Smart city, innovation and entrepreneurship : the changing role of the government in Hong Kong

Given the urgency of enhancing innovation and technology/knowledge transfer in Hong Kong, the HKSAR identified problems that universities and the industry need to address synergistically to commercialize research. The highly competitive environment compelled HKSAR to become proactive in promoting collaboration between universities and the industry through innovation and technology transfer and supporting knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship activities across the university, industry, business, and the community. Setting out against the policy context outline above, this paper examines what major policies and strategies that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has adopted to promote innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in the city-state by advocating deep collaboration between the university sector, the industry and business. More specifically, this paper reviews the establishment of Innovation and Technology Bureau instrumentally promoting universities on knowledge transfer, and the collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen for the development of the Lok Ma Chau Loop. The final part of the paper examines the major achievements and challenges facing Hong Kong when pushing for smart city, innovation and entrepreneurship project, critically reflecting upon the performance measurement issues critical for the success when promoting entrepreneurialism.