Any Differences between Australia and Hong Kong Startup Ecosystem??

Any Differences between Australia and Hong Kong Startup Ecosystem?
Australia and Hong Kong have dynamic startup ecosystems, but they differ in terms of size, industry focus, salary level, and government support. Let me share a few points of Australia and Hong Kong Startup ecosystems based on personal observations in Melbourne/Sydney and Hong Kong.


Market Size & Access

Australia has a relatively smaller domestic market (27 Million population) but is positioned as a gateway to the Asia-Pacific region. However, I have been living in Australia for nearly 7 years and did not really see many Australian Startups are expanding their business focus and market coverage for countries in ASEAN, Japan, Korea and/or China. Whereas, based on visits to Hong Kong Incubation and Acceleration hubs in the past two years, many Startups based in Hong Kong (local or International) had claimed that they were focusing on new markets and ready for going out (I) Northbound to Greater Bay Area (a market of 85 Million population) (ii) Southbound to ASEAN countries (a market of 600 Million).


Key Sectors

The Australian startup ecosystem focuses on Fintech, MedTech, Agritech, and Renewable energy. On the other hand, Hong Kong’s ecosystem is known for its strengths in Fintech, Blockchain, Logistics, and AI. There’s a rising focus on deep tech and e-commerce.


Talent Pool & Salary

Australia has a highly educated workforce and is home to top universities. However, IT or tech talent in Australia is generally very expensive.

Entry-level: AUD 65,000 – AUD 85,000 per year
Mid-level: AUD 90,000 – AUD 110,000 per year
Senior Engineer: AUD 120,000 – AUD 150,000+ per year
IT specialists in cybersecurity, cloud engineering and data scientist can command higher salaries, often exceeding AUD 160,000-200,000+ per year
On the other hand, Hong Kong benefits from a multilingual workforce with strong financial and tech expertise, drawing talent from China and other parts of Asia.

In summary, both Australia and Hong Kong have thriving startup ecosystems and could be complemented to each other’s. If you are interested to learn more about Australia and Hong Kong Startup ecosystems and opportunities, please refer to my previous posts and/or write email to [email protected] . 🤗

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