Start-ups, Smart Electronics & Lighting Products to be Showcased
(Photo:) HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau (right) and HKTDC Electronics/Electrical Appliances Industries Advisory Committee Chairman Dr Lo Wai-kwok (left) announce details of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition), International ICT Expo as well as the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition).
HONG KONG — Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and the International ICT Expo, will kick off at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in April. The Lighting Fair will take place from 6 to 9 April, while the Electronics Fair and the concurrent International ICT Expo will be staged from 13 to 16 April.
The three fairs will gather a total of nearly 4,800 exhibitors from around the world to showcase a wide range of smart, green products and ICT solutions, as well as unique technology designs and ideas from start-ups.
“Start-ups and innovative technologies have been the driving force behind many industries in recent years,” said Benjamin Chau, Deputy Executive Director, HKTDC. “The Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and ICT Expo, therefore, will launch the new Startup zone and Tech Hall to present innovative technologies and services created by local and overseas start-ups as well as high-tech electronics products, encouraging the industry to invest more in research and development. To cater to market needs, the Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) is also launching the Smart Lighting & Solutions zone to showcase the latest remote control and smart lighting systems and products, providing a quality and comprehensive business platform for the industry.”
– 230+ Buying missions –
The three fairs attracted more than 110,000 buyers in 2016. This year, the HKTDC will organise a total of more than 230 buying missions comprising representatives from over 11,300 companies from around the world to visit the three fairs. The hktdc.com Small Orders zone will continue to serve as a convenient platform for buyers to source in smaller lots at the Lighting and Electronics Fairs, with about 300 showcases featuring close to 3,000 products available in the minimum order quantities of between five and 1,000 pieces.
– Inaugural Startup zone to feature hottest tech products –
The 14th edition of the Electronics Fair and ICT Expo will be held from 13 to 16 April, with close to 3,500 exhibitors showcasing the latest electronics products and ICT solutions. The number of Hong Kong-based start-ups has boomed in recent years. According to InvestHK’s report last year, there are more than 1,900 start-ups in Hong Kong. Many young entrepreneurs are bringing new ideas and unique products to the market using their creativity and technological expertise. The inaugural Startup zone will be staged at Hall 3FG Concourse, featuring more than 80 start-ups from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, India, Japan, the United States and Taiwan to present innovative products and services to global buyers.
During the fair period, a number of themed events will be arranged to provide an excellent platform for start-ups to present their ideas. These include sharing sessions featuring the crowdfunding platform FringeBacker, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, successful start-ups and Angel Investment, pitching sessions and “Startup, Smart Launch” where start-ups can pitch solutions and project ideas to potential investors on the spot, as well as mentoring sessions where successful entrepreneurs such as Hong Kong Startup Council, start-up accelerators and incubators will help start-ups connect with potential partners. The APEC Startup Ecosystem Roundtable will be held on the last day of the fairs, when start-up accelerators, incubators and experienced entrepreneurs from various regions will discuss ways that start-ups can work together.
– New Tech Hall showcases VR products –
The Electronics Fair features about 2,900 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions, including first-time exhibitors from Singapore and Spain, making it the largest Spring electronics trading fair in Asia. Amidst increasing demand for innovative technology products, the HKTDC is establishing the Tech Hall at Halls 5FG, featuring four themed zones including the new Virtual Reality zone, along with Connected Home, Robotics & Unmanned Tech and Wearable Electronics to facilitate buyers sourcing for high-tech electronics.
The Virtual Reality zone will feature a range of VR headsets and related technology as well as VR video cameras. The Connected Home zone will present applications of Internet of Things (IoT) for home automation, such as an infrared remote control system for household appliances. Another highlight zone, Robotics & Unmanned Tech will showcase a number of new aerial cameras, electric scooters and industrial and household robots, while Wearable Electronics will feature smart watches and smart wristbands with healthcare and sports monitoring functions.
During the fair period, a series of discussions under the “2017 Tech Trends Symposium” will be organised, inviting industry experts and academics from local and overseas universities to speak about the latest technology trends such as wearable tech, smart home, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and robotics. Besides, there will be Product Demo & Launch Pads, buyer forums and networking events for exhibitors and buyers to understand industry trends, share market insights and expand their business networks.
– Hall of Fame to feature 570+ renowned brands –
An annual highlight of the Electronics Fair, the Hall of Fame will feature more than 570 international leading brands, including Intel and Motorola from the US, Bigben from France, Leplus from Japan, Desay from the Chinese mainland as well as local brands such as GP Batteries.
