Support for SMEs

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

The Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme and the Guangdong-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme have been merged as the Mainland-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme.

• Support platform and collaborative R&D projects with an element of Mainland and Hong Kong cooperation.
• Three categories of projects under MHKTCFS are as follows:
  - Projects jointly funded by Mainland and Hong Kong (jointly solicited with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST));
  - Projects jointly funded by Guangdong and Hong Kong (jointly solicited with the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province); and
  - Projects jointly funded by Shenzhen and Hong Kong (jointly solicited with the Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality).
• R&D work of the projects must be conducted in both the Mainland and Hong Kong.
• 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.
• ITC and MOST/the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province/the Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality 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 already incorporated in Hong Kong under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622); or an established 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 -
•    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;
•    Nano and Advanced Materials Institute; and
•    Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute (MRDI).

#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 Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme invites applications for funding once a year. The application period for projects jointly funded by Guangdong / Shenzhen and Hong Kong in 2025 is 23 June 2025 to 22 August 2025 while the application period of projects jointly funded by Mainland and Hong Kong will be announced in due course. All applications must be submitted simultaneously by the Hong Kong and Mainland applicant organisations to ITC and MOST/the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province/the Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality respectively. Unilateral submission will not be accepted.

Only project proposals with the specific themes/topics (listed in the Annex of the Guide to Filling in the MHKTCFS Application Form (Chinese version only)) will be accepted.

• Guide to Filling in the Mainland-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme Application Forms (Chinese Version Only)
• Funding and Administrative Guidelines for Successful Applicants (Mainland-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme)
• Guide on Intellectual Property Arrangements for Research and Development Projects funded under the Innovation and Technology Fund