ASTRI Supports Financial Secretary’s Budget 2021-22 and Welcomes Continued Commitment to Innovation & Technology Development in Hong Kong

(Hong Kong, 25 February 2021) The Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has expressed its full support for the Financial Secretary’s 2021-22 Budget and welcomed the continued commitment to the development of innovation and technology (I&T) in Hong Kong.

Ir Sunny Lee, JP, Chairman of ASTRI, said: “We are immensely pleased to see that the Hong Kong SAR Government is fully committed to developing Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub. We at ASTRI strive to match that commitment by creating impactful innovations and becoming a major technology enabler, helping Hong Kong flourish as a pioneering Smart City.”

Set up by the SAR Government in 2000, ASTRI’s mission is to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness in technology-based industries through applied research.

Dr Lucas Hui, Acting Co-CEO cum CTO of ASTRI, said: “We welcome the renewed commitment to technological development, particularly with regard the support and development of 5G networks and applications as well as the further enhancement of FinTech in Hong Kong, despite the economic challenges that we face. These are essential aspects of a Smart City and with ASTRI’s expertise and experience, we will make a significant contribution to Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem.”

Dr Martin Szeto, Acting Co-CEO cum COO of ASTRI, said: “As the largest government-funded R&D centre in Hong Kong for applied science and technology, we are truly excited to see that the various policy initiatives previously outlined by the SAR government remain a high priority. The ‘Knowing More About IT’ Programme, for instance, which will subsidise I&T education in Hong Kong from primary school to university correlates with ASTRI’s own dedication to talent development at all ages and all levels, and we will continue to ensure ASTRI provides as many opportunities and as much support as possible to the next generation.”

ASTRI’s core R&D competence in various areas is grouped under five Technology Divisions: Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics; Communications; Cybersecurity, Cryptography and Trusted Technologies; Integrated Circuits and Systems; and IoT and Sensors. It is applied across five cores areas which are Smart City, Financial Technologies, Intelligent Manufacturing, Health Technologies, and Application Specific Integrated Circuits.

Over the years, ASTRI has nurtured a pool of research, I&T talents and received numerous international awards for its pioneering innovations as well as outstanding business and community contributions. To date, ASTRI has transferred more than 750 technologies to the industries and owns nearly 850 patents in the Mainland, the US and other countries.