Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has successfully concluded its Paris delegation to Viva Technology (VivaTech) 2026, which celebrated its 10th anniversary as a global stage for ambitious startups from June 17 to 20. HKSTP reinforced its role as Asia's innovation and technology ecosystem orchestrator by confirming the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding (MOU) between park companies and the European innovation community.
Among the deals, microalgae expert Algreen signed with ForNatures, a South Korean climate tech company specializing in carbon capture management, to amplify mutual research and development capabilities and advance environmental, social, and governance goals. Robotics solutions provider Robocore signed with ARCHTYP, a Slovenian cognitive software startup, enabling the display of a differentiating layer on a proven platform to meet market demands. Robocore also closed deals with French advertising giant JCDecaux to supply a thousand robots and extend its reach in the European market.
The appeal and use cases of LeafIoT's green asset management caught the attention of European professionals in the preservation sector, including the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the Catalonian landscaping and environmental restoration company Gremi de Jardineria de Catalunya, and Professor Andrea Galli from the Laboratory of Geotechnical Analysis and Modelling (GeoT-LAM) at Politecnico di Milano. These entities took solid steps in exploring new opportunities and breakthroughs, boosting market reach.
The annual showcase highlighted enabling founders to connect with the local innovation community, explore market access, and forge global partnerships through pitching and matching sessions, networking mixers, and investor engagement. Compared with VivaTech 2025, this year's delegation achieved over 50% growth in opportunities, totaling more than 200 potential business leads worth HK$70 million.
HKSTP's growing presence at VivaTech reflects its mission to open new doors for Hong Kong's startups, build pathways into European markets, and create reciprocal opportunities for European innovators to enter Asia through Hong Kong's strategic location in the world's number one innovation cluster – the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization Innovation Index.
Terry Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said: "France and the EU represent critical opportunities for Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland innovation ventures to scale globally. VivaTech provides a world-class platform for collaboration, co-creation, and knowledge exchange. Our strong ties with French partners underline the importance of Hong Kong as a global launchpad for innovation, supporting startups on their journey from local success to international impact."
Highlights this year include the expansion of HKSTP's partnership with Bouygues Construction, a global leader in sustainable construction and infrastructure headquartered in France, operating across more than 60 countries. Through its Hong Kong arm, Dragages Hong Kong, Bouygues has maintained a 70-year legacy in Hong Kong, contributing to iconic infrastructure projects and championing innovation in areas such as construction safety, modular design, green materials, and site automation. HKSTP is the first and only institution in Hong Kong to bridge tech ventures directly into the Bouygues Construction "Scale One" programme, providing a fast track to prototyping and commercialisation. This initiative sets a new benchmark for cross-border industrial innovation partnerships, accelerating global impact for Hong Kong startups through trusted collaborations with leading European enterprises.
Building on existing foundations, Bouygues Construction is now stepping up collaboration with HKSTP beyond Asia, offering selected Hong Kong startups the chance to showcase solutions at Bouygues' headquarters in France, with opportunities for solution validation and pilot trials across European operations.
The Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and supported by partners including HKSTP, showcased market-ready solutions spanning AI, green tech, and health tech from 24 tech ventures, marking a major milestone in creating a direct bridge between Hong Kong and Europe's heart of innovation and technology.
