Hong Kong health fair draws 13,000 buyers

Around 300 exhibitors joined from 10 countries and regions.

The sixth Asia Summit on Global Health and the 17th Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair have concluded in Hong Kong, bringing together healthcare officials, investors, companies, researchers and buyers from around the world.

The Asia Summit on Global Health was jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

The Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair was organised by the HKTDC and co-organised by the Hong Kong MedTech Association. Both events were held as flagship events of International Healthcare Week, held on 11 to 13 May.

The summit attracted around 3,000 participants from 43 countries and regions, whilst the Medical Fair drew about 13,000 buyers from 61 countries and regions. 

Together, the two events arranged more than 1,000 investment and business matching meetings. 

These included more than 400 one-on-one deal-making meetings at the summit and more than 670 business matching meetings at the fair.

The Asia Summit on Global Health was held under the theme “Fuelling Healthcare Breakthroughs”. 

More than 90 international healthcare officials, scientists, investors and business leaders joined discussions on public health, frontier medical technologies, artificial intelligence, healthcare investment and silver health.

Speakers included Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, Vice-Provost for Health and Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London; Jonathan Symonds, Chair of GSK; and Professor Michael Levitt, 2013 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Robert W and Vivian K Cahill Professor of Cancer Research at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Artificial intelligence was a major focus of the summit. Natasha Chhatrapati, Senior Director, Business Transformation Lead for International at Pfizer Inc., said AI was shortening timelines across drug development, clinical research, physician engagement and patient care. 

Other speakers included Dr. James Xue, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Dr. Alex Mihailidis, Associate Vice-President, International Partnerships and Professor at the University of Toronto and Scientific Director at AGE-WELL; and Dr. Li Xiang, Senior Vice President, Co-President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Innovative Medicines Division at Fosun Pharma.

The summit also featured the ASGH Business Hub and the InnoHealth Showcase, which brought together around 180 healthcare innovation companies from 12 countries and regions. The companies presented solutions in biotechnology, digital health and medical technologies.

Several companies used the summit to explore international expansion. Shanghai Industrial Investment (Holdings), the strategic partner of this year’s summit, led several subsidiaries to exhibit. 

AQ Biotech from Finland joined the summit for the first time to explore the Asian market. SDIP Innovations from Australia returned for a second year, whilst Hong Kong healthcare start-up Homing Pharmaceuticals took part for the third time.

The summit also supported cross-border collaboration through the signing of 10 Memoranda of Understanding. 

These included agreements involving HKSH Medical Group and Siemens Healthineers, as well as Australian AI-powered clinical documentation platform Heidi Health, which signed separate agreements with EC Healthcare and Hong Kong Metropolitan University. 

HKSH Medical Group and Siemens Healthineers also signed an agreement making HKSH Siemens Healthineers’ first Photon Counting Computed Tomography Simulation Reference Site in Asia.

The HKTDC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Singapore Business Association. 

The agreement aims to support Mainland enterprises using Hong Kong as a platform to expand into Singapore and ASEAN markets.

The Medical Fair, held at the same time, focused on “Innovations Boosting Smart Health Experience”. It covered three main areas: MedTech, GeronTech and Preventive Healthcare. 

The fair featured around 300 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions, including Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Macao, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, Korea, New Zealand, the United States and Vietnam.

The fair included seven major zones, covering the Startup Zone, Hospital Equipment and Digital Health, Biotech and Lab Diagnostics, Laboratory Technologies and Healthcare Services, Medical Supplies, and the World of Health and Wellness. 

Pavilions were also organised by local universities, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, and the Hong Kong MedTech Association.

Exhibitors reported interest in AI, robotics and smart medical devices. Health Care & Co, a Hong Kong medical and rehabilitation equipment company, said buyers showed interest in its AI management systems, AI-assisted robots and smart healthcare applications. 

The company said it expected the fair to help drive at least 20% business growth compared with the previous edition.
GenomeMe Lab Inc from Canada, a first-time exhibitor, said it connected with buyers from Hong Kong, Thailand and India, and identified possible local partners in the healthcare and hospital sectors.

Dresio Limited, which exhibited under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks banner, showcased its contactless physiotherapy assessment system, Accudex.

The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a buyer from the Philippines on the third day of the fair. The contract value is expected to exceed $130k (HK$1m).

PalmX Technology Limited, another first-time exhibitor, presented palm vein biometric technology at the Startup Zone. 

The company said it received more than 20 enquiries from hospitals and healthcare institutions within the first two days, including representatives from the Hospital Authority. It also attracted interest from buyers in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and India, with potential orders ranging from $10,000 to several hundred thousand US dollars.

Buyers from emerging markets also attended the fair. Dr. Keo Sovann, an otorhinolaryngologist from Orchid Hospital in Cambodia, said he met more than 10 exhibitors from the Chinese Mainland, Australia and Malaysia, and was considering an order of 20 units of AI-powered medical imaging solutions and X-ray equipment from a Hong Kong company.

Rachid Zemmouri, Business Development Manager of Moroccan company Promamec, said he met at least 15 exhibitors from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan and Indonesia. The company has an annual procurement budget of about $70m.

The Medical Fair also held more than 50 forums and seminars. Topics included AI in mental health, medtech solutions for the Greater Bay Area and overseas markets, ASEAN regulations and distribution, and demand for gerontechnology.

The fair continued to use the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model. Exhibitors, buyers and industry professionals could also use Click2Match and HKTDC Sourcing for online business matching. Click2Match will remain available until 20 May.