HKSTP and Roche Sign Strategic Partnership to Foster MedTech Innovation

The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and Roche signed a strategic cooperation agreement on October 15, 2026, aimed at deepening collaboration in the fields of medical technology and biopharmaceutical innovation. This initiative will further connect research, clinical, and industrial resources, accelerating the transformation of innovative solutions from research outcomes to clinical applications and the market, thereby providing startups with broader development opportunities and promoting Hong Kong as an international hub for medical innovation.

Background and Objectives of the Collaboration

This partnership builds on the collaboration initiated in 2023, focusing on "End-to-End Translational and Commercialization Support." By integrating HKSTP's innovation ecosystem with Roche's clinical, research, and global network, it aims to provide more comprehensive support for promising medical technology and biopharmaceutical startups.

The early stages of collaboration concentrated on three main pillars: policy advocacy, joint nurturing and acceleration of startups, and creating a critical data-sharing environment. Both parties will facilitate medical innovation policies and industry exchanges through industry forums and high-level roundtable meetings, and launch joint nurturing and acceleration programs to assist local and mainland startups in connecting with Hong Kong and overseas markets.

Focus Areas for the New Phase of Cooperation

Entering a new phase, the collaboration will respond to Hong Kong's first "Five-Year Plan" and the government's "prevention-oriented" healthcare policy direction, focusing on medical technology, artificial intelligence (AI), early screening, clinical trials, and health management to address the growing health demands of an aging population and increasing chronic diseases. Specific areas of collaboration include:

• Introducing leading global AI medical technologies to promote early screening for local cancers and chronic diseases.
• Leveraging Roche's extensive clinical trial experience to accelerate the clinical translation and development of the local startup ecosystem.
• Combining the resources of the Science Park's Incu-Bio with Roche's global network to jointly develop Hong Kong as an international medical innovation hub.

The signing ceremony was officiated and witnessed by Mr. Chan King-sun, Director of the Key Enterprises Office of the Financial Secretary's Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Mr. Simon Wong, CEO of HKSTP, and Ms. He Mei-yun, Regional Head of Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific.

Ms. Xie Li-juan, Director of Life and Health Technology at HKSTP, stated that HKSTP has always provided one-stop support for life and health technology enterprises from research to market and will further deepen its incubation programs by jointly organizing startup competitions to discover high-translational potential life science innovation projects.

Looking Ahead

The deepened collaboration between HKSTP and Roche will further leverage both parties' strengths, creating more clinical validation and international collaboration opportunities for local startups, and enhancing Hong Kong's role as a more active connector and hub in the global medical innovation landscape. Mr. Lo Tsz-hin, General Manager of Roche Diagnostics (Hong Kong) Limited, emphasized that the healthcare model needs to gradually shift towards more proactive prevention, early identification, and health management, and this collaboration will help introduce advanced international technologies and experiences, further improving Hong Kong's life and health technology ecosystem.

Source: Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation