SUCCESS
E-newsletter
20 August 2025
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The Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs (SUCCESS) run by the Trade and Industry Department (TID) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the HKSARG) provides small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with free business information and consultation services.
Our website: https://www.success.tid.gov.hk/en_landing.html
Our email: success@tid.gov.hk
Our customer hotline:（852）2398 5133
(Service hours of hotline and counters: Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & 1:30 p.m.-5:45 p.m., other than public holidays)
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"Four-in-One" Integrated Services of SME Centres
To strengthen support for SMEs and to raise SMEs' awareness of the various funding schemes and support services, the TID consolidated the services of the existing four SME centres, namely, the "SUCCESS" under the TID, the "SME Centre" under the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the "SME One" under the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and the "TecONE" under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in October 2019 to provide one-stop "Four-in-One" integrated services for SMEs. Enterprises can obtain business information, funding schemes information and advisory services, etc. at any of the centres. In addition, a web portal called "SME Link" is also established for SMEs to access information and support services provided by the four SME centres and government departments from a single online platform.
The Government provides over 70 funding schemes with different funding scopes, amounts and requirements to promote and support the development of enterprises and industries in Hong Kong. The "Government Funding Schemes" web page of the SME Link features information on these 70+ funding schemes, including overview and useful hyperlinks. The web page's search tool supports multiple search filters to facilitate enterprises identifying suitable funding schemes.
The "Events & Activities" of the SME Link facilitates enterprises to obtain information on activities organised by the four SME centres and various government departments, including seminars, workshops, exhibitions, conferences, training courses, etc., from a single platform, and also provides relevant links to facilitate registration.
As global awareness of decarbonisation grows and consumers' understanding of green and low-carbon lifestyle continues to enhance, whereas related international laws and regulations are constantly updated, SMEs need to grasp the latest information so as to capture the business opportunities and cope with related challenges. The "Decarbonisation ‧ Business Action", a one-stop thematic webpage, features links to information and services about decarbonisation and carbon audit, etc., including requirements and regulations of Hong Kong and our trading partners, support measures and technological solutions, to help SMEs better prepare and position their businesses in the dynamics of international trade networks and supply chains and capture the business opportunities arising from low-carbon solutions and new markets emerging around the world.
What's New
“Four-in-One” Seminar Series
The four SME centres co-organise "Four-in-One" seminar series regularly. Themes of this seminar series in the second half of 2025 are "Exploration of New Market", "E-Commerce" and "Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)". Upcoming events under this series are listed below. Interested persons are welcome to register at the links shown therein. Admission is Free.
I. InnoPreneur MeetUp GBA LIVE Series – Qianhai (Study Tour)
(This study tour will be held at Shenzhen Qianhai on 22 August 2025)
The study tour is co-organised by the “SME One” and “SME ReachOut” of the HKPC. This one-day study tour is tailored for SMEs interested in developing their e-commerce businesses. This study tour will offer an in-depth exploration of Qianhai’s e-commerce ecosystem, including policy insights, industry trends, success case studies and interactions with Qianhai enterprises, providing participants with opportunities to learn practical e-commerce marketing strategies and leverage Qianhai’s resources, with a view to assisting SMEs in business expansion. (This study tour will be conducted in Cantonese and Putonghua. The assembly and dismissal point is Shenzhen Bay Port. The tour will only arrange local visits and transportation to and from the assembly point. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.)
More Details and Registration
II. Funding for “New Productive Forces” Webinar Series: Empowering Funding for Smart Productivity
(This webinar will be live-streamed on 26 August 2025)
This webinar series, held by the “SME ReachOut” of the HKPC, explores "New Productive Forces" to achieve business upgrading and sustainable development. This webinar will focus on “Smart Productivity”, with experts sharing the latest smart solutions for enhancing production technologies and achieving green manufacturing, as well as how to leverage government funding to upgrade industries. (This webinar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration
III. Member Bootcamp: Leverage ESG Trends to Drive Sustainable Growth (Workshop)
(This workshop will be held at HKPC Building on 2 September 2025)
This workshop is held by the “SME One” of the HKPC. Tailored for “ESG One” member companies, this workshop will provide a free on-site ESG evaluation and immersive case studies from leading companies, equipping SMEs with practical tools to embed ESG into their business operations and strategies. This workshop will also share the latest government funding schemes, with a view to assisting SMEs in making good use of government funding for sustainable development. In addition, the workshop will include a tour of the HKPC Circularity Research Centre, helping SMEs understand green innovation. Participating companies that complete the 2.5-hour workshop will receive certificates and HKPC ESG One e-badge, allowing them to showcase their commitment to ESG and enhance their corporate image. (This seminar will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration
SUCCESS-supported Activities
I. Building a Talent Factory for Enterprises: Leveraging Talent Training to Support Business Development Strategies (Online Course)
(This course will be live-streamed on 2 September 2025)
This course is offered by the HKPC. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. This online course will provide an in-depth introduction of the development trends, entry threshold and professional value of corporate training consultants of the corporate training industry. (This course will be conducted in Cantonese.)
