Empowering SMEs Borderless Expansion through Cross-border E-commerce and AI
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 June 2026 – Co-organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), with support of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), and in partnership with the Trade and Industry Department (TID), the inaugural “E-commerce Innovation Expo 2026” (Expo) officially opened yesterday at the HKPC Building. The two-day Expo brings together tech innovation, brand and IP licensing, global platform support, and market expansion strategies, assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in mastering the keys to expanding overseas through e-commerce. The opening ceremony was officiated by Mr Algernon YAU Ying-wah, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; Mr Aaron LIU Kong Cheung, JP, Director-General of Trade and Industry; Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP Deputy Chairman of HKPC; and Mr Mohamed Din BUTT, MH, Executive Director of HKPC. As its first edition, the Expo has registered with nearly 7,000 pax, reflecting the industry’s keen demand for e-commerce technology information and services.
With Hang Seng Bank as the Diamond Partner and strong support from over 250 supporting organisations, the Expo brings together over 90 exhibitors across five thematic exhibition zones, including Cross-border E-commerce Experience, New Retail Tech Application, Brand x IP Value-added, Smart Operations, and E-commerce Go-Global Support. Gathering e-commerce platforms, technology and business service providers, IP licensors, and Government funding booths, the Expo targets the four keys to going global, namely platform selection, brand building, smart operations, and global expansion. It provides a one-stop platform that assists SMEs from strategic planning to practical deployment, empowering brands to achieve borderless market expansion through e-commerce.
Mr Emil YU Chen-on, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, remarked in his opening address that as a staunch supporter of SMEs, HKPC has always provided comprehensive, tailored support to address SMEs’ challenges, bridging policy resources with practical business needs to guide SMEs step by step from strategic formulation to execution. We hope this Expo will enhance the resilience and competitiveness of SMEs, speeding up local brands’ integration into the global digital economy. HKPC and its ‘SME ReachOut’ team will continue to provide timely and practical support for all SMEs.
Mr Algernon YAU Ying-wah, JP, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, stated in his address that the Government has always attached great importance to the development potential of e-commerce and actively encourages local enterprises to seize digital economy opportunities and utilise e-commerce to explore diversified markets, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s external trade and injecting new impetus into economic growth. As an international trade centre and business hub, Hong Kong plays a vital bridging role in connecting Chinese Mainland with the foreign countries. The Government encourages SMEs to proactively capture these emerging opportunities, leveraging Hong Kong’s global advantages to expand overseas and elevate the international competitiveness of local brands and products.
Mr Yau also thanked HKPC “SME ReachOut” for its efforts, and noted that since 2020 and up to the end of May 2026, SME ReachOut had handled nearly 40,000 SME enquiries, organised or participated in 16 exhibitions and 75 seminars and workshops, and conducted more than 350 outreach activities, visiting various chambers of commerce, industrial and commercial buildings, and co-working spaces under the support of the Government.
Gathering Major E-commerce and AI Technology Service Providers to Support SMEs Going Global Digitally
The Expo features a multitude of e-commerce and AI technology service exhibitors, offering all-round support to SMEs spanning e-commerce, AI technology, brand development, and going global. Alongside Hang Seng Bank, which provides professional cross-border payment solutions to address the collection and payment challenges faced by SMEs going global, the Expo’s exhibitor lineup brought together a wide range of representative organisations from across the industry. Highlights included Innocorn and Auki Labs, technology companies specialising in AI solutions and scenario-based applications for cross-border e-commerce; Lazada, a leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia; the Shenzhen Cross-Border E-Commerce Association, which connects domestic and international e-commerce resources; as well as the Hong Kong Brand Toy Association (HKBTA) and SHIBAINC, both of which have successfully expanded globally through strong IP-driven strategies.
Exhibitors widely expressed that the Expo effectively integrated resources across the industry chain, creating an efficient platform for networking and business matchmaking. This enabled SMEs to leverage cross-border e-commerce and emerging AI technologies to overcome development bottlenecks and explore new overseas markets. Please refer to Appendix I for detailed exhibitor information.
