Support for SMEs

To support and encourage research and development (R&D) collaboration among universities, research institutes and technology enterprises in Hong Kong and the Mainland.

• Support platform and collaborative R&D projects with an element of Mainland and Hong Kong cooperation.
• Maximum Project Duration: 24 months.
• Industry Sponsorship: at least 10% of the total project cost for platform projects; at least 50% of the total project cost for collaborative projects.
• Intellectual Property (IP) Rights Ownership: lead applicant for platform projects; industry co-applicant for collaborative projects if it contributes at least 50% of the total project cost.
• R&D work of the projects must be conducted in both Hong Kong and the Mainland.
• Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) will provide funding to the Hong Kong and Mainland applicant organisations respectively, and will monitor project progress according to their own requirements.

The lead applicant must be an R&D Centre* or a designated local public research institute#. The industry co-applicant for collaborative projects can be either a company incorporated in Hong Kong under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622); or an industry support organisation, a trade and industry association or professional body which has the legal capacity to enter into contracts.

*R&D Centres refer to -

• Automotive Platforms and Application Systems R&D Centre;
• Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel;
• Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, designated as the R&D Centre for Information and Communications Technologies;
• Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre; and
• Nano and Advanced Materials Institute.

#Designated local public research institutes refer to local universities (including all University Grants Committee-funded institutions), self-financing degree-awarding institutions registered under the Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320), the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Vocational Training Council, the Clothing Industry Training Authority and the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology.

• Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme invites applications for funding once a year. Please visit the Scheme's website for the application periods. 
• Applications must be submitted simultaneously by the Hong Kong and Mainland applicant organisations (Mainland partners) to ITC and MOST respectively. Unilateral submission will not be accepted.