More Details and Registration (in Chinese only)
II. “Play 4 Performance” Team Building Activity Corporate Experience Day 2025
(This event will be held at HKPC Building on 4 September 2025)
This event is organised by the HKPC. SUCCESS is one of the supporting organisations. This corporate experience day will showcase the latest gamified training solutions, as well as innovative and high value-added team-building activities. (This event will be conducted in Cantonese)
More Details and Registration
Intellectual Property Department: IP Training Programmes “IP102 IP Management and Protection in the Mainland” and “IP201 Generative AI - IP concept and Legal Considerations”
(IP102 will be live-streamed and held at the VTC Tower, Wan Chai on 11 September 2025)
(IP201 will be live- streamed and held at the VTC Tower, Wan Chai on 24 October 2025)
These two intellectual property (IP) courses offered by the Intellectual Property Department are now open for registration here.
“IP102 IP Management and Protection in the Mainland” aims to introduce the registration procedures, protection mechanisms, management strategies and enforcement actions of different IP rights in the Mainland, allowing participants to fully grasp the fundamental knowledge of the Mainland IP system. (The medium of instruction will be Cantonese, supplemented with English terms.)
“IP201 Generative AI - IP concept and Legal Considerations” aims to introduce the involvement of IP in the Generative AI, allowing participants to understand the relevant IP concept, the potential legal issues associated with Generative AI and how to protect IP rights in the age of AI. (The medium of instruction will be Cantonese, supplemented with English terms.)
Interested participants may first enroll in the “IP Manager Scheme PLUS” for free by filling out an online form to get priority in course registration. Registration fee for the courses is waived for members of the Scheme. Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the respective training course.
Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 came into effect
The Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 was gazetted on 16 May 2025 and came into effect on 17 August 2025.
The Amendment Ordinance strengthens the statutory power of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) to deal with various environmental hygiene problems, enabling it to handle problems such as water seepage in buildings, water dripping from air-conditioners, the occupation of public places by miscellaneous articles, and shopfront extension more effectively.
A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau said, "The Government is committed to enhancing Hong Kong's environmental hygiene and cityscape. The Amendment Ordinance, along with various administrative measures and public education, can continuously improve Hong Kong's environmental hygiene, consolidate the achievements made so far and create a more liveable environment in response to the expectations of the public.
"In the past three months, the FEHD has enhanced publicity and education to raise the awareness of members of the public and relevant sectors of the new legal requirement and arrangements as well as to enhance their law-abiding awareness."
In light of the related amendments, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology amended the format of the penalty notice in accordance with Section 17A of the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance (Cap. 570) on 15 August, adding the offence of shopfront extension of Cap. 132 accordingly. Specified forms of the concerned penalty notices was gazetted on 15 August and came into effect on the same day as the Amendment Ordinance on 17 August.
The FEHD has presented on its webpage the information of the Amendment Ordinance for public reference.
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202508/15/P2025081500306.htm.
EPD launches Non-Plastic Container Trial Programme open for eateries to participate with over 1 000 catering outlets already signed up
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the Non-Plastic Container Trial Programme on 15 August 2025, openly inviting local catering businesses to participate in the trial use of various types of non-plastic containers and provide feedback on product performance.
The trial programme has received enthusiastic support from the trade. At present, nearly 100 catering brands (covering more than 1 000 outlets) and nearly 30 tableware suppliers have taken the lead in participating. The trade will collaborate with the Government to further explore going plastic-free in catering operations, working together to achieve the goal of "Protect the Earth, Use Less Plastic".
