Industry professionals can watch videos of the events through the fair websites.

Following on from the five autumn fairs, the HKTDC will coordinate the first edition of International Healthcare Week in November to promote medical technologies, with two flagship events: the HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair 2022 (9 to 11 November for the physical fair) and the Asia Summit on Global Health 2022 (10 and 11 November). The objectives are to spur industry exchange and generate business opportunities in this increasingly important sector.