The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) unveiled its list of the top 100 science and technology innovation clusters in its 2026 Global Innovation Index on September 8th, with the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster once again securing the number one position worldwide.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government expressed warm welcome to the ranking, stating that this latest recognition from WIPO once again affirms the outstanding innovative capabilities and the robust funding ecosystem supporting innovation and technology (I&T) across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The cluster ranking within the Global Innovation Index assesses the concentration of world-class innovative activities locally by evaluating three primary metrics: the volume of international patent applications filed through WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the number of scientific papers published, and the value of venture capital deals.

In this year's ranking, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster recorded a density of 2,259 PCT patent applications per million people over the past five years, alongside 4,060 scientific papers per million people. Additionally, the venture capital transaction density reached 138 deals per million people.

The HKSAR Government spokesperson highlighted that accelerating I&T development is a key policy priority for the current administration. The government has been dedicated to enhancing the I&T ecosystem, which includes expanding the original grant patent system and introducing a "patent box" mechanism designed to offer tax concessions on intellectual property income as a means to stimulate innovation.

Furthermore, efforts are underway to deepen collaboration with sister cities in the GBA and refine the local I&T development landscape. These actions aim to foster deeper integration between technological innovation and industrial advancement, supporting Hong Kong's ambition to develop into an international I&T hub and contribute to the nation's goal of becoming a scientific and technological powerhouse.

The number of start-ups in Hong Kong has surged from over 1,500 in 2015 to more than 5,200 by 2025. In addition, the two flagship I&T facilities, the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport, have together witnessed the emergence of approximately 20 unicorn companies to date.

The Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (Hetao Hong Kong Park) officially opened in December 2025, with over 100 technology companies and institutions having signed leases and begun moving in. Leveraging the combined strengths of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, the Hetao Hong Kong Park is expected to serve as a major platform in the GBA for foundational research, technology transfer, pilot production, and international I&T collaboration, thereby driving high-quality development.

The New Territories North New Town and San Tin Technopole company was formally established in June this year, tasked with advancing the development of a 210-hectare I&T site at San Tin Technopole. This initiative is set to forge a critical link fostering synergistic growth across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors, working in concert with the Hetao Hong Kong Park.

Hong Kong's private equity market is thriving, managing assets valued at nearly US$250 billion, ranking second in Asia behind only mainland China. The government continues to bolster venture capital financing as a vital element of the city's I&T and commercialization ecosystem. The HK$10 billion "I&T Industry-Oriented Fund" established by the government, together with the HK$10 billion "Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme" and the "I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme," is designed to strengthen comprehensive financial support covering everything from university research and seed-stage entrepreneurship to scale-up operations, industrial application, and expansion into global markets.