An EPD spokesman said, "Plastic is difficult to decompose and can remain in the environment for a very long time. Over time, it can even fragment into microplastics, causing far-reaching harm to the environment and ecology as well as human health. To safeguard the environment and public health, we need to gradually reduce the use of disposable plastic. However, non-plastic container alternatives are still in the developmental stage. While many products are available, they have yet to fully meet all the application needs of the trade."
He continued, "Through the trial programme, participating non-plastic container suppliers will offer discounts to encourage catering businesses to test and gradually expand the use of non-plastic containers based on their circumstances, without having to wait for perfect alternatives to come along. At the same time, more comprehensive data on application could be collected for the improvement of product design and supply chains."
The EPD will continue recruiting local catering businesses and non-plastic container suppliers to join the trial programme, testing containers made of different materials (e.g. paper, bamboo pulp, bagasse) and providing feedback based on actual operational scenarios and product performance (e.g. heat resistance, oil resistance, sealing capability). Eateries may also conduct internal testing of new alternatives before applying them at the customer level or carry out phased market trials in selected outlets. There is no need for full-scale adoption at once, and different alternatives may be tested. The EPD will continually consolidate data and industry feedback for reference by catering businesses and tableware suppliers.
The spokesman emphasised, "Before further mandating the use of alternatives through legislation, the Government will thoroughly consider the maturity, availability and affordability of the relevant non-plastic alternatives with the goal of aligning environmental protection with industry needs and public acceptance, thereby pragmatically advancing plastic reduction."
The EPD calls on the catering sector to actively participate in the trial programme and contribute to environmental protection. For details and enrolment, please visit the Green Tableware Platform website (www.greentableware.hk) or email sup_hotline@epd.gov.hk for enquiries. Members of the public and relevant industry stakeholders can also share their experiences with non-plastic containers via the platform, collectively driving improvements in alternative products to expand the market with better plastic-free options.
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202508/15/P2025081500486.htm.
Transport Department issues pilot licence for autonomous vehicles to approve trial in Southern District
The Transport Department (TD) announced on 14 August 2025 that a pilot licence for autonomous vehicles (AVs) has been issued in accordance with section 4(1) of the Road Traffic (Autonomous Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374AA) to approve routes for AV trial in Southern District.
The TD welcomes interested organisations or enterprises to submit applications for a pilot licence and act in concert to promote the further development of autonomous driving in Hong Kong. Upon receipt of an application, the TD will consider various factors, including the design operating range and functions of the autonomous system, relevant international or national standards/guidelines, and the road test situations, based on the Code of Practice for Trial and Pilot Use of Autonomous Vehicles before approval. The TD will exercise stringent control with a view to promoting AV trials and development in Hong Kong in a safe and orderly manner.
For more details, please refer to the relevant press release https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202508/14/P2025081400789.htm.
TD provides convenience for direct issue of Hong Kong Full Driving Licence applications in multi-pronged approach
The TD announced on 13 August 2025 that new short, medium and long-term measures will be launched in phases towards the full implementation of online appointment services for application for direct issue of Hong Kong Full Driving Licence and quotas will be increased gradually, thereby improving efficiency and providing greater convenience to the public.
New arrangement on queue ticketing
From 13 August 2025 onwards, new queue ticketing requirements will be imposed on agents submitting "direct issue" applications at the Hong Kong Licensing Office at United Centre, Admiralty. When obtaining a ticket, all agents are required to input their identification document numbers and those of each of the respective applicants into the queue ticketing system. Such information will be printed on the ticket. Counter staff will verify the information of both the ticket holder and the applicant(s) entered during application processing. If any information does not match that printed on the ticket, all applications concerned will not be processed.
A spokesman for the TD said, "The operation of the new arrangement today (13 August 2025) has largely been smooth. To ensure fair use of services by the public in need in an orderly manner, we will further enhance "direct issue" application procedures and provide more convenience for the public. We will expand our capacity and introduce new multi-pronged initiatives to promote digitalisation of licensing services."
