Two-Day Event to be Held on 4-5 November. Bringing Together Global Investors and Entrepreneurs to Explore New Frontiers in Agentic AI, One-Person Companies (OPCs), and Hong Kong’s Role as an International Innovation, Funding, and Technology Hub
Updated
October 30, 2026 9:22 PM
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Hong Kong, 26 October 2026 – As the global venture capital market evolves amid economic shifts, investment flows are increasingly concentrated, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), which continues to drive significant momentum. The annual flagship event, Cyberport Venture & Capital Forum (CVCF), will take place on 4-5 November 2026 at Cyberport. Themed “Scaling in a Changing World: Winning the Next Competitive Cycle”, this year’s CVCF will unite influential global investors and entrepreneurs to explore key themes including Enterprise and Agentic AI, One-Person Companies (OPCs), frontier technologies, and spotlight Hong Kong's unique position as a strategic gateway connecting Chinese Mainland, ASEAN, the Middle East, global innovation and funding networks. The forum aims to empower start-ups and investors to break through financing and market expansion barriers, seizing new market opportunities.
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Dr Rocky Cheng, CEO of Cyberport, said, “As global innovation and capital markets undergo accelerated reshaping, AI, data technology, and emerging industries have become crucial engines driving economic growth. CVCF is dedicated to building a bridge between innovation and capital. This year’s forum focuses on new trends such as AI, digital assets, and One-Person Companies (OPCs), exploring emerging market opportunities and global expansion strategies. It decodes how enterprises can drive scalable growth with speed and resilience in a rapidly changing market. Through our investor matching activities, we aim to facilitate the commercialisation of innovations and cross-regional collaboration. Cyberport will continue to leverage its role as Hong Kong’s digital tech flagship and AI accelerator to foster a thriving I&T ecosystem and inject new momentum into building Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub.”
Cyberport’s start-ups have demonstrated robust fundraising performance over the past year. With 481 companies joining the community during this period, Cyberport start-ups have raised over HK$74.5 billion in funding. During the year, 19 Cyberport companies successfully listed, alongside the addition of 2 new unicorns. Recent high-value fundraising rounds include Finloop, Qupital, Premialab, and Buy&Ship, many of which leverage AI, blockchain, and digital assets - reflecting sustained market confidence in these emerging technologies and underscoring Cyberport's success in fostering their development.
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Hendrick Sin, Chairman of Cyberport Investors Network (CIN) Steering Group; Co-Founder of CMGE Technology Group Limited; Chairman of China Prosperity Capital, said, “Cyberport Investors Network (CIN) has come to its 9th anniversary this year, and our network of over 240 global investors has successfully facilitated more than HK$6 billion across over 133 project matchings, representing an increase of over 19 projects compared to last year. Simultaneously, the Cyberport Macro Fund (CMF), alongside co-investments, has directed HK$2.7 billion into high-potential ventures, with a co-investment ratio of 1:9:3., reflecting strong investor confidence in Cyberport companies. Through dedicated initiatives and our targeted investor matching sessions, CVCF continues to bridge high-growth ventures with institutional co-investment partners, public-private funds and foster collaboration across government, industry, academia, research, investment, and users, propelling enterprise scale across regional corridors.”
As Hong Kong’s digital tech hub, AI accelerator and key incubator, Cyberport leverages the Cyberport Investors Network (CIN) to attract influential investment units from around the world to connect with high-potential Cyberport enterprises to accelerate their development. Since its inception in 2017, the total investments facilitated by CIN have reached over HK$6 billion across a cumulative total of 133 project matchings. CIN’s investment units have surpassed 240, with 15% from the Greater Bay Area and 14% from the Asia-Pacific region, alongside continuous expansion into the Middle East and ASEAN, successfully aggregating global venture capital.
