Reflecting the international impact of Business Weekly's Awards, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has become a sponsor of the 2007 competition. 

And our new partner has been making headlines of its own this week, with the opening of Phase 2 of its fabulous Science Park facilities.

The upgrade is destined to accelerate Hong Kong's transition into a knowledge-based economy and continue to provide technical and lab services support to technology enterprises at home and abroad.

Hong Kong Science Park Phase 2 currently provides 105,000 m2 of laboratory and office space with laboratories accounting for 32,000 m2. A total of 11 buildings are earmarked for this phase, two of which are specially designed for biotech research.

The R & D offices will accommodate 160 new innovation and technology enterprises while creating around 5,000 knowledge-based employment opportunities.

The new phase boasts one of the largest district cooling systems in Hong Kong, with two energy towers supplying airconditioning for the entire Phase 2 area.

Not just new tenants but the entire tech industry are set to benefit from a plethora of sup port facilities, ranging from conference rooms and data centres to restaurants, cafés and convenience stores.

Restaurants are conveniently available at ground level of the buildings facing the scenic Tolo Harbour in Sha Tin.

All the structures are linked through the waterfront promenade, creating a comfortable business environment for workers and visitors alike.

Opened in June 2002, the Hong Kong Science Park is a three-phase project with the intention to become a major international centre for innovation and technology in the Asia Pacific region. Inspired by the goal of the Hong Kong SAR Government to transform the city into a high-value added knowledgebased economy, the Park has taken great strides in this direction after five years of dedicated effort.

Operated under the umbrella of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, which also offers a range of services through the InnoCentre and three industrial estates, the Science Park has succeeded in nurturing many innovative companies in Hong Kong.

Drawing on the expertise of their professional engineering team with 500 person years of industry experience, Science Park provides technology and business assistance for a variety of commercial organisations.

Moreover, HKSTP is committed to provide quality infrastructure at Science Park to nurture small and medium-sized enterprises to generate fresh ideas and bring their newly developed products to market. HKSTP's efforts have paid off handsomely in this regard.

For the past three years, HK$ 421 million in capital has been invested in 64 companies from the Science Park. And a total of 116 intellectual property applications have been filed by incubatees since 2003.

Well-managed facilities where advanced equipment is easily accessible to partners and tenants is a linchpin to the success of Science Park. There is simply no other research-based organisation in the world where one can visit eight world-class laboratories devoted to a variety of technology sectors in a 15minute walk.

A central facility management where professionals can continuously and easily monitor the status and performance of equipment and infrastructure ultimately makes it more affordable to use these leading-edge facilities through reducing equipment redundancy, thereby lowering operating costs.

Inaugurated in 2004, Phase 1 of the Science Park houses a variety of sophisticated world-class facilities and time-shared laboratories highlighted by a Wireless Communications Test Laboratory, an IC Design Centre, a Material Analysis Laboratory and Photonics Development Support Centre among others.

These facilities are complemented by engineering support services for R & D and product design activities creating synergies for the commercialisation of innovations by Science Park's partners in four focused clusters, namely electronics, biotechnology, precision engineering and IT and telecommunications.

And the environment is truly conducive to the creative thinking required for great ideas. Occupying a total area of 22hectares, the Science Park is positioned on the waterfront with a pleasant landscape backdrop adjacent to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

But HKSTP is not content to rest on its laurels, as provision has been made for Phase 3 of Hong Kong Science Park. HKSTP will soon embark on exploring options for Phase 3 with a vision to lead the way towards a brilliant future for the technology industry in Hong Kong. As a westernised stepping stone to mainland China, HK is attracting more attention than ever from hi-tech and biotech companies in the East of England.

www.hkstp.org