Eight young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong shared their startup stories and experiences in Qianhai at a forum at Wuzhou Guest House on Friday.
The forum was attended by Fu Zhenbang, vice chairman of All-China Youth Federation, Zhang Zhihua, chairman of Guangdong Provincial Youth Federation, Chung Wai-keung, vice director of Hong Kong SAR’s Innovation and Technology Bureau, Zheng Ke, deputy Party chief of Shenzhen, and Tian Fu, member of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC. The aim of the forum was to increase awareness that Hongkongers are welcome to “watch” and “create” in Shenzhen and make breakthroughs in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Chen Sheng, CEO of Ekstech Technology Co. Ltd. in Qianhai, spoke highly of the open and friendly entrepreneurship environment in Shenzhen. Ekstech received 50 million yuan (US$70.42 million) in its first round of financing within one year of its establishment. “The future development is very promising,” Chen told the 100-strong Hong Kong youths who are studying, working and starting a business in Shenzhen at the forum.
Chen, 34, set up Ekstech at Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (E-hub) in 2015. He is among the first batch of Hong Kong youths who have started a business in the free trade area.
Chen said Ekstech was exempted from paying office rent at the E-hub during the initial stage of the company’s development thanks to the favorable policies the Qianhai authority has rolled out to support entrepreneurship. Ekstech was one of the beneficiaries of the favorable business environment that Qianhai has been striving to foster, according to Chen, and the E-hub operator has also provided his company with assistances in various aspects such as policy and market localization.
Chen said that the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics has provided ample opportunities for Shenzhen to develop.
Zeng Yi, founder of 708090 Chuangkehui, a startup incubator, graduated from the University of Hong Kong before starting his enterprise in Shenzhen in 2015. He said that the supportive environment, policies and funds in the Greater Bay Area have been very beneficial for business-minded youths.
Kwok Wai-keung, co-founder of high-tech firm R-Guardian in Qianhai, told the forum that he was attracted to the idea of starting a business in Shenzhen by the city’s good industry- and technology-supporting facilities.
Kwok and his partner came from Hong Kong two years ago to set up R-Guardian in Qianhai, a high-tech company that engages in smart luggage production. “In two years time, the company has 16 members,” he said, adding that the favorable policies on office rent, taxes and talent housing have made entrepreneurship easier.
He said that Hong Kong should draw on its strengths as a city enjoying “One Country, Two Systems” principle and an international finance center to realize both economic development and civil amalgamation through cooperation.
Now, Kwok’s R-Guardian owns 12 patents and has a number of world-renowned clients after just two years of development. R-Guardian received more than 100 million yuan in its second-round financing last year.
Zhang Yannan, board member of Shenzhen Regents Educational Group and a Hong Kong resident, has been working in Shenzhen for 10 years. Zhang has taken part in many social organizations for Hong Kong youths since 2009 and he found that being involved in overseas returnee organizations could inspire a sense of identity in Hong Kong youths.
Wang Xundong grew up in Hong Kong and is now an intern at Guotai Junan Securities in Shenzhen. As a graduate of HSBC Business School of Peking University, he suggested connecting the balanced accounting system across the Greater Bay Area in order to better promote the area’s financial industries.
He Yaowei, founder and board member of Shutangxunxi Technology Co. Ltd., said that working or starting a business in Shenzhen is a good choice for Hong Kong youths. His enterprise has just received the fourth round of financing thanks to the growth of the Greater Bay Area.
Liang Weiyin, chairman of the board of Yishishang Food Co. Ltd., believes that promoting the internship mechanism in the Greater Bay Area by introducing the flexible policies for talents would be beneficial.
Lin Chaohui, the founder of Michewang Co. Ltd., an O2O second-hand vehicle trading platform, suggested holding more national business startup competitions to give more chances to Hong Kong/Macao projects to meet potential investors.