PSTS-TC is open all year to eligible technology companies conducting R&D in Hong Kong. The trial outcome must be owned by the applicant, developed primarily in Hong Kong and tied to its business plan. A project may run for up to 12 months and is generally conducted in the local public sector.
Secure a trial owner, not just a letterhead
A useful trial has someone inside the public body who owns the operational problem, can arrange access and will review the result. Before applying, agree what will be installed, who will use it, what data may be collected and what would count as a successful or unsuccessful outcome.
If a suitable department or public body has not yet been identified, the PSTS Helpdesk offers matching support. That is more credible than naming a speculative venue and trying to establish the relationship after approval.
Write the trial around one uncertain claim
Choose a claim that a live environment can genuinely test: detection performance under local conditions, time saved in a workflow, reliability over repeated use or whether staff can operate the system safely. Record the baseline, sample size, exceptions and decision rule before the trial starts.
Do not turn the plan into a twelve-month product backlog. Separate essential trial customisation from unrelated feature development, and explain why each prototype or sample is needed at the proposed venue.
Keep ownership and permissions clear
The applicant must own the R&D outcome and have developed it primarily in Hong Kong. Contracts with founders, universities and outside developers should support that statement. The trial plan should separately address data access, confidentiality, cybersecurity, safety and any sector approval required by the host.
Primary sources
These links are published by the programme operator or responsible authority. Recheck them immediately before applying.
Reviewed by the HK Grant Resource editorial desk on 19 September 2026 against the primary sources above.
Read our verification method →