The electronics industry is Hong Kong’s largest merchandise export earner, accounting for 65 per cent of Hong Kong’s total exports in 2016 totaling HK$2.35 trillion, up 2.5 per cent over last year. A substantial portion of such exports are high-tech products, especially those related to telecommunications equipment, semiconductors and computer items.
– International ICT Expo gathers innovative technology and solutions –
Presenting the latest ICT solutions, the International ICT Expo is one of the signature events of the “International IT Fest 2017”. The expo will gather around 600 exhibitors from nine countries and regions, including first-time exhibitors from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Japan. Launched last November, the Innovation and Technology Commission’s Technology Voucher Programme provides funding of up to HK$200,000 to subsidise local SMEs in using technological services and solutions to improve productivity and stay competitive. The ICT Expo helps SMEs and other larger-scale enterprises by gathering the latest relevant services and ICT solutions under one roof, including Internet security systems, e-Commerce platforms, third-party payment, logistics management and O2O business solutions.
The popular SME IT Clinic will return with experts from Alibaba, Google Premier Partner and hktdc.com offering complimentary professional consultation services on ICT systems and solutions to help SMEs enhance business efficiency. The award winners of the Hong Kong ICT Awards, organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), will also showcase and demonstrate a number of quality products and solutions at the fairground.
There will be dedicated themes for the seminars and sharing sessions held on each day of the expo, namely “e-Commerce & FinTech” (13 April), “Startups” (14 April), “Disruptive Technology” (15 April) and “Career Development” (16 April). These sessions will discuss hot industry issues including e-payment, e-Commerce, Big Data applications, IoT, cloud-based services and sharing economy. Besides, for the first time, the expo will open to tertiary students on the last day (16 April), with experts from Hong Kong Computer Society, Hong Kong Productivity Council and MTR Corporation giving talks on the prospects of ICT industry and its career development.
The total exports of IT equipment (Computer & Parts) in 2016 reached HK$365.1 billion. Many of the markets recorded satisfactory performance, including the US, Japan, the Netherlands and the Philippines.
– Inaugural Smart Lighting & Solutions zone at the Spring Lighting Fair –
The ninth edition of the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair will be held from 6 to 9 April, welcoming over 1,300 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions with new exhibitors from Turkey, Thailand and the Philippines, bringing business opportunities in markets involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and other emerging markets. Companies from Henglan, Jun’an and Hunan will also set up group pavilions for the first time. Besides, as applications of IoT grow in popularity, the HKTDC is also establishing the new Smart Lighting & Solutions zone at the Lighting Fair to showcase smart lighting products, systems and solutions from professional suppliers, including a smart city lighting control system that automatically switch on/off the lights bases on latitude and longitude, and a smart touch remote control with a range of 40 meters.
The Hall of Aurora and LED & Green Lighting zone continue to be highlights of the fair. Hall of Aurora will gather some 200 brands including Viribright, Forest Lighting, SKY-LIGHTING, TCL as well as Jaykal from the US to provide a wide range of lighting products and technologies with unique designs and high-quality features. Meanwhile, the LED & Green Lighting zone will feature more than 400 exhibitors of LED lighting products and innovative green solutions. Other thematic zones include World of Professional & Industrial Lighting, Commercial Lighting and Advertising Display Lighting, offering a one-stop sourcing platform for a variety of lighting products to cater to the needs of global buyers.
The Asian Lighting Forum 2017 will be held on the first day of the fair (6 April). The Forum will gather industry experts and professional organisations, such as IHS Markit from the United Kingdom, Philips from the Netherlands, Osram and DEKRA from Germany, Hong Kong’s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, and Klaasen Lighting Design from Australia, to exchange views on smart lighting trends, the latest technologies, cyber security and smart lighting applications. Seminars, exhibitor forums and buyer forums will be organised to facilitate information exchange for the industry. The works of the “10th Hong Kong Lighting Design Competition” finalists will also be displayed at Hall 1C Concourse during the fair period to showcase local creativity to global buyers.
The total exports of lighting products in 2016 reached HK$9.5 billion. Some of the markets recorded satisfactory performance, including the US, France, the Netherlands and Vietnam.
Fair Websites
Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition): www.hktdc.com/hklightingfairse/tc
Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition): www.hktdc.com/hkelectronicsfairse/tc
International ICT Expo: www.hktdc.com/ictexpo/tc
Photo download: http://bit.ly/2nNuTci
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