Happy holidays startups! 2014 has been a huge year for the Hong Kong startup scene and we can all attest to the speedy growth of our ecosystem.
Take mobile logistics startup Gogovan for example. The homegrown startup picked up their US $6.5 million Series A over the summer, then an additional $10 million last month – for a total of $16.5 million raised in 2014 alone. Or Google’s acquisition of enterprise tech startup Divide which was much buzzed about.
And how about the three new accelerator programs that have all arrived in the past year? Besides Accenture’s ‘FinTech Innovation Lab’ launching back in June, Swire Properties’ ‘blueprint’ for B2B startups has also arrived on the scene with AIA and Nest teaming up to create a new accelerator program for wearable tech and healthcare startups.
While we’ve completely lost count of the co-working spaces, we have been keeping tabs on the impact some of them have made – including Garage Society who is home to creative education house General Assembly and hosted Hong Kong’s first startup job fair ever.
2015 will be a huge year for Hong Kong, a surefire sign of this is that our city was selected to host ‘RISE,’ the Web Summit’s first event in Asia. In light of the exciting year ahead, we asked 10 Hong Kong founders this question: What are you most looking forward to in 2015?
Patrick Kosiol of SkyDrone
For 2015 in the Hong Kong startup scene, I’m most looking forward to launching a new venture myself. While our other ventures Sky Drone and S4BB Limited amongst others are still going strong, I am excited to branch out into the fields on mobile online retail. I am also interested to see what other new ventures will sprout up in Hong Kong. It surely is the right place to start something special.
Coco Alexandra of Coco Alexandra PR & Events
I believe healthcare related business will dominate in the future and I would be very excited to see a promising local healthcare related tech start up in 2015.
Karena Belin of WHub.HK
I am most looking forward to more talent joining the passionate and energetic startup community in Hong Kong. Be it students or seniors, full-timers or mentors, people leaving corporate careers behind or serial entrepreneurs, locals or foreigners, all will help bring Hong Kong’s startups to new and well deserved heights!
Paul Lee of ACE Hearing
I hope there will be a few more home-runs in the Hong Kong startup scene in 2015. I think this is just what Hong Kong needs at this stage to get rolling!
Cedric Delzenne of Founder Institute HK
It took the Hong Kong startup scene 15 years to get to the same level of activity and excitement as during the Dot-Com era. I wish 2015 to be our first year towards wisdom, not excess. I wish to see success stories for startups that really create value for people, experienced entrepreneurs mentoring first-timers, genuine collaboration between government bodies and the community, and more funding options to kick-start solid projects in this wonderful testing ground that is Hong Kong.
Johnny Quattro of Jamn
I’m hoping that 2015 sees explosive growth in the start-up scene for Hong Kong. Many bright minds here with aspirations and dreams of building insanely valuable companies. So let’s settle for nothing less.
Ryanne Lai of Dragon Law
I hope to see more lawyers, bankers and accountants leave their jobs, to join or found startups that make the delivery of professional services more innovative.
Atin Batra of Ab Initio
As somebody with a vested interest in the startup events space, I would like to see more event hosts to come up with a more tangible takeaway rather than just networking. I also sincerely believe there is just so much to learn from each other for startups that we must provide more opportunities for peer-sharing and learning.
My very best wishes to all who have taken the entrepreneurial leap in 2014 – may you have a great 2015! To those who haven’t yet succumbed, remember starting a startup is very much like falling in love: While you are falling for most of the journey, it is the most beautiful one!
Dustin Jefferson Onghanseng of uHoo
The one thing I am most looking forward to in 2015 in the Hong Kong startup scene is the Rise Conference for it will greatly enhance Hong Kong’s push to become the place to be for startups in Asia.
Elaine Tsung of Garage Society
2015 is going to be another rock n’ roll year for Hong Kong tech and startups, I am 200% sure! Rock on everyone!
