Join us at CVCF 2026 to explore how startups can scale and win in the age of AI.
Updated
October 28, 2026 6:18 PM
CVCF 2026 takes place on 4–5 November at Cyberport, Hong Kong. IMAGE: CYBERPORT
AI can help you build a startup, but it won’t automatically make you stand out. When everyone has access to similar tools, you need to give customers a reason to choose you and investors a reason to back you. So, how do you turn innovation into a competitive edge?
That question sits at the heart of Cyberport Venture & Capital Forum (CVCF) 2026, taking place on 4–5 November under the theme “Scaling in a Changing World: Winning the Next Competitive Cycle” and the message “Scale Up & Win.”
The two-day forum will feature more than 80 speakers discussing venture investment, AI-driven growth, emerging technologies and expansion into new markets. Day 1 will explore global investment trends and the next wave of innovation. Day 2 will feature CVCF 2026’s spotlight event, the Agentic Economy Summit, examining how agentic AI and digital assets could reshape business and finance. The wider programme will also include investor matching, founder pitches, 100+ Innovator Showcase, startup workshops and clinics.
With founders and investors navigating a fast-changing technology landscape, CVCF 2026 will explore what it takes to stay competitive, scale into new markets and turn emerging opportunities into business growth. Here’s a look at the key programmes lined up for this year’s forum.
CVCF 2026 will explore investment trends, global expansion, AI and digital assets. IMAGE: CYBERPORT
Keynotes and Panels: Finding the Next Big Opportunity
Taara founder and CEO Mahesh Krishnaswamy will deliver the keynote The Innovation Playbook: Capitalizing on Moonshots and Faster Cycles in the Age of AI. The wider Day 1 programme will cover global investment trends, expansion into new markets, agentic AI and one-person companies.
For startups navigating the AI market, the panel Mastering the AI Bubble: Capital Rerouting and How Global Champions Stand Out will bring together panellists from Quona Capital, Alumni Ventures, FOV Ventures and Capital6 to discuss how investors assess startups and distinguish commercial potential from market hype. Other sessions will explore emerging technologies beyond AI software, including embodied AI, advanced computing and commercial aerospace.
Investor Matching and Networking: Connecting with Capital
Away from the conference sessions, MatchEasy will help founders and investors arrange one-to-one meetings, either onsite or online. Confirmed participants will receive access to the platform to explore potential matches and schedule meetings.
Investors can also discover local and international startups through the Founder Pitch programme, where entrepreneurs present their projects and ventures. Meanwhile, the Innovator Showcase offers a separate opportunity to explore emerging technology solutions through a virtual platform and selected on-site exhibits.
For founders seeking more tailored guidance, the Startup Clinics will offer one-to-one discussions with industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs on business challenges, fundraising and growth. Advance registration is required.
Hands-On Workshops: Strengthening Your Investment Pitch
Turning an innovative idea into a business that investors can back takes more than a strong pitch. CVCF 2026 will host practical workshops to help founders strengthen their fundraising strategies and make a stronger case to investors.
Led by Capital6 advisor Christine Keung, one workshop will explore how founders can align technical innovation with business goals, communicate their product’s value and prepare for fundraising. Another, led by Jeremy Dalton, advisor at FOV Ventures and SXSW Pitch, will help founders understand how investors assess startups, with opportunities to pitch live and receive direct feedback.
CVCF 2026’s spotlight event, the Agentic Economy Summit, will take place on 5 November under the theme “Intelligent Frontiers, Tokenised Horizons: Where Agentic AI Reshapes Business and Digital Assets Redefine How Value Moves.”
The summit will bring together technology and finance leaders to explore how agentic AI and digital assets could change the way businesses operate. Wolf Ruzicka, chief commercial officer at Unlimit, a global payments company, will discuss building and scaling agentic AI applications. Dr Feng Xiao, chairman and CEO of HashKey Group, will examine how digital identity, tokenised assets and money connect on-chain.
The discussions will also look at agent-led commerce, including how AI agents could help customers choose products and make purchases, and the payment systems needed to support these transactions. Other topics include Hong Kong dollar stablecoins and their potential role in payments and settlement, as well as the rise of one-person companies. The summit will also explore how founders can use AI agents to run their businesses with smaller teams, find customers and generate recurring revenue.
From AI-driven growth and cross-border investment to agentic AI and digital assets, CVCF 2026 brings together the people and ideas shaping the next phase of business. Whether you're preparing to raise capital, exploring new markets or assessing emerging technologies, the forum offers an opportunity to gain fresh perspectives and connect with investors, founders and industry leaders.
Exclusive for Ventureport readers: Use the promotional code cvcf26vp to access a Full Access Pass for HK$300, subject to confirmation of the offer by the organiser.
Date: 4–5 November 2026
Function Rooms, Level 3, Core E, Cyberport 3, Hong Kong
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The CE approval opens Europe for Cornerstone Robotics as the company expands its global surgical robotics business
Updated
August 10, 2026 5:56 PM
A tray of surgical tools. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
As surgical robotics companies expand beyond domestic markets, regulatory approvals are becoming a critical part of global growth. Companies are no longer competing only on hardware and clinical performance. They are also competing on their ability to enter tightly regulated healthcare systems and build long-term hospital partnerships.
Hong Kong-based Cornerstone Robotics is now moving further into that phase of expansion after its Sentire Endoscopic Surgical System received CE Mark certification under the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation framework.
The approval allows the company to commercialize the system across European markets for minimally invasive procedures in general surgery, gynecology, thoracic surgery and urology. For surgical robotics companies, regulatory approvals often represent more than product validation. They also determine market access, hospital adoption opportunities and long-term commercial scale.
Cornerstone Robotics has already been building clinical operations in the UK ahead of the approval. Since 2025, the company has worked with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust on clinical investigations involving the Sentire Surgical System. According to the company, the system has been used across procedures involving urology, gynecology and gastrointestinal surgery. The company says the clinical investigation helped generate real-world data to support physician training, research and future adoption efforts.
Alongside the regulatory approval, Cornerstone Robotics is also expanding its local operations in Europe. The company established a UK subsidiary in 2025 and has been developing training, clinical support and after-sales service capabilities for hospitals using the system.
That operational buildout reflects a larger challenge inside surgical robotics. Hospitals adopting robotic systems often require ongoing clinical training, technical support and workflow integration alongside the hardware itself.
Cornerstone Robotics says its strategy centers around vertically integrated development across engineering, software, imaging and robotics systems. The company argues that this structure gives it greater control over product development, supply chain management and long-term operational stability.
Professor Samuel Au, Founder and CEO of Cornerstone Robotics, said: "Receiving CE Certification marks a major milestone in Cornerstone Robotics' evolution from a technology innovator to a global clinical solutions provider. From our first clinical investigation in Portsmouth, UK, to achieving European regulatory approval, each step of the journey reflects our commitment to proprietary innovation, product excellence, and clinical value. Looking ahead, we will continue expanding into key global markets and partnering with leading medical institutions to bring high-quality surgical robotic solutions to more physicians and patients worldwide."
The CE approval also comes several months after the company completed an oversubscribed financing round of approximately US$200 million in November 2025.
The funding and regulatory expansion together signal how surgical robotics companies are increasingly entering a more commercially focused stage of growth. Beyond research and development, companies are now investing more heavily in regulatory approvals, hospital partnerships, physician training and international operational infrastructure as competition expands across global healthcare markets.