This new program kicks HK’s advanced manufacturing into high gear

In the last year or so, Hong Kong has hit the gas on its advanced manufacturing and industrialization efforts, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon.

This approach aims to diversify Hong Kong’s economy beyond finance and real estate, making it more resilient to market fluctuations. It also aligns with China’s “New Productive Forces” strategy, which emphasizes high technology, high efficiency, and high quality development to drive sustainable economic growth.

To help local companies boost their capabilities in advanced manufacturing and industrialization, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has teamed up with Würth Elektronik Hong Kong for a new initiative, the Engineering Service Programme.

Thomas Garz, CEO of Würth Elektronik (third from left) together with other stakeholders and attendees at the launch event for the Engineering Service Programme / Photo credit: HKSTP

“This partnership will speed up the whole product development cycle, ranging from research and development to prototyping as well as pilot production. It will also help nurture local talent through thought leadership and training programmes,” said Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, at an event launching the program.

“Through these efforts, we hope to be a key enabler of Hong Kong’s mission to strengthen microelectronics and advanced manufacturing development.”

A match made in heaven

Through the program, HKSTP and Würth plan to offer engineering support, talent training and mentorship, and collaboration opportunities with universities, among other resources.

Both organizations have experience in this space. HKSTP is a longtime advocate of Hong Kong’s tech and innovation sector, offering incubation programs with comprehensive support and leading initiatives to bolster networking and resource access for more than 2,300 startups.

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Meanwhile, besides being a manufacturer of electronic and electromechanical components, Würth also provides essential tools, electromagnetic compatibility pre-scanning, debugging, engineering, training, and consultation support.

“We bridge the gap between design and manufacturability so that startups and innovators don’t face the same problems I once did,” Würth CTO Alexander Gerfer says. The tech executive was referring to how he had to rely on manual calculations, books, or scientific calculators to solve engineering design problems in the past.

Alexander Gerfer, CTO of Würth Elektronik / Photo credit: HKSTP

“Würth has been operating in Hong Kong for more than 20 years – long enough to have expansions such as a regional distribution hub in 2013 and a technical service center in 2024.”

As such, not only does the company have extensive experience within Hong Kong’s business ecosystem, but it also recognizes the hardware development bottlenecks that startups in the territory face, particularly in sourcing, engineering, and scaling up production in advanced manufacturing.

Given the firm’s background, HKSTP is a natural fit due to its ecosystem and alignment with Hong Kong’s New Industrialization Strategy, as well as some of the existing collaborations we’ve had in R&D and talent development,” Würth CEO Thomas Garz says.

Thomas Garz, CEO of Würth Elektronik / Photo credit: HKSTP

HKSTP and Würth believe that the program will accelerate the time-to-market process and reduce delays for businesses as they’ll have more access to engineering help.

The program will also help develop the local talent ecosystem through the mentorship opportunities. Most of these mentors will come from Würth, including the firm’s engineering team, local Hong Kong-based engineers from the company’s Technical Service Centre, and other regional experts in areas such as product design and AI-based engineering tools.

“It creates a testbed for industrial innovation and strengthens Hong Kong’s position as a global innovation and technology hub,” HKSTP’s Wong says.

Familiar faces

Würth and HKSTP have successfully worked together before on several engineering-related projects.

In 2024, HKSTP facilitated a link up between Würth and XOXO Beverages, a Hong Kong-based company that builds automated cocktail machines. At the time, XOXO Beverages was having trouble transporting its machines to event venues. As a result, some units would malfunction due to unstable components, affecting overall performance on site.

(Right) Ricky Chan, co-founder of XOXO Beverages / Photo credit: HKSTP

After analyzing the mechanical reliability issue, Würth came up with better components and offered XOXO Beverages free samples to test. Immediately, there was a significant improvement in the machines’ reliability.

Würth also identified problems with electromagnetic compatibility in the cocktail machines, and offered solutions and advice to improve the placement of the motors. This helped XOXO Beverages move into stable, small-batch production of over 100 machine units.

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Würth also assisted E-Sense, a chronic disease screening and monitoring company, in developing a portable diagnostic device by providing components, engineering advice, and material selection and iteration support during clinical trials.

This helped E-Sense get its product certified in a timely manner, facilitating a smooth transition from prototyping into small-batch manufacturing.

These successes illustrate how Würth offers more value than what partners normally expect in the product development journey, instilling a lot of confidence in the latest partnership, according to Wong of HKSTP.

Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP / Photo credit: HKSTP

“We hope to see more global companies join this growing innovation ecosystem and work together to drive Hong Kong’s technology advancement forward,” he adds.

Becoming a pillar of Hong Kong

As the Engineering Service Programme grows and attracts more participating startups in the coming years, Würth CTO Gerfer hopes that the company will be seen as more than just a component supplier in Hong Kong’s advanced manufacturing space.

Würth is a trusted partner that can offer a wide range of solutions, including design, prototyping, scaling, and market readiness support, he added.

“We’re so excited to support startups and local innovators through hands-on engineering consultation and prototyping assistance,” Würth CEO Garz says.

“We want to be a pillar of Hong Kong’s innovation infrastructure, enabling local companies to reach a global scale.”

As one of the largest innovation and technology ecosystems in Hong Kong, HKSTP is home to over 2,300 technology companies. The organization aims to develop Hong Kong into an international hub for innovation and is committed to building a world-leading microelectronics ecosystem. To get in touch with HKSTP, click here.

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