Hong Kong Startup News Roundup - 21 June 2020

Team Hollo from the University of Hong Kong wins 2020 Microsoft Imagine Cup World Champion

Team Hollo, an iDendron incubatee from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), won the 2020 Microsoft Imagine Cup World Champion with a mental health platform connecting a mobile app for users and a web application for mental health professionals; leveraging their own technology with Azure analytics and AI services to advance youth therapy practices. This is the first team from Hong Kong to have won the World Champion since the launch of the Microsoft Imagine Cup in 2003.

Sleek celebrates its 3rd year anniversary with the launch of a free e-signature tool

Despite the current global market uncertainties, Sleek, the startup making it easy for other startups to incorporate and operate in Singapore and Hong Kong, celebrates its 3rd year anniversary with a hopeful and positive outlook.

To commemorate the anniversary, Sleek announced the launch of SleekSign, an in-house developed e-signature platform that was previously exclusive to Sleek users. SleekSign provides an easy to use and legally binding e-signature solution with unlimited free usage. "We want to make the tool available to everyone as a part of our commitment to helping businesses and entrepreneurs during these challenging times," the company's Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer, Adrien Barthel said.

Get Ready for the Virtual StartmeupHK Festival 2020

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) has announced details of its five-day StartmeupHK Festival 2020, which will run from July 6 to 10. Befitting its theme of startups and technology, the festival is making the unprecedented move of transforming from an in-person event to a fully virtual experience.

The week-long extravaganza of start-up events will feature keynote addresses by renowned industry figures from around the world, exhibitions, investor matching and a jobs fair, and will be open to attendees across the globe for free, with additional paid premium sessions. The festival will showcase the latest developments in smart cities, retail tech, artificial intelligence, fintech, lifestyle tech, and global start-up trends and insights. It represents a unique opportunity for start-ups, entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, students and government representatives to connect, exchange ideas and benefit from business opportunities in Hong Kong, Mainland China and elsewhere in Asia.

Coders in demand as big banks begin hiring

A hiring slowdown at banks in Asia is beginning to thaw, driven by demand for coders.

Lenders including DBS Group Holding, Oversea-Chinese Banking and Citigroup are adding workers to their tech departments in the region despite the economic downturn. Financial institutions are especially hungry for mobile app designers and data scientists who can build systems to crunch figures and move business online, recruiters say.

“Over the past few months, we have certainly seen the banking sector slow down its hiring due to Covid-19,” said Bethan Howell, a Hong Kong-based consultant at financial recruiter Selby Jennings. “However, we are now seeing the hiring freezes thawing and with this, a large amount of roles” emerging in technology, Ms Howell said.

The recruitment plans are a promising sign for workers in an industry that remains under pressure to reduce headcount, and underscore how banks see tech investment as a priority even as the pandemic hammers economies. Asia has emerged faster from the months-long lockdown, giving room for lenders in the region to step up recruiting.