Bridges Powered by Equiom

03/04/2023

Being one of the most popular business hubs in the world, it is no surprise that Hong Kong offers many business opportunities with its strategic location and support for companies' growth. The Hong Kong Government provides many types of funding schemes for start-ups and small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) enabling them to enhance their competitiveness in diverse markets.

The Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund) is one to consider if you are a business owner who is looking to make a mark outside of Hong Kong and achieve your business goals (in markets which have signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and/ or Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs) with Hong Kong).

Here are the areas you need to consider when applying for the BUD Fund:

Decide on your project

Identify the project and which market you will be targeting to show the enterprise’s development in it. Bear in mind funding is given to support non-listed Hong Kong enterprises to undertake projects to develop brands, upgrade their business operations, and promote sales in mainland China, FTA and/ or IPPA markets.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, the project must fulfil at least one of the following:

- Development or enhancement of the brand e.g. brand building, brand strategy and positioning

- Improvement initiatives for business transformation e.g. product innovation and repositioning, technology upgrading

- Development and enhancement of effective sales activities e.g. domestic sales planning, domestic business operation management

Proposal

Prepare a project proposal that covers details such as objectives, timeline, budget, and expected outcomes. The application can be submitted to the BUD Fund Implementer at any time of the year, and once submitted, the Implementer will review the application within 60 working days from the date of receipt. Some applications may require supporting documentation and the actual processing time will depend on the complexity and completion of each application. .

Bridges’ knowledgeable and experienced team can assist with your application. If you would like to discuss your specific circumstances or are interested in applying, please contact our team at +852 2159 9666 or via [email protected].

For More Info:
Official BUD Fund's website: https://lnkd.in/gGnjGkdB
BUD Fund's scope of funding: https://lnkd.in/g9WHHi-6
Bridges Website: https://lnkd.in/gfksNkdH

28/03/2023

How well do you know about PayPal? Much more than a payment platform, PayPal is here for (your) business. Join our webinar collaborating with PayPal Hong Kong on 30 March from 5 – 6pm (HKT/GMT+8). Our guest speakers Miyako and Belinda will share market insights of consumer behaviour in the US, UK and Australia. And Kelvin, our company incorporation expert, will explain how the latest privacy policy in Hong Kong benefits your business.

Register now to get a free business consultation.
https://mktg.equiomgroup.com/bridgespaypalmarchwebinar

The boom of online business hasn't stopped as people are heavily relying on technology for their daily lives since the pandemic, entrepreneurs are hungrier to start their own companies online than ever before.

22/02/2023

Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, delivered the 2023-24 Budget today with all eyes on how the government is going to lead the city on the way to economic recovery and reinforce its position as the top-tier financial centre.

To assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong to secure their footing, the government will further extend the enterprise loan under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme (SFGS) along with other measures to attract overseas companies to invest and re-domicile in the city. Some key points are outlined as below.

• Reducing profits tax for the year of 2022-23 by 100 percent, capping at HK$6,000

• Extending the application period of all guarantee products of SFGS to end of March 2024

• Aiding digital transformation for SMEs by reserving HK$500 million to launch a Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme to provide one-to-one matching basis for SMEs to facilitate their business digitalisation

For the full Budget, visit https://bit.ly/3Sk2dWG. If you have any questions regarding how the Budget might affect your business operation or tax issues, contact us at +852 2159 9666 or via [email protected] to chat with our in-house experts.

香港財政司司長陳茂波今天公佈 2023-24 年度財政預算案，所有人都在關注政府將如何帶領香港走上經濟復甦之路，並鞏固其作為頂級金融中心的地位。

為協助在港中小企站穩腳，政府將進一步擴大中小企業融資擔保計劃下的企業貸款，並採取其他措施吸引海外公司來港投資。 要點概述如下。

• 將 2022-23 年度的利得稅寬減 100%，上限為 6,000 港元

• 優延長「中小企融資擔保計劃」各擔保產品申請期至2024年3月底

• 為中小企數碼轉型預留5億港元推出數碼轉型支援先導計劃，為中小企提供一對一配對，助其業務數碼化

請到 https://bit.ly/3Sk2dWG 查看完整版財政預算案。 如果您對預算案可能如何影響您的業務運營或稅務問題有任何疑問，請致電 +852 2159 9666 或通過 [email protected] 與協橋專家聯繫。

20/02/2023

The Bridges team is awarded by HKCSS with the 15 Years Plus Caring Company logo 2022-23. We’d like to express our gratitude to nominators Junior Achievement Hong Kong / JAHK and The Zubin Foundation 小彬紀念基金會, who offered us opportunities to serve the community together.

