Sun Dong: The Hong Kong government will increase the allocation of 300 million Hong Kong dollars to optimize the pilot scheme and further encourage the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises.

On April 22, Professor Sun Dong, the Secretary for Innovation and Technology of Hong Kong, responded to questions from lawmakers, stating that the government had previously launched the "Technology Voucher Programme" and the "Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme" (Pilot Programme). Due to the positive response from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the Pilot Programme, the government will allocate an additional HK$300 million to optimize the Pilot Programme, further encouraging SMEs to adopt existing digital solutions to enhance competitiveness and strengthen information security. Sun Dong stated that the government is currently reviewing the Pilot Programme with Cyberport. In addition to introducing artificial intelligence and cybersecurity digital solutions into the programme, they will also consider the latest transformation needs of SMEs, market supply and pricing of products, operational experience, etc., in order to determine the funding mode, scope, amount, and implementation details of the new round of the programme. The goal is to launch an optimized Pilot Programme after consulting the Legislative Council in the second half of this year. In November 2016, the Innovation and Technology Bureau introduced the "Technology Voucher Programme" to support non-listed local enterprises/institutions in using technology services and solutions to enhance productivity or upgrade business processes, strengthening their long-term competitiveness. The programme has approved 38,640 applications, with over 3,000 approved applications in the "restaurants and hotels" category, ranking second among all benefiting business categories. The Innovation and Technology Bureau will conduct a comprehensive review of the "Technology Voucher Programme" in 2024. Considering that the programme has achieved its initial goals and various policy bureaus and departments have introduced more targeted funding programmes in response to specific industry situations or business needs, new applications for the "Technology Voucher Programme" will no longer be accepted after December 31, 2024. On the other hand, the "Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme" was launched in January 2024, using a one-on-one matching funding model to assist SMEs in the food and beverage, retail, tourism, and personal service industries in adopting three categories (electronic payment systems and in-store sales, online promotion, and customer management systems) of existing basic digital solutions to accelerate their digital transformation. Before the planned end of the Pilot Programme in May 2025, around 4,500 applications were received from small and medium-sized enterprises in the food and beverage industry, with nearly 3,000 of them approved, accounting for over 30% of the approximately 8,800 successful applications under the Pilot Programme. The Pilot Programme provides over 1,200 existing basic digital solutions for SMEs to choose from, including technology service plans covering up to 24 months. As the implementing agency of the Pilot Programme, Cyberport maintains close contact with SMEs, service providers, relevant industries, and SME associations through various channels. To enhance industry understanding and participation in the Pilot Programme, Cyberport has conducted promotional training for over 30 food and beverage industry organizations and hosted workshops to facilitate matching between SMEs and digital solution providers, accelerating the digital transformation of SMEs, including those in the food and beverage industry.