HSITP GAS Expansion Acceleration Grant
The third rung of the HSITP (Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park) three-tier ladder: GAS@HSITP, an expansion acceleration grant for high-growth tech start-ups — up to HK$6M over 4 years for life & health tech, up to HK$3M over 3 years for AI & data science, usable for R&D / trials, professional services, accelerators, exhibitions & competitions, and business & international expansion. You must be an IGNITE participant / current park tenant / or commit to residency within 6 months; HK company under 10 years old, founders holding ≥51%.
You're a high-growth HK tech start-up (life & health / AI, under 10 years old, ≥2 full-time staff, founders holding ≥51%), already in IGNITE / a park tenant / or willing to move in within 6 months, and want funding plus acceleration services to scale.
Still at seed / incubation stage → start with SPIN / IGNITE; not in life & health / AI, or unwilling to move into the Loop → compare HKSTP Incubation / Cyberport CIP.
- Deadline / window
- One intake per year; the last round (2025 cycle) closed 2025-12-30; next round to be announced
- Duration
- Life & health 4 years · AI 3 years
- Company age
- Hong Kong-registered private company under 10 years old; founders holding ≥51% combined
- Employees
- ≥2 full-time staff; ≥50% of on-site staff in tech R&D
- For whom
- High-growth life & health tech / AI & data science start-ups; must be an IGNITE participant / current park tenant / or commit to residency at the Loop park within 6 months of acceptance; R&D and administration must be carried out in Hong Kong
- Online application (HSITP incubatee portal)
- Business plan (expansion / commercialisation / international growth)
What the grant covers
GAS targets high-growth expansion, so its scope is broad: R&D / proof-of-concept / product trials, professional services, participation in accelerator programmes, engaging domain experts, exhibitions / conferences / competitions, business-development costs, and international expansion opportunities; plus mentorship from incubators and industry partners.
Two tracks + where it sits
Life & health tech → 4 years / up to HK$6M; AI & data science → 3 years / up to HK$3M. GAS is the third rung of the HSITP ladder (SPIN → IGNITE → GAS), following IGNITE for scale-up; it also accepts high-growth start-ups not yet in the ladder who are willing to move into the park.
- 1
Check the residency gate
You must already be in IGNITE / a park tenant / or willing to move into the Loop park within 6 months of acceptance; R&D and administration in Hong Kong.
Pitfall: Unwillingness to move into the park disqualifies you outright.
- 2
Pick your track + check shareholding / staff
Life & health → 4 years / HK$6M; AI → 3 years / HK$3M. Confirm the HK company is under 10 years old, has ≥2 full-time staff, ≥50% of on-site staff in R&D, and founders holding ≥51%.
Pitfall: Founders below ≥51% are disqualified outright.
- 3
Submit online → assessment → due diligence & signing
Via the HSITP incubatee portal: online application → screening → interview → due diligence → signing.
Pitfall: Have your expansion / international-growth use of funds and milestones ready.
- 4
Draw funding → deploy for expansion
Draw funds against the approved use, with acceleration services, experts and international-expansion matching.
- 01High-growth, already in IGNITE / the park → apply for GAS (life & health HK$6M / AI HK$3M).
- 02Still at seed / incubation stage → start with SPIN / IGNITE.
- 03Enquiries ecosystem@hsitp.org / +852 3189 1590; apply via hsitp-crm-incubatee.powerappsportals.com.
Amounts, terms and eligibility come from the HSITP official GAS sub-page (verified 2026-07-18). The 2025-12-30 deadline is the previous (2025) cycle's — kept so readers can keep watching, but the next round's deadline is subject to official announcement.