It has been a challenge in the past years because of several COVID restrictions, the team often needed to pivot to different ways to help those in need while keeping a safe distance. As all measures are easing up, we’re excited to volunteer physically again to carry out community service work in person in 2023!

協橋團隊再次獲社聯頒發15年商界顯關懷標誌 2022-23。感謝青年成就香港部和小彬紀念基金會的提名，為我們提供了共同服務社區的機會。

過去幾年由於疫情所限，為社會服務的挑戰性增加了不少。團隊經常需要轉向不同方式來幫助有需要的人，同時保持安全的社交距離。 隨著各項措施逐步放寬，我們十分期待能在今年參與和舉辦義工服務，親身為社區服務！

18/01/2023

The Year of the Tiger is coming to its tail end and the Year of the Rabbit is excitedly waiting to jump to a quick start. As we are anticipating Chinese New Year and another successful year now that the Hong Kong border re-opened, our team wishes you a fruitful 2023 and may this year bring you wealth and health.
Gong Xi Fa Cai! 恭喜發財，兔氣揚眉!
#2023

22/12/2022

The Bridges and Equiom Hong Kong team had a whale at a time at the Christmas party. Our first Christmas party in the new office in Causeway Bay was simply delightful. Our stomachs were full of indulgent festive food and hearts of joy and laughter from the fun games and gift exchange. The in Hong Kong wishes you happy winter solstice and the merriest Christmas with your loved ones! 🎄🎁🎅
協橋與昊誠香港團隊於上週在銅鑼灣新辦公室舉辦了第一次聖誕派對，除了品嚐各種節日美食，更大玩遊戲、交換禮物和進行大抽獎! 香港的 ！

15/12/2022

International travelers arriving Hong Kong are no longer restricted from Covid movement controls as the Hong Kong government announced the cancellation of the Amber Code and “0+3” quarantine arrangement on this Wednesday. All inbound persons will have the code in blue unless infected, meaning travellers are free to visit anywhere in the city without being barred from certain areas effective from yesterday. The Bridges team is pleased with the said arrangement as we saw Hong Kong’s economy is steadily reviving and we’re excited to welcome you to our new office in Causeway Bay!

15/11/2022

We had a wonderful grand opening ceremony with the Equiom Hong Kong team last week and we were thrilled to have our honoured guests including Family Office HK, valuable clients and long-term business partners celebrating the milestone with us. A big thank you to the guests who showed up along with the support given by all of you throughout these years, we look forward to reaching new heights with you!

04/11/2022

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee published his maiden Policy Address on 19 October which has a heavy focus on recruiting foreign talents and reviving the city’s economy and financial market.

Read our summary which highlights the measures that are of entrepreneurs and business owners’ interests at https://bit.ly/3DvMEo8

18/10/2022

After merging with the Equiom team and settling into the new office in Causeway Bay, our location head, Joe Cheung, shared his business vision for both teams, “We’ve got a great platform to build in Hong Kong – our move to Causeway Bay is just the beginning. I’m looking forward to helping our clients achieve their goals and grow their businesses as we grow ours alongside them”. Read the whole interview here: https://bit.ly/3Tqj6OY

26/09/2022

Hong Kong finally ends the mandatory hotel quarantine scheme for overseas arrival after two years. Starting from today, incoming travelers aren’t required to take a pre-departure PCR test but only a rapid antigen test and go through three days of home medical surveillance. Our team is eager to welcome you to the new office in Causeway Bay and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance in arranging a visit to HK, we’re happy to help.