Silicon Valley has long been the go-to place for entrepreneurial tech founders, but what does it do to startups from Hong Kong who immerse themselves in its whirlwind world of innovation? The answer is change on all levels: business, personal, and cultural.
The six-month Global Booster Programme, run by HKSTP in partnership with Plug and Play, has been an important launchpad for Hong Kong’s most high-potential startups. It’s about much more than perfecting the craft of pitching or getting to know investors (although there’s enough of that to go around). It’s about doing it all — living, working, and learning — in tandem with fellow founders, while dipping into the distinctive challenges and possibilities of Silicon Valley.
Consider the case of Eddie Yu, the OKO Six founder. Coming to Silicon Valley for the first time, he had no idea what awaited him. Sharing an apartment with fellow founders, he soon established strong friendships and was “emerging from a cocoon of uncertainty with renewed confidence.” The programme’s tailored training and fundraising help enabled him to hone his business model and pitch. “We rehearsed relentlessly until the presentation was pitch-perfect,” recalls Eddie.
The effect was instant. OKOsix, a player in compostable solutions, generated interest among more than 80 investors. Some were impressed to the point that they even traveled to Hong Kong for due diligence, willing to consider new uses for OKOsix’s biodegradable materials for items other than disposable medical and hygiene products. Eddie calls it “once in a lifetime.” It not only gave him a confidence boost, but it also entirely changed Ooko’s trajectory. He redirected production plans to address worldwide demand and redomiciled fundraising priorities to drive growth. Beyond investors, Eddie added to his staff by hiring a Chief Innovation Officer with a Stanford doctorate in chemistry and adding experienced financial advisors.
Eddie’s experience wasn’t an isolated case. GoGoChart, an online marketing agency with more than 2,000 clients in verticals such as mobile gaming and finance, also discovered new energy in Silicon Valley. CEO Daniel Lo, who had prior exposure to the Valley’s environment, bonded with the Valley culture at a deeper level. He calls the experience “one of those eye-opening moments” that was dominated by mentor workshops, investor introductions, and midnight calls back to Hong Kong.
The tempo was frenetic. “Every morning began early,” Lo relates, as Plug and Play programmed a rigorous agenda. Nights were filled with networking dinners, and weekends became opportunities to invite new acquaintances over for food and talk, building connections that extended well past the swapping of business cards.
Hard work paid off. In spite of rejection and setbacks, GoGoChart’s relentless networking paid dividends. Lightspeed Venture Partners, one of the largest venture capital firms, approached them with an invitation to analyze the digital marketing initiatives of their portfolio companies. GoGoChart’s progress took off at an incredible compound rate from here.
But for Lo, the greatest rewards weren’t always quantifiable. “Perhaps the most intangible-but — but rewarding — part was being around some of the world’s best brains,” he says. “It made me humbler and more mindful of the need for hard work, perseverance, and continued learning.”
The Global Booster Programme has become a career-defining benchmark for Hong Kong’s startup elite. It’s not merely about reaching new markets — it’s about founders understanding that being an entrepreneur does not have to be a solo venture. With the second cohort preparing to set off on its own Silicon Valley journey, one message echoes as clear as ever: the journey from Hong Kong to Silicon Valley is more than a business trip. It’s an odyssey of development, determination, and global aspiration.
