HSITP IGNITE Enterprise Programme
The second rung of the HSITP (Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park) three-tier ladder: IGNITE@HSITP helps start-ups commercialise R&D — up to HK$6M over 4 years for life & health tech, up to HK$1M over 2 years for AI & data science, plus rent-free park offices (management fees apply), mentorship and investor matching. For HK tech companies under 5 years old, with ≥2 full-time staff and founders holding ≥51%. Strong performers can be nominated to GAS.
You have an HK tech company under 5 years old (life & health / AI, ≥2 full-time staff, founders holding ≥51%), want to commercialise R&D, and are willing to move into the Loop park for funding, rent-free space and investor matching.
Only an idea / early-stage team → start with SPIN; already at high-growth expansion → see GAS; 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 2 years
- Company age
- Hong Kong-registered private company under 5 years old; founders holding ≥51% combined
- Employees
- ≥2 full-time staff; ≥50% of on-site staff in tech R&D
- For whom
- Life & health tech / AI & data science, commercialising R&D outputs; take up residency at the HSITP within 6 months of acceptance
- Online application (HSITP incubatee portal)
- Business plan (technology / team / commercialisation)
Two tracks — which one?
Match yourself by field — the amount and term differ a lot:
What you get + where it sits
Cash funding + rent-free park offices in the Loop (management fees apply) + shared facilities (meeting rooms / multipurpose spaces) + mentorship from incubators and industry partners + investor / partner matching. IGNITE is the second rung of the HSITP ladder (SPIN → IGNITE → GAS): commercialise R&D, and strong performers can be nominated to expansion acceleration (GAS).
- 1
Pick your track
Life & health → 4 years / up to HK$6M; AI & data science → 2 years / up to HK$1M.
Pitfall: The wrong track means very different amounts and terms.
- 2
Check eligibility, shareholding and staff
Confirm the HK company is under 5 years old, has ≥2 full-time staff, ≥50% of on-site staff in R&D, and founders holding ≥51%.
Pitfall: Founders below ≥51%, or too few full-time staff, disqualifies you outright.
- 3
Submit online → assessment → due diligence
Via the HSITP incubatee portal: online application → screening → interview → due diligence → signing.
Pitfall: You can't take part in another incubation programme at the same time.
- 4
Move in within 6 months → draw funding + use facilities
Take up residency at the Loop park within 6 months of acceptance; rent-free offices and matching are activated at the same time.
- 01Life & health → 4 years / up to HK$6M; AI → 2 years / up to HK$1M.
- 02No company yet / early → start with SPIN (seed up to HK$150K); at expansion stage → see GAS.
- 03Enquiries ecosystem@hsitp.org / +852 3189 1590; apply via hsitp-crm-incubatee.powerappsportals.com.
Amounts, terms and eligibility come from the HSITP official IGNITE 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.