HKSTP Crowns Overall Champion Skyland Innovation at EPiC 2023 Pitching Competition Beating Over 610 Global Startups
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today successfully held its 7th Elevator Pitch Competition (EPiC), naming Hong Kong startup, Skyland Innovation, as the overall 2023 champion, beating over 610 startups from 55 economies around the world. The signature event has partnered with the city’s leading corporations: Cathay, HSBC, MTR Lab, plus global accelerator Plug & Play, to become a true iconic mega event that has hit a global scale.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230428005353/en/
Mr Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP (Centre), alongside EPiC 2023 Top 10 overall finalists. (Photo: Business Wire)
As Hong Kong’s flagship and largest pitching contest, 50 Grand Finale semi-finalists joined the city’s most eagerly anticipated pitch event this year at sky100 at the top of the International Commerce Centre in West Kowloon to re-create a real-life 60-second elevator pitch experience.
The EPiC 2023 judging panel of the region’s top entrepreneurs, investors and innovation ecosystem leaders selected Skyland Innovation from Hong Kong, as this year’s overall champion. The winner of the grand prize of US$ 90,000, helps property owners and contractors to coordinate and communicate seamlessly on construction sites through the use of robotics and AI. The local proptech is also a spinoff from the Hong Kong Center for Construction Robotics (HKCRC) within the HKSAR Government backed AIR@InnoHK research cluster located at Hong Kong Science Park.
Along with all 50 semi-finalists, Skyland Innovation also qualifies to be considered by the HKSTP Venture Fund for additional investment deals. If selected, each company can potentially receive up to a maximum investment of US$5 million.
EPiC 2023 competitors were split across the two themes of FinTech and PropTech with FinCrime Dynamics from the UK named as the overall FinTech category winner, and Skyland Innovation Company Ltd named the overall PropTech winner from Hong Kong. This year, Canvasland, a FinTech startup from Hong Kong was also voted by the public as the “My Favourite Pitcher" winner, taking away US$10,000 and 200,000 Asia Miles. The top 10 overall finalists also won US$10,000 each (Full winners and finalists list below).
Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong SAR, said: “Hong Kong has a strong, thriving startup ecosystem with 4000 startups, up more than 50% from 2018. Hong Kong is also a natural gateway to the GBA, which offers tremendous growth opportunities. Successful products and services will surely have an edge in the GBA, the whole of the nation and around the world. I am truly excited to be here at EPiC 2023 where startups strive to make their 60-second pitch truly count. I congratulate all the EPiC 2023 winners and invite startups from all over the world to join us in Hong Kong where the future is built.”
Sunny Chai, Chairman, HKSTP, said: “EPiC 2023 showcases the most exciting innovations from the world’s star-studded next-generation global tech ventures. Together with the Hong Kong Government's solid commitment, as reinforced by the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint, our city provides the ideal platform to expand into the vast Asian market. Hong Kong is also Asia’s world city and a bridge between the mainland and the world, making us a magnet for global innovation talent and enterprises.”
Albert Wong, CEO, HKSTP, said: “This year’s EPiC competition features a record international turnout and shows Hong Kong is truly back with a strong show of unicorns and soonicorns from around the world among this year’s finalists. But EPiC is more than just a competition, it is a prime example of Hong Kong’s unique ability to help startups grow fast and go beyond by providing a network of global investment opportunities and innovation talent to turn cutting-edge science, technologies, and ideas into game-changing solutions."
A magnet for global investors and innovation talent
EPiC 2023 surpassed all expectations, attracting over 610 entries from 55 countries and cities across five continents. Over 75% of contestants come from overseas, a record high proportion of overseas contestants and economies participation since 2016. Startups joining EPiC 2023 can fully leverage the largest I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong and HKSTP’s direct connections to over 1,000 investors and more than 300 corporate partners.
In addition to the EPiC final pitching contest, the 50 semi-finalists have also taken part in the "Grow Beyond Hong Kong" Immersion Programme. This exclusive 2-day programme ran from 25-26 April, immersed the EPiC 2023 semi-finalists directly into HKSTP’s innovation ecosystem. Participants will unlock growth opportunities through educational talks, business matching and networking with leading corporate partners and investors in our ecosystem.
Winners List:
|
Overall Champion |
Skyland Innovation Company Ltd. |
||
|
“My Favourite Pitcher” Winner |
Canvasland Limited |
||
|
FinTech Winner |
FinCrime Dynamics |
||
|
PropTech Winner |
Skyland Innovation Company Ltd. |
||
|
Top 10 Overall Finalists |
FinTech Finalists:
FinCrime Dynamics Homebase Ultipa VoiceAI Technologies
PropTech Finalists:
I2Cool Limited
Mimicrete VoltSafe, Inc. Skyland Innovation Company Ltd. |
Contestants Breakdown:
|
Category |
|
|
No. of applicants |
|
PropTech |
|
|
266 (43%) |
|
FinTech |
|
|
352 (57%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. of applicants |
|
Overseas |
|
|
465 (75%) |
|
Hong Kong |
|
|
153 (25%) |
A record high proportion of overseas contestants and economies participation since 2016.
For more information on EPiC 2023, please visit: https://epic.hkstp.org/
About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has for over 20 years committed to building up Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub to propel success for local and global pioneers today and tomorrow. HKSTP has established a thriving I&T ecosystem that is home to two unicorns and Hong Kong’s leading R&D hub with over 13,000 research professionals and over 1,300 technology companies focused on healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies.
