Before I moved to Hong Kong, there was a lot I didn't know about it (there still is lots left to discover). Here are the key things I think are worth knowing if you're thinking about moving to Hong Kong or are curious about start up life here.

1. SEVEN THINGS YOU
DIDN’T KNOW
ABOUT HONG KONG

2. HONG KONG WHAT? 2
1. WHERE IT IS (IT’S OKAY, YOU CAN ADMIT IT)
50%
of
the
world’s
population
is
within
a
5
hour
5light.

3. HONG KONG SEVEN 3
1. WHERE IT IS (IT’S OKAY, YOU CAN
ADMIT IT)
50%
of
the
world’s
population…

4. 2. ALSO, THERE’S THIS. 4

5. HONG KONG WHAT? 5
3. BUT YES, IT’S IN CHINA. KIND OF.
‣ Special
Administrative
Region
‣ The
Handover
in
1997
‣ Of<icial
language:
English
and
Cantonese
‣ Education
system

6. HONG KONG VS. MAINLAND CHINA 6
CENSORSHIP
‣ Mainland
China
second
to
Iran
‣ 2010
–
Google
re-­‐routed
all
internet
traf<ic
through
HK
‣ Facebook
is
blocked

7. TRUST 7

8. HONG KONG VS. MAINLAND CHINA
TRUST
8
‣ Quality
standards
‣ Strong
legal
system
‣ Brand
names
‣ Foreign
brand

9. HONG KONG WHAT? 9
4. TECH AND MOBILE ARE ALL THE RAGE.
‣ 90% of
residents
have
internet
access
(vs.
80%
in
US
vs.
66%
in
Shanghai)
‣ 55 MPBS average
internet
speed
(vs.
36mbps
in
US,
5
in
Shanghai)
‣ 2.3 MOBILE PHONES per
person
(vs.
1.03
in
the
US
and
0.85
in
China)

10. HONG KONG WHAT? 10
5. HONG KONG <3 BUSINESS
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
China Middle East &
North Africa
East Asia &
Pacific
Eastern
Europe &
Central Asia
United
Kingdom
United States Hong Kong
SAR, China
Procedures (number)
Time (days)
Cost (% of income per
capita)
Paid-in Min. Capital (%
of income per capita)

11. HONG KONG WHAT? 11
FREEDOM, SUPPORT & PROTECTIONS
‣ ECONOMIC FREEDOM best
place
for
business,
#1
freest
economy
‣ GOVERNMENT SUPPORT low
tax
rates
‣ GATEWAY TO CHINA fastest
growing
consumer
economy
in
the
world
‣ LEGAL PROTECTION British
legal
system,
IP
laws

12. HONG KONG WHAT? 12
6. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. LIKE, A LOT.

13. HONG KONG WHAT 13
133,000 people
per
km2
in
Mong
Kok
1 IN 6 cars
is
a
Mercedes
Benz
$233,000 USD
for
one
bottle
of
wine

14. BUT THEY GET AROUND JUST FINE.

15. HONG KONG WHAT? 15
7. ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS ESCALATING (LITERALLY)

16. ‣ #1 Top
Tech
Capital
to
watch,
according
to
Forbes
(after
SF
and
NY)
‣ 150x square
footage
of
co-­‐work
space
as
there
was
12
months
ago
‣ 150,000 new
businesses
launched
in
2011
(vs.
65,000
in
NY)

17. COME SAY HI.
@allison_baum
allisonb@frescocapital.com