The Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at Viva Technology (VivaTech) 2026, held in Paris, successfully concluded last week, showcasing 24 local innovation and technology enterprises and institutions to global investors and industry players. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) with strategic partner the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels and supporting organizations, the pavilion hosted thematic seminars, start-up pitching sessions, and networking events to facilitate industry exchanges and business matching, helping local start-ups seize opportunities in the European market and deepen international collaboration networks.
Chris Lo, HKTDC's Regional Director for Europe, Central Asia & Israel, stated: "VivaTech 2026's Hong Kong Tech Pavilion has achieved excellent results once again this year, facilitating multiple cross-border collaborations. We are pleased to see that some of these outcomes have gradually come to fruition from connections and exchanges initiated last year." Among the highlights, Formwork IO, which specializes in carbon-negative construction materials, was selected as a top 30 finalist for VivaTech's "Tech for Change" Award. Additionally, PointFit Technology and Robocore Technology Limited were chosen to give live demonstrations at VivaTech's Discovery Stage, showcasing Hong Kong's innovative capabilities in health technology and artificial intelligence.
Several participating companies established fruitful connections. Robocore Technology is in negotiations with JCDecaux, a France-based outdoor advertising company, for a cooperation agreement to provide 1,000 robots for marketing campaigns. This connection was first made at the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech last year. Robocore's CEO, Lim Long-hei, said: "Leveraging the business connections we have built through the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at VivaTech over the past two years, we hope to further deepen our collaboration with European multinational corporations." LeafIoT Technology Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lecco Campus of Politecnico di Milano to advance cooperation in smart tree monitoring solutions. Its Managing Director, Chan Pak-kwan, noted: "We hope to extend Hong Kong's industry-university-research model further into Europe, while promoting the R&D achievements of Hong Kong institutions."
During VivaTech, the HKTDC hosted a thematic seminar titled "Building Resilient Tech Ecosystems: Powering the Next Wave of International Tech Leadership from Hong Kong" on 19 June, where Shirley Yung, Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic & Trade Affairs to the European Union, highlighted Hong Kong's advantages in research, talent, capital, and connectivity to the Greater Bay Area. The discussion featured Terry Wong from HKSTP and Yonghai Du from HKPC, who shared insights on leveraging Hong Kong as a springboard for international markets.
The HKTDC has been actively supporting local enterprises in major international tech exhibitions, following participation in CES 2026 in Las Vegas, MWC and 4YFN in Barcelona. VivaTech 2026 attracted participants from over 165 countries, with more than 15,000 start-ups and 200,000 visitors. The Hong Kong Tech Pavilion is a flagship initiative under the "Economic and Trade Express" in Europe, with additional networking events organized by Brussels ETO, HKTDC, and InvestHK to support tech start-ups in exploring the local market.