Another key financing channel, Cyberport Macro Fund (CMF), continues to invest in high-potential start-ups while enhancing their fundraising capabilities. As of September 2026, CMF has invested in 30 start-up projects, with the total investment, including co-investments, exceeding HK$2.7 billion, with a co-investment ratio of 1:9.3 — meaning every HK$1 invested by Cyberport attracts an additional HK$9.3 in co-investment. Further augmenting ecosystem liquidity, Cyberport, BOCHK Asset Management, and BOC Group Investment have formed a strategic partnership in May 2026 around a completed venture capital fund to back promising Hong Kong I&T start-ups. This demonstrates Cyberport’s sustained ability to attract and secure capital in a challenging environment.
Cyberport companies have recently achieved remarkable success across venture capital fundraising, advanced technology commercialisation, and international market expansion. Among them, leading Cyberport community members, including global Web5 wealth technology platform Finloop, independent fintech and data analytics platform Premialab, and cross-border fintech platform Qupital, shared their insights on navigating capital cycles, deploying next-generation financial architectures, and scaling from Hong Kong into regional and global markets.
Zhao Yang, Deputy CEO of Finloop, said, “While originating from an established corporate background, we strategically chose Cyberport as the ideal launchpad to spin off our project and scale our vision. Cyberport has been an indispensable catalyst for Finloop’s growth as we develop our AI-driven, one-stop Web5 wealth technology and RWA issuance platform, delivering AI-native liquidity solutions to institutions and SMEs. Beyond providing a vibrant community of innovators, Cyberport’s dynamic ecosystem provides an invaluable springboard for us with leading commercial banks, brokerages, and External Asset Managers (EAMs) across Hong Kong and Singapore, accelerating our mission to build compliant and institutional-grade infrastructure that unlocks new liquidity and value flows across the region.”
Pierre Trecourt, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Premialab, emphasized the growing importance of advanced data analytics in multi-asset investing, “In an increasingly complex and volatile market environment, institutional investors need greater transparency and sophisticated analytics to construct resilient portfolios, benchmark systematic investment strategies, and manage risk. Hong Kong’s unique position as a global financial hub, combined with its exceptional talent pool and Cyberport’s extensive ecosystem, provides an ideal environment for fintech companies to innovate, expand internationally, and scale their businesses.”
Winston Wong, Co-Founder and CEO of Qupital, discussed their milestone achievements in digital economy lending and underscored Cyberport’s long-standing backing throughout their journey, “Cyberport has played an integral role throughout Qupital’s journey from a homegrown startup to a profitable Series C fintech company. Under the support of Cyberport’s investor networks and platforms, we are proud to have become the first platform in Asia to securitise e-commerce merchant loans while sustaining industry-leading credit performance and profitability. Our journey truly reflects how Cyberport empowers homegrown fintech pioneers to scale sustainable cross-border supply chain financing across the Greater Bay Area and global markets.”
Cyberport Venture & Capital Forum 2026 will feature opening remarks by Lillian Cheong, Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, and bring together venture capital leaders, including representatives from Taara, Gobi Partners, Alumni Ventures, Rasmal Ventures, Primavera Capital, Draper Dragon, Pegasus Tech Ventures, Plug & Play and more to discuss the latest technology and market focus:
CVCF 2026 will continue to feature the popular “Investor Matching” session, offering face-to-face and online interactions to pair investors with start-ups based on their technological focus and investment preferences, enhancing collaboration efficiency. Additional highlights include over 80 physical showcase booths, funder power pitches, start-up clinic & workshop, providing attendees with practical insights and strategic advice. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremonies between Cyberport and international partners including Gobi Partners and Thailand’s National Innovation Agency (NIA) will also be held on the day.
The Agentic Economy Summit, a key highlight of the forum, will feature a keynote speech from Mr Joseph CHAN, JP, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, bringing together AI pioneers, regulators, and financial giants to examine how digital identity, institutional tokenisation, HKD stablecoin issuance, programmable payments and machine-to-machine commerce are building the financial rails of the future. Featured speakers will also include representatives from HashKey, Cobo, Unlimit, Anchorpoint, UBS, Monk’s Hill Ventures, and more. The summit will also be exploring the emerging phenomenon of One-Person Companies (OPCs), highlighting how AI agents enable lean entrepreneurial ventures to achieve unprecedented operational scale.
