Hong Kong’s first technology and innovation support center since January has helped over 20 organizations protect their intellectual property rights with limited basic free services during its preparatory period, and a 600-square-foot service venue is expected to be completed by the end of this year, enabling the center to better play its role.
The development was revealed by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) at a news conference on Wednesday.
In December, the council and 50 service institutions on the Chinese mainland were designated by the China National Intellectual Property Administration and the World Intellectual Property Organization among a new batch of organizations for establishing technology and innovation support centers.
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Hong Kong’s Technology and Innovation Support Centre, which is still being prepared, aims to provide high-quality IP information and services to local startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and entrepreneurs. The center will assist them to unlock their innovative potential, creating, protecting, managing, and commercializing their IP, thereby contributing to Hong Kong’s IP trade.
The venue and facilities required for the center’s establishment are still under construction. A 600-square-foot service venue will be completed on the third floor of the council's building in Kowloon Tong by year-end to facilitate its operation, HKPC Chief Operating Officer Vivian Lin said.
“The government has earmarked HK$40 million ($5.15 million) for the first year of construction and three years of operations, and we’re confident that we’ll be able to complete the establishment by year-end.”
The center currently offers free IP-related services including basic patent searches, IP inquiries, training, and publicity, and has already received about 20 inquiries from local SMEs and startups.
One of the cases involves a local educational technology company that developed an innovative invention using artificial intelligence (AI) applications but was unsure how to protect it through IP rights.
“By participating in the center’s basic IP training course, the company’s team members gained foundational knowledge about patents and learned various ways to protect their innovation, which further advanced their patent deployment strategy,” Lin said.
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The center also offered the company preliminary patent search services, conducting searches for patents related to AI applications in the education sector, which helped the company understand the latest technological trends and industry developments, providing them with a reference point to take the first step toward filing a patent application.
The center will offer more advanced services including advanced patent search and analysis and IP-related seminars, as well as IP commercialization, with details to be announced later, Lin said.
More promotional efforts will be made after the physical center and website are launched, including visits to chambers of commerce, SMEs, and schools, she added.
Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com
