Fostering Intellectual Exchange and Technological Innovation at Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Conference (The Standard)

To foster intellectual exchange and advance technological innovation, the Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS) and the Swiss Biotech Association co-organized the “Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Conference: Perspectives from Hong Kong and Switzerland,” sponsored by Invest Hong Kong.

The conference brought together experts, entrepreneurs, and investors from both regions to discuss the current state and future trends of life sciences entrepreneurship.

Lillian Cheong, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology, and Industry, highlighted the government's commitment to promoting innovation and technology development, with HK$6 billion allocated to support local universities in establishing life and health technology research institutes.

Daniel Freihofer, Consul General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, emphasized the strong ties between Hong Kong and Switzerland, noting the presence of over 1,000 biotech and life sciences companies in Switzerland and growing Swiss engagement in Hong Kong’s biotech sector.

Antony Leung, Vice Chairperson of HKLSS, stressed the importance of translational research and the role of the conference in fostering international collaborations and positioning Hong Kong as a life sciences hub.

Bettina Ernst, vice-president of the Swiss Biotech Association, spoke about the power of partnerships in shaping the future of life sciences and thanked participants for a successful event.

The conference also highlighted innovative start-ups from both regions. Swiss start-ups presented their technologies via live streaming, including Memo-Therapeutics AG, CDR-Life AG, and Synendos Therapeutics AG. On the Hong Kong side, Belun Technology, GenEditBio, and Arctic Vision showcased their innovations to an onsite and online audience.

The event explored investment opportunities and biotech ecosystem enhancements. Igor Fisch presented on start-up incubation through FONGIT, a non-profit foundation supporting over 220 biotech start-ups in Geneva. Emmanuel Hui discussed the challenges and opportunities in start-up acceleration in Hong Kong.
A fireside discussion provided insights into the development of life sciences ecosystems in both regions, with panelists comparing and contrasting the environments in Hong Kong and Switzerland.

The discussion underscored the shared goal of fostering mutual learning and identifying collaborative opportunities.

Overall, the conference served as a platform for knowledge exchange and highlighted the collaborative spirit necessary to drive the life sciences sector forward.