The Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs (SUCCESS) is an information and advisory centre for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) run by the Trade and Industry Department (TID). If you are looking for free business information and practical consultation services, please visit SUCCESS.
Our Website's address is www.success.tid.gov.hk.
Our customer hotline is : (852) 2398 5133.
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What's New
Second Tranche of the Employment Support Scheme
The HKSAR Government has launched the "Employment Support Scheme" (ESS) under the second round of the "Anti-epidemic Fund" to provide time-limited financial support to employers to retain employees who may otherwise be made redundant. The wage subsidies provided to eligible employers under ESS are disbursed in two tranches.
With the processing of the applications and disbursement of the wage subsidies under the first tranche of ESS generally completed, the Government will invite applications for the second tranche of ESS. Eligible employers will receive subsidies for paying employee wages from September to November 2020. Eligible employers and self-employed persons (SEPs) can lodge online application from 31 August to 13 September 2020 via the ESS website: https://www.ess.gov.hk/en/.
Employers who have applied for the first tranche of wage subsidies (regardless of the application result), must submit a new application for the second tranche of wage subsidies. Moreover, employers who have not applied for the first tranche of ESS, and eligible SEPs who did not receive the $7,500 one-off lump-sum subsidy under the first tranche of ESS can apply for the second tranche of ESS.
Details of the ESS are available from the ESS website. For enquiries, please email to enquiry@employmentsupport.hk or call the hotline at 183 6122.
Event Calendar of the SME Centres
To enhance the integrated services of the four existing SME Centres, including SUCCESS under the Trade and Industry Department, the "SME Centre" under the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), "SME One" under the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and "TecONE" under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, SUCCESS has launched an "Event Calendar of the SME Centres" on its website. The Event Calendar facilitates enterprises to obtain information on seminars/workshops/activities organised by the four SME Centres from a single platform, and also provides links to the relevant event web pages to facilitate registration.
Please click here to browse the Event Calendar of the SME Centres.
Support Measures relating to Liquidity
In view of the cash-flow pressure of SMEs, SUCCESS has compiled a summary of support measures relating to liquidity.
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Business Support Measures Amid Economic Challenges
The HKSAR Government has announced various measures totalling $287.5 billion in the 2020/21 Budget and two rounds of Anti-epidemic Fund to assist the industries and the public affected by the novel coronavirus epidemic. For details, please click here. As for the earlier measures to support the business community to cope with the economic challenges, please click here for details.
SME ReachOut
Amid difficult business environment, HKPC knows SMEs are in the urgent need of cash to keep business running. The newly established "SME ReachOut" support team is here to help SMEs well equip for bouncing back, through introducing and matching the appropriate funding schemes.
"SME ReachOut", a dedicated service team operated by HKPC, has commenced operation starting from 1 January 2020 to support SMEs through free-of-charge one-on-one meetings. The team would help SMEs identify funding schemes that suit their needs, while answering questions relating to applications.
There are over 40 funding schemes provided by the Government for SMEs, with different funding scopes, amounts and requirements. "SME ReachOut" serves to enhance SMEs' understanding of the Government's funding schemes, with a view to encouraging better utilisation of the support provided by the Government, and to enhancing their competitiveness and development.
For enquiries, please contact "SME ReachOut" hotline at 2788 6262 or email at sme_reachout@hkpc.org.
SUCCESS Activities
In order to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community, the counter service of SUCCESS has been suspended until further notice. We will continue to provide services through electronic means, including webinars, Customer Hotline (Tel.: (852) 2398 5133) and Email Enquiry (success@tid.gov.hk).
Webinar: "Cybersecurity Essentials for Businesses"
(This webinar will be live-streamed on 31 August 2020)
As much as the Internet has offered new opportunities for business growth, it has also posed novel cybersecurity challenges and threats to the businesses. How could the enterprises stay safe from cybersecurity threats to protect customer privacy and company data security? In this webinar, information security expert has been invited to share the essentials of cybersecurity, the latest threat trends, and common types of cyber attacks as well as providing recommendations on preventive measures and remedies to keep enterprises safe from cybersecurity threats. (This webinar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
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Trade and Industry Department / SUCCESS-supported Activities
Webinar on IT System Management & New Working Style Under Pandemic
(This webinar will be live-streamed on 4 September 2020)
This webinar is organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. This webinar will introduce some smart technology solutions to help SMEs overcome technological barriers, so that they could sustain their business operation under the pandemic. (This webinar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
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Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund)
BUD Fund provides funding support to individual non-listed Hong Kong enterprises in undertaking projects to develop brands, upgrade and restructure their business operations and promote sales in the Mainland and ASEAN* markets, so as to enhance their competitiveness and facilitate their business development in these markets.