Established in 2001, we attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation and technology for entrepreneurs on their journey of growth in Hong Kong, to the Greater Bay Area, Asia and beyond. Our growing innovation ecosystem is built around our key locations of Hong Kong Science Park in Shatin, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern INNOPARKs in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. The three INNOPARKs are realising a vision of new industrialisation for Hong Kong. The goal is sectors like advanced manufacturing, electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined for a new generation of industry.
Through our infrastructure, services, expertise and network of partnerships, HKSTP will help establish innovation and technology as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong, while reinforcing Hong Kong’s international I&T hub status as a launchpad for global growth at the heart of the GBA innovation powerhouse.
More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230428005353/en/
Contact information
Media Contact:
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Betsy Leung
Tel: +852 2629 2300
Email: betsy.leung@hkstp.org
Edelman Public Relations
Lisa Tse
Tel: +852 3756 8632 / 6347 2009
Email: Lisa.Tse@edelman.com / Edelmanhkstppr@edelman.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
FPT Named Sitecore’s First Global Partner Under Global Elite Reseller Program8.1.2026 10:00:00 EET | Press release
Global IT Corporation FPT announced its appointment as the inaugural Global Elite Reseller under a new initiative from Sitecore that expands upon its successful Global Reseller Program. The Global Elite Reseller Program follows the launch of SitecoreAI, the next-generation digital experience platform that puts artificial intelligence at the center of marketing, unifying content, data, and personalization in one composable platform so organizations can reach, engage, and serve their audience across digital channels. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107425261/en/ Representatives from FPT and Sitecore at the Global Elite Reseller signing ceremony. Under the agreement, FPT will hold exclusive reseller rights in Vietnam and non-exclusive rights across select markets in Asia and the Middle East, taking SitecoreAI to market and showing how it helps teams plan, create, and optimize digital experiences using AI as cu
Natus Sensory Appoints Arne Boye Nielsen to Board of Directors8.1.2026 09:00:00 EET | Press release
Natus Sensory, a global leader in sensory and diagnostic solutions, today announced the appointment of Arne Boye Nielsen to its Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107392331/en/ Arne Boye Nielsen Arne brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in diagnostics and medical technology, most notably as President of Demant Diagnostics, where he built and scaled the business into a global leader over three decades. During his tenure, Arne played a central role in shaping Demant Diagnostics’ long-term strategy, portfolio expansion, and international growth, establishing it as a cornerstone of Demant’s global healthcare footprint. In addition to his executive leadership background, Arne brings extensive board experience. His deep expertise across diagnostics, governance, and value creation will further strengthen Natus Sensory’s Board as the company contin
4Moving Biotech Receives FDA IND Clearance for 4P004, Strengthening Its Position as a Leading Innovator in Disease-Modifying Osteoarthritis Therapeutics8.1.2026 08:30:00 EET | Press release
4Moving Biotech (4MB), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing next-generation, disease-modifying therapies for osteoarthritis (OA), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for 4P004, enabling the expansion of the Phase 2a INFLAM MOTION clinical trial into the United States (US). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107798042/en/ 4Moving Biotech (4MB), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing next-generation, disease-modifying therapies for osteoarthritis (OA), today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for 4P004, enabling the expansion of the Phase 2a INFLAM MOTION clinical trial into the United States (US). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval marks another strategic step in 4MB’s global clinical deployment across
Organon Enters into a Commercialization Agreement for Daiichi Sankyo’s Nilemdo ® in France, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway8.1.2026 08:30:00 EET | Press release
Organon today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Europe to commercialize Nilemdo® (bempedoic acid) in France, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway. Nilemdo® is a new, first-in-class drug indicated for patients with high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk. It provides an alternative treatment for patients that cannot be treated effectively with statins.ii “This collaboration combines Organon’s commercial agility with Daiichi Sankyo’s expertise in cardiovascular innovation to bring Nilemdo® to patients in France, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway,” says Thibault Crosnier Leconte, AVP & Managing Director at Organon Northwest Europe. “By offering a new treatment option for patients who cannot tolerate statins, we are helping to close a persistent gap in cardiovascular care—one that disproportionately affects women – whilst reinforcing our mission to deliver impactful treatments for a healthier every day.” Cardiovascular disease i
Azafaros to Present at J.P. Morgan’s 44 th Annual Healthcare Conference8.1.2026 08:00:00 EET | Press release
Azafaros, a company building a portfolio to become a leader in lysosomal storage disorders with the goal of addressing neurological symptoms, today announced that it will present at J.P. Morgan’s 44th Annual Healthcare Conference on Thursday, January 15. The company’s presentation will begin at 9:30 am PT/12:30 am ET/6:30 am CET. The presentation will focus on the company’s lead product, nizubaglustat, a potential treatment for rare lysosomal storage disorders with neurological involvement including GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses and Niemann-Pick type C disease ((NPC). Two pivotal Phase 3 studies investigating nizubaglustat in GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses and NPC are currently enrolling, with data expected in 2027. The studies build on positive data from a robust clinical program including the Phase 2 RAINBOW study and the PRONTO natural history study. The Phase 3 studies are financed following the company’s successful completion of €132 million series B round completed in 1H 2025. About nizubaglust
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom