News related to
research

A National Barometer Survey released Thursday showed 43 per cent of respondents approved of Lee’s handling of state affairs, down seven percentage points from two weeks earlier, while 48 per cent disapproved. It was the first time disapproval exceeded approval in the biweekly poll since Lee took office in June 2025.

The same survey found 45 per cent opposed deploying military assets, including maritime patrol aircraft and support ships, to Hormuz, compared with 36 per cent who supported such a move. Opposition was strongest among respondents in their 40s and 50s and among supporters of Lee’s ruling Democratic Party, underscoring the domestic political risk surrounding any military contribution.

Seoul has repeatedly said no final decision has been made. Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, said Wednesday that the government had not finalised its policy and was “cautiously assessing” the issue. A Defence Ministry inspection team sent to the United Arab Emirates to examine conditions returned on Thursday.

The government has described the mission as an assessment rather than preparation for deployment. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac also said talks between Lee and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris focused on possible contributions to maritime security and freedom of navigation, not on an agreement to send troops.

The debate has sharpened as US President Donald Trump presses allies to help secure Hormuz during the prolonged conflict with Iran. Trump has publicly criticised Seoul over its reluctance to support US efforts in the waterway, which carries a major share of the energy supplies used by South Korea and other Asian economies.

South Korean officials have denied that Washington imposed a deadline for a deployment. The presidential office has said Seoul is discussing practical ways to support peace, stability and free navigation with international partners, while weighing military readiness, legal requirements and the risks of deeper involvement in the conflict.

Any dispatch of troops would require approval from the National Assembly, where Lee’s Democratic Party holds a majority. That gives the government procedural room but does not remove the political cost of acting against a sizeable share of public opinion, including voters aligned with the ruling camp.

A separate Hangil Research survey conducted from September 5 to 7 found 47.1 per cent opposed deployment and 43 per cent supported it, a difference within the poll’s margin of error. Opposition rose to 55.5 per cent among Democratic Party supporters and 62.4 per cent among self-described liberals.

Lee’s broader ratings have also weakened for domestic reasons. A Realmeter survey released Monday put his approval at 37.4 per cent, down 1.5 percentage points over the week and the eighth consecutive weekly decline. The pollster linked the fall primarily to disputes over a cabinet reshuffle and housing-related policy changes rather than the Hormuz question alone.

Gallup Korea last week placed Lee’s approval at 40 per cent, with 51 per cent disapproving. Respondents who viewed him negatively most often cited real estate policy, followed by concerns about the economy and livelihoods and dissatisfaction with personnel appointments.

The Hormuz issue nevertheless adds a foreign-policy dilemma at a sensitive moment. South Korea depends heavily on imported energy, and disruption in the strait has already increased the strategic importance of keeping shipping routes open. At the same time, Iran has warned Seoul against military participation, saying such a move could be viewed as siding with US military action.

Shipping through Hormuz remains sharply below pre-war levels as the United States and Iran continue military and economic pressure around the waterway. The conflict has pushed oil prices higher and complicated supply planning across Asia, giving Seoul a direct economic interest in restoring safer passage without becoming drawn further into hostilities.

The latest additions include Zoho co-founder and chief scientist Sridhar Vembu, Angel One Group chief executive Ambarish Kenghe, Emergent founder and chief executive Mukund Jha and Canva country manager Chandrika Deb. Their participation was announced on September 10, extending a lineup that already includes senior policymakers, fintech founders, researchers, venture investors and enterprise technology executives.

The summit, organised by YourStory, is scheduled for October 13 to 15 at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center. Its 2026 theme, “The New Tech Order”, centres on how AI, deep technology and new digital infrastructure are changing access to technology, business formation and the distribution of economic and technological power.

Among the previously announced speakers are Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Minister for Home, IT, BT and E-Governance; Krishna Byre Gowda, Minister for Greater Bengaluru Development; PhonePe founder and chief executive Sameer Nigam; and Pramod Varma, co-founder and chief architect of Networks for Humanity. The programme also lists Rahul Chari, founder and chief product and technology officer of PhonePe, and Manish Maheshwari, managing director for India at Stripe.

Organisers say the event is expected to draw more than 10,000 attendees, more than 500 speakers and about 300 investors. The official event website also lists more than 1,000 startups, while another event page refers to more than 200 participating startups, indicating that the figures represent different participation categories or programme groupings.

The first day is set to examine shifts in technological power, including AI as infrastructure, computing capacity, semiconductor supply chains, data ownership and the balance between technological sovereignty and globalisation. Other sessions are expected to address enterprise adoption of AI, startup financing, digital public infrastructure, climate technology, product development and the role of Bengaluru as a centre for technology-led businesses.

The breadth of the programme reflects a shift in concerns facing technology companies. Access to capital remains important, but founders are contending with computing costs, pressure to demonstrate AI products, scrutiny of data use and the need to build businesses capable of expanding without relying indefinitely on external funding. Investors are expected to examine those trade-offs as they assess companies operating across software, fintech, climate technology, mobility, health technology and deeptech.

Bengaluru’s civic and policy challenges are part of the agenda. Byre Gowda’s participation brings urban development into the discussion, while Kharge is expected to address the state’s role in supporting emerging technologies, entrepreneurship and digital infrastructure. Their presence links the startup programme with questions about how a technology centre manages infrastructure, talent, regulation and public services.

The speaker list spans established technology companies and younger ventures. It includes Anjali Bansal of Avaana Capital, Ashutosh Sharma of Prosus, Michael Cronin of Couchbase, Nagendra Nagaraja of QpiAI, Geetha Manjunath of Niramai Health Analytix, Nicolas Sauvage of TDK Ventures and Priyanka Agarwal Chopra of IIMA Ventures. Academic and research participants include Ashok Jhunjhunwala of IIT Madras and Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, chief executive of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation.

TechSparks will also host its Tech30 programme, which identifies 30 technology companies for a showcase at the summit. The 2026 selection process moved into its second stage on September 10, with shortlisted companies required to submit a more detailed application. The final cohort is scheduled to be locked by September 30 and presented during the event.

A separate VibeCode30 programme is aimed at AI-native builders, while ActionLabs and masterclasses are designed around hands-on problem solving and practical technology deployment. The event format also includes startup networking zones, an India-international corridor and a government pavilion.

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), entry-level professional, managerial, executive and technician (PMET) openings increased from 32,500 in December 2025 to 32,800 in March 2026, despite an overall decline in job vacancies. MOM also reported that around nine in 10 university graduates from the 2025 cohort found employment within 12 months of graduation, suggesting that fresh graduate employment has remained relatively resilient.

Financial services, professional services and technology remain active hiring sectors

Financial and Insurance Services, Professional Services, and Information and Communications were among sectors identified by MOM as experiencing active PMET hiring and wage growth. Together, these sectors recorded approximately 14,200 PMET vacancies as of September 2025, compared with 12,600 a year earlier, including roles suitable for fresh graduates.

Opportunities span finance, risk, compliance, accounting, consulting, software, systems and data functions. Increasing digitalisation also means these boundaries are becoming less distinct, with banks and professional services firms increasingly recruiting technology and data talent.

Information and communications continue to require digital capabilities

Singapore’s technology workforce reached 214,000 in 2024, according to the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Singapore Digital Economy Report 2025, with AI and Data and Cybersecurity among the fastest-growing technology occupations. The latest MOM data also shows concrete entry-level demand. As at March 2026, Information and Communications recorded 200 vacancies for software developers, 130 for IT support technicians and 80 for computer engineers among its entry-level jobs with higher vacancy counts.

Technology graduates are therefore finding opportunities not only within technology companies but also across finance, manufacturing, professional services and other industries.

Financial and professional services are evolving with technology

Singapore’s financial sector continues to provide opportunities across banking, insurance, investment, risk and compliance. As at March 2026, MOM identified financial compliance officer or risk analyst, insurance sales agent or broker, and financial or investment adviser among the entry-level Financial and Insurance Services roles with higher vacancy counts, with 30 vacancies recorded for each occupation. Technology is also changing the nature of financial services, with institutions applying analytics, automation and AI across areas such as fraud detection, customer service and risk management.

Professional Services provides opportunities across both corporate and technical functions. MOM’s March 2026 data identified 100 vacancies for resident technical officers, 60 for auditors and 50 for IT support technicians among the sector’s entry-level jobs with higher vacancy counts. As AI increasingly assists with research, analysis and routine processes, graduates who combine professional knowledge with digital capabilities, communication and judgement may be better positioned for changing roles.

Healthcare and social services continue to offer graduate pathways

Health and Social Services continues to provide entry-level opportunities for graduates. As at March 2026, MOM identified 210 vacancies for social workers, 190 for registered nurses and other nursing professionals, and 80 for social work associates among the sector’s entry-level jobs with higher vacancy counts. These roles demonstrate that graduate demand extends beyond digital careers. Specialised professional knowledge and interpersonal skills remain important in sectors where human interaction and service delivery are central.

AI is changing entry-level roles rather than simply removing them

Generative AI has raised concerns among students and parents about its impact on graduate employment. MOM data presents a more nuanced picture. Among firms that had adopted AI, 6 per cent reported reducing headcount and 8 per cent lowering hiring activity, while 19 per cent redesigned roles and 14 per cent created AI-related jobs. The impact of AI has therefore been more visible in job redesign than broad-based hiring reductions. Fresh graduates may increasingly be expected to use AI tools, interpret data, assess AI-generated information and focus on areas requiring judgement, communication and problem-solving.

Skills-based hiring is changing how graduates compete

Employers are also looking increasingly beyond qualifications alone. MOM’s Job Vacancies 2025 report found that academic qualifications were not the main consideration for 79.6 per cent of vacancies.

This places greater emphasis on what graduates can demonstrate alongside their qualification, including internships, technical capabilities, communication, teamwork and analytical thinking. For students choosing a degree, employability is therefore not only about entering a growing industry but also about developing skills and experience that employers value.

SIM graduate outcomes reflect employment across diverse industries

Graduate employment data provides another way for students and parents to assess career outcomes. According to the Private Education Institution Graduate Employment Survey 2024/2025, 81.0 per cent of SIM fresh graduates surveyed secured employment, while 47.0 per cent were in full-time permanent employment. The median gross monthly salary was S$3,565. Across all private education institutions surveyed, 78.9 per cent of fresh graduates secured employment, with a median gross monthly salary of S$3,500.

SIM’s Graduate Employment Survey also shows graduates entering sectors including banking and financial services, ICT and cybersecurity, consulting and professional services, aviation and engineering, healthcare and social services, logistics and transportation, retail and manufacturing. Employment outcomes remain dependent on factors including programme choice, individual skills, work experience and labour-market conditions.

Parents can consider employability alongside programme fit

For parents supporting higher education decisions, current hiring trends provide useful context, but today’s strongest industry may not necessarily offer the greatest opportunities several years from now. A broader assessment can include a student’s interests and strengths, programme curriculum, awarding university, recognition, fees, career support and graduate employment outcomes.

The SIM Parent Resource Hub brings these considerations together, covering degree pathways, programme recognition, fees and financial support, student care and graduate employability. Its Graduate Outcomes & Employability resource provides information on SIM’s PEI Graduate Employment Survey results, industries and organisations where SIM graduates have worked, and career and internship support available to students.

These resources can help parents consider not only where jobs are available today, but how a higher education pathway can help their child develop relevant knowledge, experience and transferable capabilities.

Career resilience increasingly depends on transferable skills

Singapore’s labour-market data shows that opportunities for fresh graduates remain spread across multiple industries. Financial Services, Professional Services and Information and Communications continue to offer professional opportunities, while Healthcare and Social Services, also show meaningful entry-level demand.

For students entering higher education, career preparation may therefore be less about identifying one “future-proof” industry and more about developing disciplinary knowledge, practical experience and transferable skills that can remain valuable as employment needs change. Parents and students can refer to the SIM Parent Resource Hub, including its Graduate Outcomes & Employability resource, when evaluating degree pathways, employability, recognition, fees and student support.

References

1. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Fresh Graduate Employment – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/parliament-questions-and-replies/2026/0804-written-answer-to-pq-on-fresh-graduate-employment
2. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Trends in Job Vacancies – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/parliament-questions-and-replies/2026/0805-written-answer-to-pq-on-trends-in-job-vacancies
3. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Sectors with Active Hiring and Wage Growth – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/parliament-questions-and-replies/2026/0113-written-answer-to-pq-on-sectors-with-active-hiring-and-wage-growth
4. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Job Vacancies 2025 – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0320-job-vacancies-report-2025
5. Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Ministry of Manpower. List of Entry-Level PMET Job Opportunities for Fresh Graduates – https://stats.mom.gov.sg/iMAS_PdfLibrary/List-of-top-entry-level-PMET-job-opportunities-for-fresh-graduates-Q1-2026.pdf
6. Infocomm Media Development Authority. Singapore Digital Economy Report 2025 – https://www.imda.gov.sg/resources/press-releases-factsheets-and-speeches/factsheets/2025/ar-sgde-2025
7. Singapore Institute of Management. Parent Resource Hub: Helping Your Child Choose the Right Degree Pathway – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/parent-resource-hub
8. Singapore Institute of Management. Graduate Outcomes & Employability – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/parent-resource-hub/graduate-outcome-employability

Hashtag: #SIMGlobalEducation #SIMGE #GlobalEducation #InternationalDegree #CareerReady #FutureSkills

https://www.sim.edu.sg/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About SIM Global Education

SIM Global Education (SIM GE) is a leading private education institution in Singapore and the region. We offer more than 140 academic programmes ranging from diplomas and graduate diploma programmes to bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes with some of the world’s most reputable universities from Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, and the United States. SIM GE’s cohort is made up of 17,000 full- and part-time students and adult learners, of which approximately 41% are international students hailing from over 50 countries.

SIM GE’s holistic learning approach and culturally diverse learning environment aim to equip students with knowledge, industry skills and employability competencies, as well as a global perspective to succeed as future leaders in a fast-changing, technologically driven world.

For more information on SIM Global Education, visit www.sim.edu.sg

Mr. Irwin founded Rosseau Asset Management Ltd. in 1998, following several successful years in proprietary investing at Deutsche Bank Canada. Rosseau’s flagship fund, Rosseau LP, was established on December 31, 1998 and has earned a strong reputation for investment performance and disciplined, research-driven decision-making. In his time at Rosseau, Mr. Irwin has had extensive experience investing in offshore oil projects off the coasts of South America and Africa, and onshore projects throughout the world.

Prior to founding Rosseau, Mr. Irwin’s experience also includes corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions at CIBC Wood Gundy, credit analysis and fixed-income management at Scotia Capital Markets, and proprietary trading at Deutsche Bank Canada. Mr. Irwin holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.

“Warren’s extensive financial, investment and capital-markets background along with his passion for offshore oil exploration will be a significant asset to Colossal Energy Fields,” said Curtis Cohen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Colossal Energy.

“His analytical mindset, discipline, governance and professionalism will greatly strengthen funding resource opportunities, as well as capital allocation and long-term shareholder value.”

Colossal Energy’s commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth shines brightest in nations where its investments in energy access, community empowerment, and equitable development directly advance energy equity for all.

Hashtag: #ColossalEnergyFieldsCorp.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Colossal Energy Fields Corp.

Colossal Energy Fields Corp is a Canadian oil and gas exploration company focused on exploration and production opportunities in Africa. Proven Upstream Pedigree. Colossal Energy has deep expertise in exploring offshore opportunities and developing near-to-producing field opportunities.

  By R. Suryamurthy India’s trade with BRICS has expanded dramatically, but the numbers reveal an uncomfortable imbalance beneath the rhetoric about a multipolar world and alternative financial architecture. Between FY2021 and FY2026, India’s total merchandise trade with the 11-member grouping more than doubled, from $203.1 billion to $417.5 billion. Yet the expansion was overwhelmingly […]

The article Bricks cannot de-dollarise its way out of India’s huge trade imbalance appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

New report, authored by GSMA Intelligence in partnership with Huawei, released at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week

• Digital literacy – not coverage – is the main barrier keeping 3.1 billion people offline.
• AI could potentially widen the digital literacy gap.
• Bridging the usage gap could boost global GDP by $3.5 trillion from 2023 to 2030.
• Citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative, the report urges policymakers, telcos, and tech vendors to treat AI literacy as critical infrastructure.

PARIS, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – More than one in three (38%) people remains offline despite being covered by mobile broadband – and a lack of digital literacy skills is often to blame, according to new research published today.

The new report, “Bridging the Divide: Enhancing Digital Literacy in the AI Era,” authored by GSMA Intelligence and produced in collaboration with Huawei, identifies a digital divide impacting 3.1 billion people caused by a shortage of digital skills, user trust and AI literacy.

AI raises both access and risk

Existing industry projections suggest closing the capability gap could add around $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with more than 90% of those gains flowing to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Physical mobile broadband coverage currently reaches 96% of people worldwide.