To strengthen support to enterprises in exploring new markets and new business opportunities, TID rolled out a new round of enhancement measures to the BUD Fund in January 2020. The enhancement measures include extending the geographical coverage of the Fund to all economies with which Hong Kong has signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)**; increasing the cumulative funding ceiling per enterprise to $4 million, including $2 million for projects in the Mainland and $2 million for projects in ASEAN and other FTA markets; and increasing the ratio of initial payment from 25% to up to 75% of the total approved government funding.
Further enhancements to the BUD Fund have been effective since 9 April 2020, including the removal of the geographical demarcation for each enterprise in undertaking projects in the Mainland and other economies which have signed FTAs with Hong Kong ($2 million cumulative funding each). Enterprises can flexibly make use of the total funding of up to $4 million to undertake projects in the Mainland or other economies which have signed FTAs with Hong Kong. Besides, enterprises participating in virtual exhibitions organised by Government-related organisations or reputable exhibition organisers with good track records are eligible for funding support under the BUD Fund.
HKPC has been engaged as the implementation partner of the BUD Fund to implement the funding scheme. Online application service has been available from 30 June 2020 onwards. Please contact HKPC at 2788 6088 or visit the official website of the BUD Fund ( www.bud.hkpc.org/ ) for details of the funding scheme. HKPC also regularly organises seminars to enhance enterprises’ understanding of the BUD Fund.
* ASEAN comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
* *Including the Mainland, New Zealand, the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), Chile, Macao, the ten member states of ASEAN, Georgia and Australia.
Corruption Prevention Advisory Service (CPAS) of ICAC
A good governance system is vital for SMEs' effective operation, and can help sustain their company image and hence counterparts' confidence in doing business with them. The Corruption Prevention Department of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has launched the Corruption Prevention Advisory Service (CPAS). The CPAS is a specialised unit dedicated to providing tailor-made, free and confidential corruption prevention advice on system control in common business areas such as procurement and staff administration. Enterprises can access its user-friendly web portal ( https://cpas.icac.hk/ ) for details of the services and to get timely and useful resources on corruption prevention such as staff code of conduct, corruption prevention guides and tools, case studies, quick tips and red flags.
To receive regular updates on corruption prevention, please click here to subscribe to the CPAS e-news.
Free IP Consultation Service
The Intellectual Property Department (IPD), supported by the Law Society of Hong Kong, now provides FREE One-On-One IP Consultation Service for SMEs. To obtain more information and/or apply for the Service, please visit IPD's dedicated website "Hong Kong - The IP Trading Hub": https://www.ip.gov.hk/ipcs-e.
Topical Issues
Video Show of SME Seminars
In order to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community, SUCCESS will not provide "Video Show of SME Seminars" for the public until further notice.
Webinar on "HKPC TechDive: Smart Manufacturing and Robotics"
(This webinar will be live-streamed on 15 September 2020)
This webinar is organised by Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC). In this webinar, representatives from HKPC will introduce the latest HKPC inventions in Smart Manufacturing and Robotics, including HK"PC" Photo Clean (Visible Light Photo-catalytic Antimicrobial Coating), PU-thermoplastic and LSR-thermoplastic overmoulding technology, Customer Service Robot and Unmanned Warehouse, and also share details of technology transfer. (This workshop will be conducted in Cantonese.)
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T-box Workshop on "Shaping the Future of eCommerce & Tips to Succeed"
(This workshop will be live-streamed on 16 September 2020)
This workshop is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). The pandemic is rapidly changing customers’ behaviour resulting in more transactions moving online. The exponential growth of e-commerce is a sign of change in customers’ buying habit, which further promotes the development of online business. This workshop will invite a representative from an e-commerce platform to share tips on how to build a successful online store on various practical aspects, including online store structure, brand design and payment gateway, etc. so as to help enterprises leverage on electronic platforms to expand business potentials. (This workshop will be conducted in Cantonese.)
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Webinar on "Legal liabilities of the Apology Ordinance"
(This webinar will be live-streamed on 30 September 2020)
This webinar is organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. It will cover the reasons for enacting apology legislation, the contents of the Apology Ordinance and the civil and criminal legal implications of offering an apology under the Ordinance. With the aid of real case demonstration, participants would know more about how to prevent the escalation of complaints or disputes so as to facilitate their amicable resolutions. (Admission fee is required. This workshop will be conducted in Cantonese.)
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Business News
GDETO Newsletter
The latest issue of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) Newsletter has been published.
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Commercial Information Circulars (CICs) of the Mainland
The Trade and Industry Department issued a number of Commercial Information Circulars (CICs) on the Mainland's trade and economic rules and regulations. The latest CICs have been published.
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