The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) announced the selection of 74 leading startups to compete in the final round of the eighth annual Elevator Pitch Competition 2024 (EPiC 2024).
Among these, 24 fintech startups from seven countries have been chosen as semi-finalists for the HKSTP’s annual flagship startup event.
Chosen from over 600 entrants, these startups emerged from the first series of global semi-finals held in key innovation centers: Hong Kong, Silicon Valley, Stuttgart, and Singapore.
Scheduled for 26 April 2024 at the sky100, Hong Kong’s tallest skyscraper, the EPiC 2024 Grand Finale will showcase startups specialising in fintech, proptech, and mobility tech.
Finalists are given 60 seconds to present their disruptive innovations in an elevator pitch format, vying for a piece of the US$45 million investment opportunity.
The event promises up to US$5 million in investments from the HKSTP Corporate Venture Fund (CVF), alongside US$240,000 in cash prizes and potential partnership opportunities.
This competition offers startups a chance to access the tech ecosystem in Hong Kong and expand their reach into Mainland China and beyond.
This year’s competition had the highest participation of international contenders, with 80% of the semi-finalists hailing from 16 different economies, highlighting Hong Kong’s appeal as a major international hub for innovation and technology.
The fintech category features a diverse group of semi-finalists, including:
1. Aurionpro Payment Solutions Ltd (Hong Kong)
2. Bizbaz Pte. Ltd. (Singapore)
3. Boopos (United States)
4. Boost Capital (Singapore)
5. Connect Earth (United Kingdom)
6. D-Engraver Limited (Hong Kong)
9. imBee (Hong Kong)
10. iVE.ONE Limited (Hong Kong)
11. Kaiku (United Kingdom)
12. KORZO INC. (United States)
15. MoneyMatch Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
16. Physis Investment (United States)
17. Helios Life Enterprises (United States)
18. RealKey (United States)
19. Rey (Indonesia)
20. Shenzhen Magic Engine Artificial Intelligence (ME) Co., Ltd. (Mainland China)
21. Smile API (Singapore)
22. TFS (Hong Kong)
23. Transparently.AI (Singapore)
24. UNCLE2 FINTECH LIMITED (Hong Kong)