Can You Take Other Government Grants While in HKSTP Incubation? The No-Double-Funding Rule and the Second-Application Rule
No — not for the same R&D project, and not without written permission. The HKSTP Incubation Programme Guide Version 13 (26 March 2026) states that incubatees are prohibited from seeking financial subsidy or funding from other Hong Kong Government funding programmes or grants for the same R&D project, described in the guide as "no double-dipping of public funding", unless HKSTP approves in writing. The same guide caps total funding support for an incubatee at HK$1,290,000 across the 3-year programme term. Every figure in this article comes from the sources listed at the end, checked 2026-10-01.
What exactly does the no-double-funding rule prohibit?
The prohibition is narrower than "no other grants at all". Three elements appear in the official wording:
- It applies to incubatees — companies already in the HKSTP Incubation Programme, not merely applicants.
- It covers other Hong Kong Government funding programmes or grants.
- It is limited to the same R&D project, and it lifts only where HKSTP gives written approval.
The fact pack for this article contains no further official definition of "same R&D project" and no stated procedure for requesting the written approval, so those details are not described here. If your case depends on either, put it to HKSTP directly.
Which schemes were checked, and which were not?
Only three programmes were checked: HKSTP's Incubation Programme (page and Guide Version 13), HKSTP's Incu-Bio page, and Cyberport's Incubation Programme.
Schemes administered through itf.gov.hk and investhk.gov.hk were out of scope and not checked. This article makes no claim about whether any particular ITF or InvestHK scheme is permitted alongside HKSTP incubation, and none should be inferred — the double-funding test in the guide is about government funding for the same R&D project, so any such scheme has to be read against that wording with the scheme's own rules.
The Incu-Bio page was checked for its headline funding only. Its programme duration and detailed eligibility criteria were not verified against an Incu-Bio programme guide, so they are not stated here.
Can you sit in two incubation programmes at once?
No. The guide requires that an applicant or its founders must not currently be a participant of any incubation programme offered by HKSTP, Cyberport Management Company Limited, or Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited. That is a one-programme-at-a-time rule across all three operators, not just a conflict check against HKSTP's own intake.
What if you have already completed one of them?
Completion does not permanently close the door. The guide's position is that those who have completed such a programme may apply again only as a second application — so a Cyberport Incubation Programme graduate applying to HKSTP, or an HKSTP graduate applying again, falls into the second-application category rather than a fresh first application.
How much funding is at stake, depending on your track?
Eligibility for the programme is unchanged by the funding split: the applicant must be a technology start-up company limited by shares incorporated under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), incorporated no more than five years before submission, working in areas such as Electronics, Information & Communications Technology, Material and Precision Engineering, or Green Technology. Founders must collectively and directly hold at least 51% of the issued shares, and the applicant must employ at least two full-time staff at the time of application, all legally able to work in Hong Kong.
What differs from 2026 is the track. Incubatees whose 2nd milestone assessment is due before 1 April 2026 fall on the Legacy track; those whose 2nd milestone assessment falls on or after 1 April 2026 are on the Revamped track.
| Item | Revamped track | Legacy track |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 financial subsidy | HK$140,000 | HK$280,000 per year |
| Year 2 financial subsidy | HK$420,000 | HK$280,000 per year |
| Year 3 financial subsidy | HK$280,000 | HK$280,000 per year |
| Total financial subsidy | HK$840,000 | not stated in the pack |
| Rental subsidy | HK$150,000 per year, HK$450,000 over 3 years | not stated in the pack |
Source: HKSTP Incubation Programme Guide Version 13 (26 March 2026), checked 2026-10-01. The guide adds that rental subsidy is HK$12,500 per month across the full 3-year term, and that unspent rental subsidy from the 1st and 2nd programme years can be carried forward to the 3rd year.
