Founders of five Scottish tech start-ups across sectors including AI and climate-tech are heading to Hong Kong in a drive to expand into one of the world’s most commercially significant markets.

Techscaler this week named the five businesses taking part in its inaugural market expansion programme in the Greater Bay Area as:

• Competas Global – provider of digital competency passports that record workers’ safety and technical skills, backed by skills assessments.
• Speech Graphics – designer of technology that turns audio into realistic facial animation, including lip sync and emotional expression, without needing motion capture.
• Velocity Edge – supplier of lubricants from leading brands, including engine oils, hydraulic fluids, greases and aviation-grade fluids, with technical advice to help customers choose the right product.
• NeuroCreate – developer of AI-powered tools that help people think more creatively and reach “flow” states at work, based on the neuroscience of creative thinking.
• RideScan AI – provider of monitoring for robots during missions, helping robotics teams spot risks, show their systems are reliable and scale deployments.

Over two weeks in November, five leaders will be in Hong Kong at a particularly active time for the region’s innovation calendar – coinciding with Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Entrepreneur Day, the Hong Kong Forum and the Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference.

Participants Gavin Jones (Competas), Gregor Hofer (Speech Graphics), Josh Duncan (Velocity Edge), Shama Rahman (NeuroCreate) and Shivoh Chirayil Nandakumar (RideScan AI) will benefit from “multiple opportunities to build traction across both Hong Kong and Mainland China”, Techscaler says.

Following a busy week in Hong Kong, the second week includes flexibility for targeted day visits to local innovation hubs across the Greater Bay Area, including in Shenzhen or Macao.

Across the programme, the cohort will receive structured and tailored support from Techscaler operators alongside their own market exploration.

Techscaler is a £42 million Scottish Government programme delivered by CodeBase which is aimed at creating, developing and scaling up tech start-ups.

First Minister John Swinney earlier this year celebrated the initiative’s success in making Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem “even more connected, collaborative and globally engaged – raising Scotland’s profile as an ambitious innovation nation”.