Austrian experts and tech providers would like to contribute their expertise and technologies to make Hong Kong even smarter and livable and to fulfil the visions laid out in Hong Kong’s Smart City Blueprint 2.0 and Hong Kong 2030+ Strategy. At the virtual edition of the “Austrian – Hong Kong Technology Days” from May 25 – 27, 2021, leading smart city and urban tech experts and providers participated at three webinars co-hosted Hong Kong partner organizations to discuss Austrian and Hong Kong’s urban challenges and how innovation and technology could be embraced in the fields of mobility, construction and in the water sector. In addition, the Austrian participants were also available for one-to-one video calls.
May 25 – Kick off and Exchange on Water Sector
Hong Kong’s Undersecretary of Innovation David Chung, Austrian Vice Minister for Innovation Gernot Grimm and Austrian Consul General Karl ERNST officially opened the 2021 Austrian – Hong Kong Tech Days. A detailed exchange in an panel on European solutions for the water sector followed: Vienna Water’s Deputy MD Walter Kling plus two Austrian tech providers (Wolfgang Vogl/VWMS and Li Xiao, S::CAN) shared the Austrian experience. Both, Hong Kong and Vienna, have an excellent water supply infrastructure but also face similar problems like how to monitor water quality constantly. Thank you to KF Tsang/ Smart City Consortium and Tino Terraneo/Austrian Tech Corp. for moderating the session.
May 26: Exchange on Mobility
The webinar offered a stimulating discussion about European expertise and tech for Hong Kong’s mobility sector. A big thank you to the Business Environment Council and its Simon Ng for the joined event and for the moderation! Short summary: Stefan Seer from Austria’s biggest research institute & independent urban know-how partner Austrian Institute of Technology kicked off the discussions how cities like Hong Kong could tackle climate change with novel methods and digital tools in the triangle mobility, climate and energy. David Bolt from Kapsch TrafficCom suggested smart traffic solutions that connect data, vehicles and ecosystems. Daniel Pätzold (representing Doppelmayr Cable Cars) showed international best practice for the use of innovative ropeway systems in an urban setting. Alexander Kefer from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG introduced all 16 Austrian tech experts interested in Hong Kong partners and suggested the use of the Austrian tech radar.
May 27: Exchange on Construction Solutions
Watch the webinar at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q39YPnkmI74
This panel in cooperation with the Construction Industry Council moderated by George Wong started with some European insights on the “City of Tomorrow” by Volker Schaffler (Austrian Federal Ministry for Innovation and Tech BMK) and a call for action: Technologies for positive energy districts already exist, climate-neutral cities might be the future. Marcos Garcia (Riegl), Terence LUI (Varadise) and Alexander Petkov (automated data anonymization Celantur) presented digitalization tools to make cities smarter. Irina Slosar from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG made reference to all 16 Austrian tech providers looking for partners and suggested the use of the Austrian tech radar. Lots of interest for this panel – this is surely only the start of more exchange between the Austrian and Hong Kong’s construction sector!
Thank you to all partners! The Austrian – Hong Kong Technology Days 2021 were organized by ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Hong Kong, the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action/Environment/Energy/Mobility/ Innovation and Technology BMK, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency and the Austrian Technology Corp. in a partnership with the Smart City Consortium, the Business Environment Council and the Construction Innovation and Technology Application Centre.
Interested in European innovation? Even after the event series, feel free to reach out to the “Austrian - Hong Kong Technology Days 2021 Participants” or spin the “Austrian Tech Competence Wheel” for innovate Austrian technologies.
