Hong Kong is actively promoting its innovation and technology (I&T) advantages to attract European start-ups and professionals. The city ranked second globally in the International Institute for Management Development’s “World Competitiveness Ranking 2026” and is part of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster, which topped the World Intellectual Property Organization’s “Global Innovation Index 2026”. Its start-up ecosystem has expanded from over 1,500 firms in 2015 to more than 5,200 last year.

As part of these efforts, Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) co-hosted a hackathon in Munich in June and invited the winners to visit Hong Kong earlier this month. Cem Araz, CEO of Munich-based start-up Heal, expressed interest in Hong Kong as a potential base for his AI-enabled preventive health business, citing the city's investment opportunities, support, regulatory environment, and aging population as key factors.