Over 10 thematic seminars covering core e-commerce topics, including cross-border e-commerce, new retail technology, brand x IP value-adding, smart operations, and go-global strategies are hosted during the Expo. Over 10 workshops and live showcases are also available, offering expert insights, success stories, practical examples, innovative solutions, instant consultations, and business matching opportunities to help SMEs develop effective plans for going global. In addition, a dedicated Government Funding Zone is set up to guide SME on Government funding to accelerate their upgrade and expansion, reduce costs, enhance competitiveness, and expand into new markets.
The event was also honoured to receive generous support from different organisations, including Alibaba.com Hong Kong Limited, United Technologies (Int’l) Limited, Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited, Achiever Technology Limited, and Nextguard Technology Limited. HKPC cordially invites all SMEs to register and participate in this free Expo, leveraging the rich cross-border e-commerce information, Government funding information, one on one expert consultations, and practical case study sharing to enhance business resilience and competitiveness through e-commerce. SME representatives are welcome to visit in person to experience the related latest technology applications and Government funding solutions of cross-border e-commerce to capture opportunities for brand and market expansion.
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Attachment I:
Exhibitor Information (Partial):
| Exhibitor | Introduction | |
| 1 | Hang Seng Bank | Delivers Fintech and cross-border e-commerce payment solutions, enabling SMEs to break through geographical payment restrictions and expand their business in overseas markets. |
| 2 | Shenzhen Cross-Border E-Commerce Association | A 5A-level industry organisation and a leading benchmark in Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce sector, providing full-chain services encompassing intellectual property protection, compliance, and resource matchmaking for members and industrial clusters. It forms a global cross-border e-commerce ecosystem hub to promote the international expansion of Chinese brands and the high-quality development of cross-border e-commerce. |
|
3 |
Lazada |
The Southeast Asia’s flagship e-commerce platform, delivering a superior and secure online shopping experience for consumers through trusted payment channels like Lazada Wallet, combined with the region’s most extensive logistics network. |
| 4 | Hong Kong Brand Toy Association (HKBTA) | Focusing on Hong Kong brand toys, the association promotes brand IP figures to the world through cross-border e-commerce, facilitating collaborations between toy IPs and various overseas fashion and apparel brands to secure market expansion opportunities and enhance product value. |
| 5 | SHIBAINC | A homegrown Hong Kong IP that has collaborated with numerous renowned brands, including Watsons, Del Monte, SONY, VIVO, Circle K, MTR Malls, and Octopus Cards Limited. |
| 6 | Innocorn Technology Ltd | Provides cross-lingual and multi-national Conversational AI Agents and Digital Human Service Ambassadors that deliver highly interactive virtual assistance. These systems can act as 24-hour online AI employees for online stores, helping overseas buyers resolve inquiries regarding sales and logistics progress. |
| 7 | Auki Labs | Utilises 3D technology and AR navigation to streamline the online shopping process, enhancing logistics and shipping efficiency. |
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About Hong Kong Productivity Council
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a statutory body established in 1967, dedicated to enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of Hong Kong enterprises through world-class applied R&D, innovative technology services, and integrated manufacturing solutions. As a market-oriented, international R&D organisation, HKPC leverages its deep expertise and extensive industry experience inkey areas such as AI, advanced manufacturing, life and health technology, green technology and new energy to drive new industrialisation and support the growth of emerging and future industries.
HKPC focuses on addressing businesses challenges and industrial technology needs, promoting the full integration between technological and industrial innovation. Through technology transfer, product innovation, intellectual property protection and commercialisation of R&D outcomes, the Council fosters collaboration with the local business community as well as top global R&D institutions, delivering added value to industries and advancing the development of new productive forces. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city.
To help enterprises capitalise on Hong Kong’s strengths in international connectivity to expand into global markets, HKPC offers comprehensive overseas expansion services tailored to critical areas including product development, technology, manufacturing, and management, enabling businesses to successfully go global from Hong Kong.
HKPC is also committed to providing timely and practical support to SMEs and startups with timely and practical , assisting them in accessing Government funding programmes. Through its FutureSkills training initiatives, HKPC helps both industry and academia stay ahead in latest digital and STEM technologies, nurturing a future-ready talent pool for Hong Kong.
For more information, please visit HKPC’s website: 
www.hkpc.org/en.
