Hong Kong’s financial centre status gives it an edge in AI market, experts say

TabbyML co-founder Lucy Gao (left) and SenseTime chief financial officer Wang Zheng highlight the benefits for AI firms in Hong Kong on Tuesday at the SCMP’s China Conference 2025. Photo: Eugene Lee

“For AI companies, having easy access to capital is extremely important,” SenseTime chief financial officer said in a panel discussion at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference 2025 on Tuesday. “Hong Kong has a really deep, world-class capital market .”
Founded in Hong Kong in 2014, SenseTime was able to raise “a lot of private capital” in the city to support its growth before eventually going public on the Hong Kong stock exchange , according to Wang.
“Hong Kong is really fantastic in playing the role of a capital connector,” Wang said. “I think this is the one area that Shenzhen and Singapore would be very hard-pressed to surpass in the foreseeable future.”
That reflects efforts by Hong Kong’s government to reposition the city as a by 2035, while bolstering its role as a bridge between mainland China and the rest of the world.
South China Morning Post technology editor Zhou Xin (left) moderates a panel discussion with TabbyML co-founder Lucy Gao, SenseTime chief financial officer Wang Zheng and Victor Yim, head of fintech at Cyberport, during the SCMP’s China Conference 2025 on Tuesday at the JW Marriott Hotel in Admiralty. Photo: Eugene Lee
South China Morning Post technology editor Zhou Xin (left) moderates a panel discussion with TabbyML co-founder Lucy Gao, SenseTime chief financial officer Wang Zheng and Victor Yim, head of fintech at Cyberport, during the SCMP’s China Conference 2025 on Tuesday at the JW Marriott Hotel in Admiralty. Photo: Eugene Lee