InvestHK Promotes Hong Kong as Green Tech Hub During North America Trip

2025-10-03 18:30 Last Updated At：18:38

InvestHK opens new opportunities and partnerships in green finance and green tech in North America

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) concluded a groundbreaking trip to North America from September 16 to 27. Since InvestHK set up a dedicated sustainability team in 2022, this was the first time that InvestHK visited North America with a primary focus in green tech, green finance, and sustainability more broadly. The goal is to help leading companies from North America to expand to Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and Asia, a region with an unwavering commitment to embrace and foster sustainable development.

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InvestHK opens new opportunities and partnerships in green finance and green tech in North America Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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InvestHK opens new opportunities and partnerships in green finance and green tech in North America Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Global Head of Financial Services, Fintech & Sustainability at InvestHK, Mr King Leung, and the Senior Vice President (Sustainability) for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at InvestHK, Ms Olivia To, in partnership with the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP), visited Toronto, New York and San Francisco to promote Hong Kong's strengths and opportunities, build new partnerships and kick-start two-way business engagements.

One highlight of the trip was the Scale for ClimateTech Innovation Showcase 2025 (S4C) event held on September 23 (New York time) during Climate Week NYC 2025, the largest climate and sustainability event in the United States (US). Organised by SecondMuse and supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Mr Leung of InvestHK spoke at a panel discussion with over 300 industry leaders, sharing insights on Hong Kong's advantages as a springboard for scaling green-tech start-ups and scale-ups. He said, "Our engagements at Climate Week NYC highlighted Hong Kong's commitment to be a leading green finance and green tech centre and the city's contribution to global sustainable development. North American companies can tap into our world-class capital markets and vast family office and venture investor networks to explore fundraising and expand in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and Asia. Hong Kong is perfectly positioned to help innovators scale globally."

At the S4C event, 18 finalists of climate tech companies showcased their transformative solutions in clean energy, carbon capture, sensing technologies, etc. Mr Leung attended their business plan presentations and exchanged views with their executives on how Hong Kong can help them attract new clients and capital.

The Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of SecondMuse, Mr Todd Khozein, said, "We were delighted to welcome Invest Hong Kong as a partner for our Scale for ClimateTech Innovation Showcase, and help facilitate connections with high-impact climate solutions that can scale. Hong Kong has demonstrated real momentum in green finance - mobilising significant capital and building infrastructure to support sustainable innovation. Hong Kong's evolving position as a hub for climate finance creates meaningful opportunities for continued collaboration to support entrepreneurs and innovations that can drive global impact."

To explore longer-term partnerships, the InvestHK team also held important discussions with VentureLAB, Canada's dedicated incubator and lab for hardtech; MaRS Discovery District, Canada's leading urban innovation hub with a strong focus in clean tech and life science; SOSA New York, a company that facilitates the US market entry and expansion for global start-ups; and Plug and Play, a global innovation platform and early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley.

The Chief Executive Officer of VentureLAB, Mr Hugh Chow, stated, "As a leading innovation hub in Canada, we are eager to collaborate with InvestHK to connect Canadian firms with Hong Kong's dynamic ecosystem. By leveraging Hong Kong's access to the the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), cutting-edge research and development (R&D) infrastructure, and robust investment opportunities, Canadian green tech companies can accelerate their growth and make a significant impact in Asia’s sustainable markets."

Besides accelerators, the team further engaged with business and investment leaders to explore collaborative opportunities in green tech, green finance, financial services, and fintech through two business luncheons hosted in Toronto and New York respectively. Co-organised with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, these roundtables featured InvestHK in presenting the latest economic developments in sustainability and finance in Hong Kong. The discussions provided North American business leaders and potential investors with insights into Hong Kong's strategic role in bridging North American innovation with Asia's growing demand for sustainable solutions and other finance-related opportunities.

To connect with the global investors interested in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland markets, extensive discussions were also made with Artesian, Cathay Innovation, Eminence Ventures, E.ON Group Innovation, and Olive Tech Ventures, etc.

Besides inbound investment promotion, InvestHK also has a strategic mandate in supporting companies with a presence in Hong Kong to "go global". InvestHK visited CSI Solar, one of the world's largest solar technology and renewable energy companies with a presence in 23 countries that is expanding its operations in Hong Kong. During the visit, the team met with senior management from CSI Solar, as well as its subsidiaries EternalPlanet Energy and e-STORAGE.

The President of CSI Solar, Mr Zhuang Yan, said, "InvestHK's visit to our Global headquarters in North America has forged a robust foundation for strengthening ties between Hong Kong and North American sustainability and green technology. As global geopolitical challenges increase, Hong Kong's strategic position will become even more significant. Thus, our residential storage subsidiary, EternalPlanet Energy, is planning to establish a Hong Kong branch as its international business hub, leveraging the GBA to access global markets."

"The Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address" highlights the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, focusing on the development of the new energy sector and green technologies. The city is implementing the Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050, the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong, and significantly investing in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. These efforts aim to develop Hong Kong into a demonstration base for green technology, accelerate innovation, create quality jobs, and foster a robust industry value chain.

The Director of Sustainability of the HSITP, Mr Victor Cheng, said, "Participating in this North American trip reinforced the HSITP's role in cross-boundary green tech collaboration. The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park offers unparalleled opportunities for North American firms to integrate with Asia's innovation corridor, and I am confident that our strong partnership with InvestHK will further advance development, particularly in the space of new energy and new materials."

Hong Kong's commitment as a global green finance and green tech hub is driven by its world-class R&D facilities and research institutes, fostering cutting-edge innovation. As the world's third-largest financial centre, the city boasts a proven track record in initial public offering funds raised, supported by a robust capital market with international institutional and savvy family office investors, as well as a robust green finance ecosystem.

This visit to North America underscores Hong Kong's commitment to fostering international collaboration and contributing to the global transition to a sustainable future. By attracting more Canadian and US companies and investors in green tech, Hong Kong aims to cement its role as a premier destination for sustainable innovation and investment.

For a copy of the photos, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720329436678.

Six illegal workers and an employer arrested in Hong Kong's anti-illegal worker operation Contribute.

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation

The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.

An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

InvestHK Promotes Hong Kong as Green Tech Hub During North America Trip

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