Hong Kong ICT Awards
Hong Kong's longest-running and most widely recognised ICT award, run by the Digital Policy Office and in its 20th edition in 2026: 8 awards across 24 categories, covering everything from fintech and smart living to start-ups and student innovation, with one industry chamber organising each stream. Entrants must be a Hong Kong-registered company or a Hong Kong resident, and the product must have been on the market or in operation for at least three months. The 2026 edition opened on 28 April and closed on 20 July, with the ceremony on 19 November.
You have an ICT product, solution or service already selling or already running, with the R&D mostly done in Hong Kong, and you want a government-run endorsement that both mainland and local buyers recognise.
The product is still in development or hasn't been on the market for three months (the Student Innovation Award aside); or the R&D isn't based in Hong Kong — the 'Hong Kong resources' condition is hard.
- Entry / deadline
- The 2026 edition opened 28 April and closed 20 July (now closed); the next edition normally opens in spring — watch the official page
- Ceremony
- Awards presentation ceremony and dinner, 19 November 2026
- Who can enter
- A Hong Kong-registered company or a Hong Kong resident
- Hong Kong link
- A substantial part of the innovative design and R&D must come from Hong Kong resources
- Other conditions
- Outside the Student Innovation Award, the product / service must have been on the market or in real operation for at least three months; you must own the IP or hold lawful rights; the same entry may not be submitted to more than one award category
- Company / business registration
- Proof of market launch or operation (delivery notes, invoices or a public announcement)
- IP ownership or lawful-rights documents
The 8 awards and 24 categories
Each award is organised independently by one industry chamber, with its own entry site, judging panel and rules. When picking a category, look first at who organises it — that decides which circle sits on the panel.
What winning actually gets you
Gold, silver and bronze winners get a trophy, the right to use the official mark, and promotional support. SMEs also get two tangible things: three months of co-working space at Science Park or Cyberport, and access to investment matching events — the latter is the most valuable part of this award for a start-up.
The judges will come and check
Judges may ask to review the entrant's information and visit the site; you'll be told in advance and everything is kept confidential. That means the claims in your entry have to survive a side-by-side with reality — writing it prettier than it is is the most common way to come unstuck here.
- 1
Pick one of the 8 awards, then the category
The same entry can't be filed across multiple award categories — pick wrong and you've spent the edition.
Pitfall: Choosing by how you see yourself rather than by which panel will judge you.
- 2
Check the three eligibility gates
Hong Kong-registered company or resident; a substantial part of the R&D from Hong Kong resources; product on the market or in operation for three months (student stream aside).
Pitfall: R&D outsourced elsewhere with only invoicing in Hong Kong won't clear the 'Hong Kong resources' test.
- 3
Submit on that award's own entry site
Each of the 8 awards has its own entry site and rules, linked from the 'Award Categories' page on the main site.
Pitfall: Cut-off times differ by category (in 2026 the student, start-up and smart living streams closed on the same date but at different times).
- 4
Prepare evidence that survives a site visit
Registration, launch or operation records, IP documents — and judges may visit.
Pitfall: No proof of IP ownership or lawful rights means ineligible, full stop.
- 01The 2026 edition has closed → look at the category table now, pick the stream you'll target next year, and work backwards from its judging criteria to what you need to build this year.
- 02Product not yet launched → get three months of launch and operating records on the board first; that gate is hard.
- 03In fintech → Web3, tokenisation and digital assets is its own category within the FinTech Award; don't file it under emerging fintech.
Entry fees aren't stated on the main official site — each organising chamber publishes its own. Category names and counts are adjusted each edition; this page records the 2026 (20th) edition's official category page.