BUD Fund

Unlock Opportunities with the BUD Fund

The BUD Fund offers a funding amount of HK$ 7 million, divided into the Mainland Programme and the FTA & IPPA Programme. This initiative supports businesses in expanding into diverse markets across 39 economies.

Mainland Programme

Mainland

FTA & IPPA Programme

ASEAN Economies:

Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam

Other Asian Economies:

Bahrain, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Macao, and the United Arab Emirates

Europe:

Austria, Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union, Denmark, the four member states of the European Free Trade Association member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland), Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom

Americas and Oceania:

Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, and New Zealand

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the BUD Fund, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) and hold a valid Hong Kong Business Registration Certificate.
Maintain substantial business operations in Hong Kong, evidenced by employee records, business transaction records, and the latest audited financial statements.
Not a listed company in Hong Kong.

Funding Scope

Eligible projects fall within one or more of the following categories, designed to enhance competitiveness for individual Hong Kong enterprises and facilitate development in free trade and investment agreement markets:

Brand Development:
Transforming business models, developing products, introducing new technologies, improving business processes, enhancing management systems, and automating production.

Upgrading and Restructuring:
New product design, introduction of new technologies, enhancement of management systems, and automation of production.

Promoting Sales:
Conducting market research for domestic sales, formulating domestic sales strategies and plans, establishing domestic sales channels, and promoting products/services.

Project Applications

Type (i): Develop Holistic Business Plans

Enterprises may engage qualified service providers to create comprehensive business strategies related to brand development, upgrading and restructuring, and/or promoting sales to enhance competitiveness and facilitate growth in the target markets.

Type (ii): Implementation of Specific Measures

Enterprises may implement targeted measures for brand development, upgrading and restructuring, and/or promoting sales to boost competitiveness and support business expansion in the target markets.

Non-Fundable Items under the BUD Fund

Expenses related to leasing, renovation, and utilities of established branches, sales points, or display points.

Procurement or rental costs for desktop and laptop equipment, software, and other general application materials (e.g., cameras, projectors, printers, retail systems).

Advertising costs incurred in Hong Kong and regions outside the target markets are not eligible for funding. Internet advertising expenses related to deposits, bonuses, and listing fees are also not eligible.

Application Notes

Funding Method

Each project can receive funding of up to 50% of the approved expenditure, with a maximum limit of HK$ 1 million. The business must cover at least 50% of the total approved expenditure for the project.

Application Dates

Applications are accepted year-round.

Funding Amount

Each business may receive funding for a maximum of 70 approved projects. The maximum funding amount per project is HK$ 1 million. As of 7 November 2022, the total maximum cumulative funding amount for each business is HK$ 7 million.

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