WHERE TIGERS MEET UNICORNS當猛虎遇上獨角獸
How the RISE conference unites investors and innovators, Ireland and Hong Kong. By PHIL HEARD RISE會議為投資者與創新企業、愛爾蘭與香港兩地帶來更緊密聯繫。撰文： Phil Heard
Last year, logistics supplier GoGoVan and fintech innovator WeLab became Hong Kong’s first unicorns – companies that have attracted US$1 billion (HK$7.8 billion) in financial backing. It’s a sign that Hong Kong welcomes not just established businesses, but nascent ones, too.
These nascent businesses will be the stars of the Hong Kong tech stage next month as the RISE technology conference returns to the city.
RISE, which Cathay Pacific is sponsoring, highlights Hong Kong’s burgeoning status as a tech hub. The city is home to a network of incubators – companies that offer bursaries, subsidised workspace and mentoring – and access to investment from all kinds of financial institutions. Hong Kong’s location, close to mainland China’s southern provinces which are home to much of the world’s tech manufacturing, also helps.
As Hong Kong’s flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific has already started to capitalise on this growing reputation as a hub for tech start-ups. For the past two years, the airline has hosted its own hackathon, a two-day event in October that gives young people the opportunity to use technology to improve the overall passenger experience. Young coders learn skills while working to a strict overnight deadline. The winning idea at last year’s event was CX Touch, an app that will enable passengers to request inflight services from their smartphone, the brainchild of students from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education.
The app is now being developed, while the team also won fast-track access to the airline’s IT Graduate Trainee Programme. ‘ The hackathon gives young people the chance to explore their own ideas and improve their skills,’ says Paul Loo, chief customer and commercial officer.
And next month, Cathay Pacific extends its support of the city’s brightest young tech talent by sponsoring RISE. The event is organised by a Dublin company – fitting, given the airline starts flights to the Irish capital this month,
去年，物流供應商GoGoVan及金融科技創新企業WeLab成為香港第一批獨角獸企業。在科技世界裡，獨角獸泛指已經吸引高達十億美元（ 78億港元）資金的公司。獨角獸的出現，顯示香港不單歡迎已有良好基礎的，企業 同時亦大力支持嶄露頭角的生。商界 力軍
下月RISE科技會議重臨香江，這些新企業將成為香港科技界注目的。明星
由國泰航空的贊助 RISE會議選在香港舉行，顯示香港正迅速成為科技重鎮，地位舉足輕重。這個城市擁有多個初創企業培育中心，提供獎金、惠特 工作間及顧問服 務，更為有志創業的穿人士 針引線，促成他們與各大金融機構達成投資協議。此外，香港鄰近華南多個全球科技製造業重鎮，享有地利優勢，有助初創企業順利發展。
國泰航空是香港的旗艦航空公司，亦已早著先機，乘著香港邁向科技初創企業樞趨紐的 勢，把握這個難得的。機會 過去兩年，國泰均於10月舉辦為期兩日的程式編寫馬拉松Hackathon，讓年輕人大展身手，利用科技提升乘客的體整 旅程體驗。年輕的程式編寫員雖然要在嚴格的時間限制下通宵工作，但同時亦獲得寶貴的經驗和技巧。去年在Hackathon中脫穎而出應的用程式CX Touch，由香港專業教育學院的生學 編寫，讓乘客可使用自己的智能電話提出各種機上服務的要求。
這個應用程式目前已進入開發階段，而負責構思的團隊亦獲優先參加國泰航空IT Graduate Trainee Programme見習計劃的。機會 國泰航空顧客及商務總裁盧家培表示「： Hackathon讓年輕人有機會探索自己的創意概念，改並 進實踐技巧。」
國泰航空將贊助下月的舉行 RISE會議，支持香港年輕科技專才發揮。由所長 會議 一家都柏林公司主辦，正好配合國泰於本月開通飛往都柏林的，航線 令亞洲及「凱爾特之虎」（形容於1990至2000年代經濟急速增長的愛爾蘭）建立直的濟接 經 聯繫。
RISE會議於7月9至12日假香港會議展覽中心舉行，預期將有15,000人前來參加。屆時來自110個國家的投資者及初創企業雲升會議，更邀來Microsoft主席Brad Smith、Tinder創辦人Sean Rad、獵豹移動
making a direct link between the Asian and ‘Celtic tiger’ economies.
RISE, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during 9-12 July, is set to attract 15,000 people. It features investors and start-ups from 110 countries, with keynote speakers including Microsoft president Brad Smith, Tinder founder Sean Rad, Cheetah Mobile chief executive Fu Sheng and Cathay Pacific chief executive Rupert Hogg.
RISE also provides young start-ups with an opportunity to meet investors. Paddy Cosgrave, chief executive and co-founder of Web Summit and RISE, says this is critical to the event’s success. ‘ The presence of investors is incredibly important – it’s the beating heart of RISE – and the amount of available capital is phenomenal.’
Networking is also taken very seriously at RISE, with events held both during and after that encourage start-ups seeking funding to meet investors in an offline environment.
‘ We wanted to be somewhere in Asia that had amazing infrastructure, amazing global connectivity and a thriving tech ecosystem. Hong Kong does those things and is very strongly represented at RISE,’ says Cosgrave.
That’s why the conference is such a good fit for Cathay Pacific.
Edward Bell, general manager of brand, insights and marketing communications at Cathay Pacific, adds: ‘ With our increased focus on technology and innovation, it seems natural to reinforce our commitment to young entrepreneurs through the hackathon and now RISE.
‘Start-ups tend to be young companies run by young people and it’s natural for us to support the city that supports us. We see Hong Kong as a world-leading aviation hub, now we want people to see that Hong Kong is also an equally dynamic tech hub with bright sparky minds – and that is something we are very happy to promote.’
首席執行官傅盛，以及國泰航空行政總裁何杲擔任專題演講嘉賓。
RISE會議亦為年輕創業家提供與投資者會面的機會。全球網絡峰會Web Summit及RISE會議的行政總裁兼共同創辦人Paddy Cosgrave表示，活動成功的關鍵，在於投資者和創業人士的交流。他表示：「投資者的支持對RISE會議相當重要，他們是活動的命脈，帶來龐大的可用資金。」
RISE會議亦十分注重建立人際網絡，在會議舉行期間及其後舉辦多個活動，促進尋求資金的初創企業在一個輕鬆的環境跟投資者交流。
Cosgrave說：「我們希望在基建完善、與全球聯繫暢通無阻，而且科技生態蓬勃的亞洲地區落腳。香港完全符合上述條件，更積極參與RISE會議。」
因此， RISE會議跟國泰航空可謂天作之合。
國泰航空品牌、洞察及市務傳訊部總經理鍾橋軒補充道：「公司對科技及創新日益重視，因此我們透過Hackathon以至現在的RISE會議，進一步支持年輕企業家，亦是理所當然的事。」
「初創企業一般都是由年輕人經營的新公司，而我們亦應該回饋支持我們的城市。香港一向被視為領導全球航空業的樞紐；現在，我們希望世人也能認識到香港亦是發展蓬勃的科技樞紐，這裡擁有大量創意洋溢的人才，我們樂於將這信息對外大力推廣。」