Towards full implementation of online appointment services
Short-term measure: Strengthening checks to improve online appointment arrangements
Medium-term measure: Full implementation of online appointment for counter services to replace on-site queue ticketing arrangements and enhancement of processing capacity
Long-term measure: Studying full implementation of online application as facilitation
For more details, please refer to the relevant press release https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202508/13/P2025081300307.htm.
Digital Policy Office holds AI+ Civil Services Technology Forum
The Digital Policy Office (DPO) held the first Technology Forum in its AI+ Civil Services series at Hong Kong Cyberport on 8 August 2025. The forum, themed "Smart Governance Era - Digital Agents & Smart Meetings for Efficiency", was held in hybrid mode and attracted more than 1 300 professionals from over 100 government departments as well as public and private organisations to discuss and promote the applications and innovation of AI in public services.
In his opening address, the Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, emphasised that in response to the rapid development of AI, the Government must proactively adopt smart technologies to boost work efficiency and enhance the experience for citizens, ensuring that public services stay current and progressive. To support departments in exploring suitable AI solutions, the Smart Government Innovation Lab (Smart Lab) under the DPO earlier launched the "AI+ Tool and Solution Catalogue" (the Catalogue), featuring a wide range of quickly deployable AI solutions from the innovation and technology (I&T) industry that suit the needs of the Government. Mr Wong encouraged all government colleagues to explore and implement suitable solutions from the Catalogue to enhance work efficiency and optimise human resources. He also took the opportunity to invite the I&T sector to submit more high-quality solutions, fostering a shared commitment to transforming public services with AI.
At the forum, a number of technology companies were invited to share information and exchange insights on their technologies and solutions focusing on the two main themes: "Digital Human Customer Service" and "Meeting Minutes Summaries and Communication Collaboration", providing an opportunity for government departments and the I&T sector to delve into the latest AI products and solutions, as well as to explore practical applications of AI for better public services. Among all, the Judiciary shared its experience with voice-to-text technology in the courts, and Hong Kong Cyberport introduced the local AI ecosystem development.
The forum also featured a number of booths showcasing the latest AI technologies and products where attendees were able to visit and exchange ideas. These included the local large language model "HKGAI V1" developed by the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center (HKGAI), and its related applications, such as the clerical assistant "HKPilot", the intelligent assistant "HKChat", and the meeting minutes generator "HKMeeting". These tools have already been widely used across government departments.
This forum was organised by the Smart Lab in collaboration with Hong Kong Cyberport, the HKPC and the HKSTP. Since its establishment in 2019, the Smart Lab has been committed to connecting the Government with the I&T sector, actively fostering close partnerships between local start-ups, SMEs, and government departments. Through regularly organising promotional activities and technology exchange workshops, the Smart Lab supports and assists government departments in accelerating the introduction of local innovative technology products and solutions, which in turn could facilitate business matching and achieve win-win outcomes.
To further promote the wider adoption of AI across government departments, the DPO is launching a series of promotional activities under the "AI+ Civil Services" theme. The Forum marks the first Technology Forum of the series. In future, the DPO will continue to hold Technology Forums spotlighting relevant topics. Interested parties are most welcome to stay engaged and participate in the upcoming events. For more details, please visit the thematic website of the Smart Lab (www.smartlab.gov.hk/en/).
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202508/08/P2025080800538.htm.
HKMA and IFC to host Climate Business Forum: Asia Pacific 2025 to support region's ambitions for low-carbon, resilient and inclusive future
Emerging markets across the Asia-Pacific region are seeking capital and innovative insights to design and implement strategic solutions that will drive low-carbon, resilient and inclusive economic growth that creates jobs. The convening of the second edition of the Climate Business Forum: Asia Pacific 2025 (the Forum), to be held in Hong Kong on 9 September 2025, provides an ideal platform for action-oriented discussions that support their ambitions.
The Forum, which will convene over 250 global and regional leaders in business and finance, is co-hosted by the by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). BloombergNEF will serve as the Forum's Knowledge Partner. The Forum will serve as the cornerstone event of the second edition of Hong Kong Green Week, the city's flagship sustainability event that offers a platform for stakeholders worldwide to engage in meaningful dialogue and collaboration on sustainability.
Ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil in November 2025, the Forum will explore how private investment can be scaled up to accelerate the transition in emerging markets across the region, driving innovation, preparing for extreme weather events, and preserving biodiversity, while creating and improving jobs. Key themes of the Forum will also include the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies and innovations in the energy transition, decarbonisation of heavy industry, sustainable supply chains, financing solutions for biodiversity and adaptation, as well as the latest trends in energy transition investment in the region.
The one-day Forum will feature keynote addresses, high-level panels and fireside chats with corporate leaders, financiers, development partners and policymakers. It will also highlight transformative partnerships, including IFC's She Wins Climate initiative, which supports women entrepreneurs and women-led businesses active in delivering climate solutions, as well as the latest developments from the Alliance for Green Commercial Banks, a global initiative of IFC, in partnership in Asia with the HKMA.
For more details, please refer to the relevant press release https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202508/07/P2025080700473.htm.
Hong Kong gears up for Green Week
The second Hong Kong Green Week will kick off on 8 September 2025.
Themed "Forging a Sustainable Future Together", the city's flagship sustainability event offers stakeholders across the globe a platform for dialogue and collaboration. The event has received overwhelming response, with over 50 local and international institutions from both public and private sectors hosting more than 35 events ranging from global conferences and business expo, to executive roundtables and practical workshops.
Business and financial leaders, policy makers, industry specialists and scholars around the world will come together in Hong Kong to explore solutions to facilitate energy transition, build climate resilience, accelerate climate technology development, among other pressing sustainability challenges of our times.
Mr Eddie Yue, Chief Executive of the HKMA, said, "Global efforts to address climate change are at a critical juncture. It is heartening to see the interest from stakeholders around the world in participating in the Hong Kong Green Week. It demonstrates the strong commitment to sustainable development and demands for viable solutions. The rich programme this year also showcases the remarkable growth of the sustainability ecosystem in Asia Pacific and the recognition for Hong Kong as a sustainable finance and knowledge hub."
The HKMA coordinates the programme of the Hong Kong Green Week and will co-host the cornerstone event, Climate Business Forum: Asia Pacific 2025 (9 September), the ESG Workshop (10 September), and the closing event, 2025 Green Fintech Symposium (12 September). See www.hkgreenweek.hk/ for the full programme.
For relevant press release, please visit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202508/07/P2025080700240.htm.
For more recent news, please visit the "What's New" web page of the SUCCESS Website or the "News" web page of the SME Link.
Topical Issues
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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SME ReachOut
“SME ReachOut”, a dedicated service team operated by HKPC, has commenced operation since 1 January 2020 to enhance SMEs’ understanding of the Government’s funding schemes, with a view to encouraging better utilisation of the support provided by the Government. The team would help SMEs identify funding schemes that suit their needs, and answer questions relating to applications.
The Government has allocated $100 million to HKPC to gradually enhance the services of “SME ReachOut” in the ensuing five years starting from 2023. HKPC has enhanced the services of “SME ReachOut” in October 2023, including arranging visits to more chambers of commerce, commercial and industrial buildings and co-working spaces, and increasing the publicity in social media so as to step up the promotion of government funding schemes. At the same time, more one-on-one consultation sessions will be provided to assist SMEs in applying for government funding and building their capacities, focusing on areas such as ESG, technology transformation, digitalisation and cyber security, with a view to enhancing their competitiveness through leveraging new technologies.
For further information or enquiries on “SME ReachOut”, please contact “SME ReachOut” Hotline / WhatsApp (Text Message Only) at 2788 6868 or email by sme_reachout@hkpc.org or visit https://smereachout.hkpc.org/en.
Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund)
To support enterprises to develop the markets of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through electronic commerce (e-commerce) business, the geographical coverage of “E-commerce Easy” was expanded to the 10 ASEAN countries on 14 March 2025.
The HKPC as the BUD Fund implementation partner regularly organises seminars/webinars in order to enhance enterprises’ understanding of the BUD Fund, including “Easy BUD” and “E-commerce Easy”. For more details of the BUD Fund, please visit its website (www.bud.hkpc.org/en) or contact the HKPC at 2788 6088.
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/EN/) 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 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 – Regional IP Trading Centre": https://ip.gov.hk/en/home/consultation-service/index.html.
Business News
GDETO Newsletter
The latest issue of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO) Newsletter has been published.
More Details (in Chinese only)
Commercial Information Circulars (CICs) of the Mainland
The TID 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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