RAISe+ Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme
A HK$10 billion pot to commercialise university R&D through matching grants: HK$10M–100M per project, with ≥70% of IP returns kept by the research team. It's for R&D teams at the eight UGC-funded universities with start-up potential — you can't apply as an individual; you must be part of a university team and submit through your university's Technology Transfer Office (TTO), and industry matching sponsorship is a hard requirement. Round three closed on 2025-10-31; the next round's dates are unannounced.
You're a member of an R&D team at one of the eight UGC-funded universities (staff / researcher) with commercialisable research, want large-scale funding to build it into a start-up, and can line up an industry partner to co-fund the match.
Solo founders, non-university teams, or anyone who can't attach to an eight-university R&D team — this is not a scheme an individual can just click to apply for (see TSSSU for university-linked teams, or HKSTP / Cyberport).
- Deadline / window
- Annual — a round opens around September–October each year. Round three closed on 2025-10-31 (window 2025-09-11 to 2025-10-31); the next round (round four) has no announced dates
- For whom
- R&D teams at the eight UGC-funded universities (with potential to commercialise into a start-up); each university may submit up to 15 applications per round; ≥70% of IP returns go to the research team
- Submitted via the university's Technology Transfer Office (TTO); must include a commercialisation plan, a committed industry matching sponsorship, and the IP arrangement
Most readers benefit indirectly: the real participation path
The applicant for RAISe+ is one of the eight UGC-funded universities, not an individual or company. Funds go to the university, which submits and administers on behalf of its research team; a founder not attached to a university R&D team cannot apply directly. It is a key path for university-spinout / tech-transfer founders — up to HK$100M per project, ≥70% of IP kept by the team — but only if you have a team and commercialisable research inside one of the eight universities.
Two phases and the matching structure
The scheme drives research to market in two phases. Phase 1 carries a higher government match (up to 2:1, with industry and the university together putting up one share); Phase 2 tightens to 1:1 government-to-industry, closer to full market funding. An industry sponsor must stay invested throughout.
- 1
Confirm you're part of an eight-university R&D team
RAISe+ only accepts submissions from universities; confirm your work sits under an R&D team at a UGC-funded university.
Pitfall: Approaching ITC directly as an individual or start-up — wrong door, not accepted.
- 2
Line up industry matching sponsorship
Find an industry partner willing to co-fund and secure their commitment — this is mandatory and sets the project's scale.
Pitfall: Treating matching sponsorship as something to add later — without it the application is void.
- 3
Submit through the university's TTO
Prepare the commercialisation plan, sponsorship commitment and IP arrangement, give them to your university's TTO, and the university submits online via the ITF system (itf.gov.hk/rpfas).
Pitfall: Each university may file only 15 per round and may run an internal contest first — miss the internal deadline and you wait for the next round.
- 4
Watch for the next round (round four unannounced)
Round three closed 2025-10-31; a round opens roughly September–October each year. Watch the official page for round-four dates.
Pitfall: Assuming it's always open — it's one round a year; miss it and you wait a year.
How competitive the internal contest for a university's 15 slots really is, and how they're ranked — pending a first-hand interview.· First-hand insight in the works
To be supplied by an interview with a recommended team / university TTO.
Where lining up an industry matching sponsor actually stalls in practice — pending a first-hand interview.· First-hand insight in the works
To be supplied by an interview with a funded team.
How the ≥70%-to-team IP split translates into concrete rights and revenue sharing with the university — pending a first-hand interview.· First-hand insight in the works
To be supplied by an interview with a funded team / university TTO.
- 01Linked to an eight-university R&D team → contact your university's TTO first for the next round's internal deadline and slot allocation.
- 02Secure industry matching first → without a matching commitment the project can't launch.
- 03No university R&D-team link → look instead at TSSSU (university-linked start-ups) or HKSTP / Cyberport.
The scheme is applied for by the eight UGC-funded universities on behalf of research teams, not by individuals / companies directly; company age / turnover / employees are not scheme thresholds and are omitted. Amounts and rounds follow the latest official figures.
Sources
- S70 产学研1+ (RAISe+)