Access to investors, near innovation: How young entrepreneurs can scale their start-ups in this city

HONG KONG is fast emerging as a magnet for global tech talent and ambitious entrepreneurs eager to grow their ventures. Powered by a robust innovation ecosystem, the city ranks 18th globally — and fifth in Asia — on the WIPO Global Innovation Index 2024, which measures and compares the innovation capacity and performance of 133 economies. Its standing is further reinforced by its consistent top 10 position in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking since 2019, highlighting the city’s strength as a hub where technology, innovation and business converge.

With its dynamism and vibrancy, Hong Kong offers an ideal environment for innovators worldwide to turn their entrepreneurial ambitions into reality. The journeys of start-up founders Sophie Defauw and Isa Taflan illustrate this momentum. 

Ms Defauw, co-founder and chief executive officer of AthleteIQ, is addressing sports injuries with a patent-pending device that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and Electromyography sensors to deliver precise, real-time insights on muscle strain and recovery. The system processes this data into actionable guidance, alerting users when they are at high risk of injury and providing personalized coaching that can predict muscle overuse minutes before it happens. According to Ms Defauw, this solution can help 91 per cent of athletes and save sports clubs over US$8 billion (approximately SG$10.31 billion) annually in the US alone. 

Mr Taflan, co-founder and chief financial officer of Fibclick, is transforming composite manufacturing with production planning software that harnesses AI, simulation, and augmented reality to automate complex processes and improve efficiency. In June 2025, their winning proposals at a pitch competition in Munich, Germany — co-organised by Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE), a government office that attracts and supports global talent, and Germany’s Young Founders Network (YFN) — earned them a place among 10 winners invited to Hong Kong and Shenzhen for a first-hand look at how the twin cities can help scale innovative ideas.

Ms Defauw says, “Hong Kong is a strategic hub for manufacturing, distribution, and building partnerships with sports teams, clinics, and investors. It allows us to explore business expansion, validate product-market fit in Asia, and connect with hardware accelerators.” This sentiment is echoed by Mr Taflan, highlighting the city’s transformative impact and support for start-ups.

A city where start-ups find their spark

Talents like Ms Defauw and Mr Taflan, are choosing Hong Kong as their launchpad for several reasons. The city offers access to funding, which is important for any start-up. Its strategic proximity to innovations and high-end manufacturing bases in mainland China also provides an advantage for new economy ventures, enabling rapid production and gauging market potential.

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Hong Kong’s prime location in Asia and robust infrastructure also creates a stable and efficient business environment. Ms Defauw says she plans to use this to her advantage to build strategic partnerships for AthleteIQ in the Asian market, while Mr Taflan sees Hong Kong as the gateway to the Asian composites and plastics market, which accounts for over 50 per cent of global output.

During their stay in Hong Kong, Ms Defauw and Mr Taflan shared that they gained valuable insights into the regional market, built connections with potential investors and mentors, and saw firsthand the government’s strong commitment to fostering innovation.

Their visit included exchanges with companies and start-ups at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, as well as engagements with leading local universities such as the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, known for its vibrant innovation centres.

Looking ahead, they envision their ventures thriving in Hong Kong and beyond, driven by its unique position as a “super-connector”. “This trip offers a rare chance to extend our network into the largest manufacturing ecosystems in the world. We’re especially interested in manufacturing, construction, and mobility industries with high composite and plastic usage. Hong Kong’s innovation clusters and regional access offer great collaboration potential,” says Ms Defauw.

“Personally, it’s been a good chance for me to grow as a global founder and build bridges beyond Europe and the US. It has allowed me to connect with companies and potential partners and learn from each other’s soft and hard skills in order to become better business leaders,” she adds.