The report, unveiled at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, suggests artificial intelligence could act as both a bridge and a barrier for underserved communities. AI-powered voice assistants and applications that work with images, audio and video can all help low-literacy users bypass the need to input text. At the same time, they raise the security and critical-thinking standards required to participate safely. However, the study warns that users must now be able to understand data privacy and identify risks such as fraud and deepfakes.

The research cites World Bank statistics that GenAI literacy represents the highest-value skill category, with wage premiums up to 36%, far exceeding returns for both digital and traditional AI skills.

Without targeted interventions in basic digital training, the authors warn, rapid AI adoption risks entrenching existing inequalities even in areas with full network coverage.

Mobile classrooms build skills in remote areas

Digital inclusion initiatives typically target those most at risk of digital exclusion, including rural and remote communities, children and teachers in rural schools, older people, and women and girls.

The report emphasizes the need for community-based delivery models, citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative as a field-tested example — particularly its solar-powered DigiTruck mobile classrooms, which bring hardware, rural connectivity and hands-on training, including AI literacy, to off-grid regions.

Since 2019, training courses delivered by Skills on Wheels projects have reached more than 130,000 people across 21 countries, with more people benefiting indirectly. DigiTruck trainers encourage trainees to share their new skills, which is shown to occur in practice. A report on DigiTruck by Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy shows that 79% of DigiTruck trainees surveyed had passed on their newly acquired digital skills to family members and peers.

Policymakers urged to treat AI literacy as core infrastructure

To bridge the usage gap, the report urges policymakers, telecom operators and technology vendors to work together and focus on four priorities：

• Treating practical AI awareness, online safety and information verification as a baseline national qualification.
• Adopting multilingual voice and conversational interfaces across public services to minimise user-side technical hurdles.
• Scaling up mobile learning units through cross-sector partnerships that combine operator connectivity, vendor technology and local NGO networks.
• Measuring performance by independent task completion and fraud resilience rather than trainee numbers.

“Digital literacy can no longer be defined by static thresholds,” said Tim Hatt, head of research and consultancy at GSMA Intelligence. “Connectivity alone is insufficient — capabilities, system design and trust must evolve together. To capture this multi-trillion-dollar opportunity, stakeholders must integrate layered AI literacy directly into daily livelihoods through trusted community channels.”

“Mobile classrooms have demonstrated immense value in helping underserved populations break through physical and psychological barriers to technology,” said Gavin Allen, Executive Editor-in-Chief at Huawei. “We will continue working alongside local governments and industry partners to drive digital literacy, ensuring that no one is left behind as we transition into the AI economy.”

A new DigiTruck program will launch in France this autumn, covering several cities in the Île-de-France region and targeting low-income and underserved communities with digital skills training.

The full report is available on the GSMA Intelligence research portal:
https://www.gsmaintelligence.com/research/bridging-the-divide-enhancing-digital-literacy-in-the-ai-era

FAQ

Q1: What is the main purpose of this report?
A: The report analyzes the critical importance of enhancing digital skills in the AI era, highlighting digital literacy as a layered and evolving capability. It calls on all stakeholders to collaborate in accelerating global digital inclusion and skill development.

Q2: What does it mean for policymakers to treat “AI literacy as core infrastructure”?
A: It means shifting policy focus from just building physical base stations to funding human capabilities. The report urges governments to integrate baseline AI awareness, online security, and media verification into national qualification frameworks, treating digital skills as an essential public utility alongside electricity and broadband.

Hashtag: #Huawei

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The Sinopec Economics & Development Research Institute said petrol and diesel would account for most of the reduction, with petrol demand projected to drop 8.7% from a year earlier to 149 million tonnes and diesel consumption to fall 11.4% to 164 million tonnes. Jet fuel demand, by contrast, is forecast to rise 1.3% to 41.55 million tonnes.

The forecast underscores a sharper structural shift in the world’s biggest crude importer, where transport electrification is steadily reducing dependence on petroleum fuels while the US-Iran war has pushed up energy prices and disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The institute said the combination of high prices and changing transport patterns was weakening consumption across key refined products.

China’s oil demand has now declined for three straight years, according to the institute, strengthening evidence that growth in transport fuel use has peaked. The International Energy Agency has separately estimated that electric vehicles displaced about one million barrels a day of oil demand in China during 2025, roughly 15% of the road-transport demand that would otherwise have been required if the fleet had remained dominated by internal-combustion vehicles.