The Revamped track also splits the three years into stages: year 1 is IncuHatch, years 2 and 3 are IncuBoost. Moving into IncuBoost requires passing the D-Day assessment in months 10 to 12 and agreeing to enter into a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) in favour of HKSTP — or its designated subsidiary — giving it a future equity position. Incubatees who do not pass, or who decline to sign the SAFE, are treated as IncuHatch graduates and receive no further programme support. HKSTP reserves the right to change the funding support at its sole discretion.
What Cyberport's programme offers, since you can only pick one
Because the three programmes are mutually exclusive, the practical question is which one to apply to. Cyberport's Incubation Programme runs for 24 months and provides up to HK$500,000 in financial assistance plus HK$200,000 as an on-site rental subsidy, according to the Cyberport programme page (no publication or update date shown on the page).
The staged amounts come from the funding-details image on that page:
- HK$100,000 initial working capital grant on admission
- Up to HK$200,000 released on completion of the six-month progress reviews — HK$50,000 at month 6, HK$50,000 at month 12, HK$100,000 at month 24
- Up to HK$200,000 for a performance-driven two-tiered assessment
- HK$200,000 on-site rental subsidy; on-site incubatees get rent-free working space at Cyberport
Cyberport's stated eligibility differs from HKSTP's: a registered digital tech company limited by shares incorporated in Hong Kong for less than 7 years (or in the process of incorporation) at the application deadline, with a viable business plan and a product able to reach the market within 12 to 18 months; founders must collectively hold at least 51% of shares or have absolute control. Incubatees must maintain a local presence with at least one local authorised representative physically working in Hong Kong, and on graduation must submit audited financial statements or an agreed-upon procedures report showing minimum expenditure of HK$400,000 on eligible items during the incubation period. Teams not yet incorporated are directed to the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund as a starting point.
Two cautions before you plan around these numbers. Cyberport carries a notice on the same page saying the programme will be undergoing enhancements, with details of the updated programme to be announced soon — whether the February 2027 intake keeps the current amounts and criteria is not stated. And the page does not show a publication or update date, so the staged figures should be re-checked before you rely on them.
Listed intake deadlines on the Cyberport page:
| Intake | Online application deadline |
|---|---|
| June 2026 | 1 April 2026 |
| October 2026 | 3 August 2026 |
| February 2027 | 1 December 2026 (assessment December 2026 – January 2027, announcement February 2027) |
The page's current status line says applications for the next intake will open soon.
A short pre-application checklist
- List every Hong Kong Government funding programme or grant already supporting the R&D project you would bring into HKSTP incubation.
- If any exists, treat written approval from HKSTP as a prerequisite; the guide makes the bar explicit but does not set out how to obtain it.
- Confirm that neither the applicant nor its founders is currently in an HKSTP, Cyberport or Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park incubation programme.
- If you have completed one of those programmes, prepare to apply as a second application.
- Re-check amounts and deadlines on the official pages before submitting, particularly for Cyberport given the enhancement notice.
FAQ
Can I hold an ITF grant while I am an HKSTP incubatee?
The guide bars incubatees from seeking funding from other Hong Kong Government funding programmes or grants for the same R&D project, with written HKSTP approval as the stated exception. Schemes on itf.gov.hk and investhk.gov.hk were outside this fact pack and were not checked, so no conclusion about a specific ITF scheme is offered here.
Does the rule cover a different R&D project?
The official wording is limited to the same R&D project. The materials checked for this article do not address a separate, unfunded project, so do not assume the rule either permits or forbids it.
I finished the Cyberport Incubation Programme — can I join HKSTP incubation?
Yes, but only as a second application. The guide's restriction applies to current participants; those who have completed such a programme may apply again as a second application.
Can I be in HKSTP incubation and Cyberport incubation at the same time?
No. The applicant or its founders must not currently be a participant of any incubation programme offered by HKSTP, Cyberport Management Company Limited, or Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited.
What happens if I reach the D-Day assessment and decline the SAFE?
On the Revamped track, IncuBoost requires passing the D-Day assessment in months 10 to 12 and entering into a SAFE in favour of HKSTP or its designated subsidiary. Without both, you are treated as an IncuHatch graduate and receive no further programme support.
