New Nordic Innovation House has opened in Hong Kong

28.11.18 | News
Invigning av Nordic Innovation House i Hong Kong.

Invigning av Nordic Innovation House i Hong Kong.

Photographer
Helle Engslund Krarup

The ribbon was cut at the opening ceremony by Christian Bergenstråhle, who will run the new Nordic institution; the Swedish EU and trade minister, Ann Linde; the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam; the Finnish minister for transport, communications and for Nordic co-operation, Anne Berner; the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Dagfinn Høybråten and the Head of Technology and Startup Lead at Business Sweden, Marie Claire Maxwell.

New Nordic Innovation House has opened in Hong Kong. It will act as a bridge builder and platform for Nordic companies who want to establish themselves in Asia or learn how to adapt to the Asian market and competition.

The official inauguration of the Nordic Innovation House in Hong Kong took place on 28 November. Attendees included the Finnish Minister for Nordic Co-operation, Anne Berner, the Swedish Minister for Trade and the EU, Ann Linde, the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Dagfinn Høybråten, and the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam.

The new Nordic Innovation House in Hong Kong is the fourth of its kind around the world. The others, in Silicon Valley, New York and Singapore, have all been huge successes and the concept is the same.

Springboard for Nordic companies

Hong Kong is an important hub for innovation companies in Asia, and enjoys close links with Shenzhen, where 90% of the world's electronics are manufactured. The idea behind the Nordic Innovation House is to offer a springboard for Nordic start-up and growth companies, including helping them find suitable partners, investors and other stakeholders.

“The Nordic Region is internationally renowned for a number of start-ups that have been real successes and Hong Kong investors find Nordic companies interesting.

Important roll

Nordic Innovation House is a collaboration between Nordic Innovation, a Nordic Council of Ministers’ institution, and the national business organisations from Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The idea is to complement national operations.

“I’m convinced that Nordic Innovation House in Hong Kong will play a key role for Nordic businesses. Hong Kong brings together the most innovative regions of the world, has a large and growing ecosystem of start-ups and tops the world rankings for business climate,” Dagfinn Høybråten says.

Meeting with Chinese deputy foreign minister

The Secretary General also visited Beijing, where he held talks with China's deputy foreign minister, Wang Chao. In May 2017, the Nordic Council of Ministers and China started working together in five areas: entrepreneurship and business, sustainable development, science, research and education, “people-to-people” co-operation and welfare solutions.

- I’m glad we had the chance to meet Deputy Foreign Minister Wang Chao. We have made important progress in a relatively short time, especially in terms of sustainable cities, which are part of the Nordic prime ministers’ initiative,” says Høybråten, referring to the initiative to offer Nordic solutions to global challenges launched by the five Nordic prime ministers in spring 2017.

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