The IEA expects the displacement effect to deepen as the electric fleet expands, with electric vehicles in China projected to displace about 2.7 million barrels a day by 2030 under current policy settings. China already has the world’s largest stock of electric vehicles, and electrification is spreading beyond passenger cars into buses and heavy trucks, where diesel use has historically been substantial.

The IEA has said China’s transport oil consumption has flattened despite economic growth, as electric vehicles, gas-powered trucks and high-speed rail increasingly replace petroleum-based travel and freight.

The Sinopec research unit also lowered its outlook for crude processing, putting China’s 2026 refinery throughput at 697 million tonnes. Sinopec itself, the world’s largest refiner by capacity, has set a second-half oil throughput target of 113 million tonnes, broadly unchanged from the first half, according to its interim results.

Refining capacity is nevertheless expected to reach 952 million tonnes a year, equivalent to about 19.04 million barrels a day, in 2026. The research institute said tighter policy requirements and falling domestic demand would speed the closure of inefficient plants, particularly smaller and medium-sized refineries with limited product ranges.

It estimated that facilities representing 80 million to 100 million tonnes of annual refining capacity could leave the market. That would reduce national refining capacity to between 900 million and 910 million tonnes a year by the end of 2030, a contraction of as much as 5.5% from the 2026 level.

Weakness is also evident in petrochemicals. Although profits in China’s chemical industry rose by more than 50% year on year during the first seven months of 2026, the institute said apparent demand remained subdued. It forecast full-year ethylene-equivalent consumption to decline 8% because of high costs and inventory pressures.

The demand outlook has wider implications for global oil markets because China’s purchases have long been a major source of incremental consumption. Lower demand has helped restrain crude imports and limit price gains even as the conflict involving the United States and Iran has disrupted Gulf supply routes and tightened physical markets.

Brent crude climbed above $100 a barrel on Wednesday as renewed attacks raised fears of further supply losses. Yet weaker consumption in China remains an important counterweight to the supply shock, with traders weighing the effects of reduced imports against disruption across the Middle East.

The annual GII ranking evaluates innovation activity through three core metrics: international patent filings via WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), scientific publications and the number of venture capital deals. For this year’s ranking, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster filed 2,259 PCT applications, published 4,060 scientific articles and had 138 venture capital deals, all per 1 million inhabitants over the past five years.

Welcoming the announcement, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government said the ranking reaffirms the outstanding innovative capacity and the innovation and technology (I&T)-supporting financing ecosystem of the GBA.

“Expediting I&T development has been a policy priority of this Government,” the spokesman added, highlighting the HKSAR Government’s continuous development of the original grant patent system and introduction of the patent box regime, which offers tax concessions for intellectual property income to promote innovation.

The HKSAR Government’s strategic investments are already yielding tangible results. The number of start-ups in Hong Kong has surged from over 1,500 in 2015 to more than 5,200 in 2025. The city’s two I&T flagships—Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport—have collectively nurtured around 20 unicorns to date.

A landmark development in this trajectory is the official opening of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (the Loop Hong Kong Park) in December 2025. Over 100 technology enterprises and institutions have already signed leases and begun moving in. The Loop Hong Kong Park is poised to serve as an important platform for basic scientific research, commercialisation, pilot production, and international I&T collaboration within the GBA.

Furthermore, the establishment of the San Tin Technopole Company Limited in June 2026 is set to develop 210 hectares of I&T land in the San Tin Technopole, which is located in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis development. It will create a vital node for integrated upstream, midstream and downstream industrial development, alongside the Loop Hong Kong Park.

Hong Kong’s financial machinery remains a cornerstone of its innovation success. The city boasts a vibrant private equity market with assets under management nearing US$250 billion, ranking second in Asia after the Chinese Mainland.

Looking ahead, Hong Kong will proactively align its strategy with the National 15th Five-Year Plan to fortify its position as an international I&T centre. The city will also further deepen collaboration with GBA sister cities, and contribute to the nation’s efforts in building a modern industrial system and achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and strength.

Hashtag: #HongKong #Shenzhen #Guangzhou #InnovationCluster #Top #GBA #I&T

https://www.brandhk.gov.hk/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-hong-kong/
https://x.com/Brand_HK/
https://www.facebook.com/brandhk.isd
https://www.instagram.com/brandhongkong

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.