As Cyberport’s flagship venture capital event, CVCF connects investors and entrepreneurs in the global digital technology. In 2025, the hybrid event attracted over 2,700 participants, achieved more than 180,000 views and facilitated more than 500 deal flows, fostering partnerships and investment opportunities. For more details, please visit the website: http://cvcf.cyberport.hk/.
The annual flagship event, Cyberport Venture Capital Forum (CVCF) 2026, will take place on 4-5 November 2026 at Cyberport. Themed “Scaling in a Changing World: Winning the Next Competitive Cycle”, this year’s CVCF will unite influential global investors and entrepreneurs to explore key themes include Enterprise AI, One-Person Companies (OPCs), frontier technologies, and spotlight Hong Kong's unique position as a strategic gateway connecting Chinese Mainland, ASEAN, the Middle East, global innovation and funding networks. The forum aims to empower start-ups and investors to break through financing and market expansion barriers, seizing new market opportunities. Dr Rocky Cheng, CEO of Cyberport (third right), Hendrick Sin, Chairman of Cyberport Investors Network (CIN) Steering Group (third left); Ir Eric Chan, Chief Public Mission Officer of Cyberport (second right), and Cyberport community members, Zhao Yang, Deputy CEO of Finloop (second left), Pierre Trecourt, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Premialab (first right), and Winston Wong, Co-Founder and CEO of Qupital (first left), attended the media briefing.
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Ir Eric Chan, Chief Public Mission Officer of Cyberport introduced the speakers and highlights of the two-day Cyberport Venture Capital Forum 2025, as well as the Web3.0 Innovation Expo.
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Ir Eric Chan, Chief Public Mission Officer of Cyberport (first left) and Cyberport community members, Zhao Yang, Deputy CEO of Finloop (second left), Pierre Trecourt, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Premialab (second right), and Winston Wong, Co-Founder and CEO of Qupital (first right), shared investment insights and experiences in facilitating fundraising during the discussion session.
Keep Reading
Not elected, not human—Albania’s AI minister sparks a new governance debate.
Updated
August 10, 2026 5:56 PM
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Promotional avatar graphic representing Diella, the Albanian government's artificial intelligence system. PHOTO: EALBANIA
Artificial intelligence already supports a wide range of applications, from medical diagnostics and financial systems to logistics, manufacturing, defence and public service delivery. Now, it is starting to move closer to public office.
In January 2025, Albania introduced Diella, an AI-powered virtual assistant developed by the National Agency for Information Society, known as AKSHI, with support from Microsoft. Launched on the e-Albania platform, the government’s digital services portal, Diella helps citizens and businesses access official documents and services through voice assistance. She can also issue electronically stamped documents, which helps speed up administrative processes.
Then, in September 2025, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that Diella would join his cabinet as the “Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence”. This move drew global attention. It also raised a simple question: what does it actually mean for a government to appoint an AI minister?
The case raises bigger questions for governments everywhere. Can an AI minister make public services faster and cleaner? Or does it create new risks around transparency, accountability and control?
Diella is not a humanoid robot sitting in a cabinet room. On screen, she appears as a digitally rendered woman wearing traditional-style Albanian clothing. Her name means “sun” in Albanian, a deliberate choice for a system meant to bring more light into public administration.
Her face and voice have become part of the controversy. Albanian actor Anila Bisha has said she agreed for her likeness to be used for the e-Albania public services platform, but not for a cabinet-level political role. In 2026, she took legal action to stop the government from using her image and voice for Diella. For now, the government has denied wrongdoing.
Diella began as a digital assistant on e-Albania. In that role, she helps users find services, request documents and navigate government processes online. For citizens, that can make public services feel less confusing. Businesses may also spend less time dealing with paperwork.
Her cabinet role is more political. The government wants Diella to support public procurement, where companies compete for government contracts. This is one of the most important areas of public spending. It is also one of the easiest places for corruption, favouritism and hidden influence to enter. The goal is to use AI to process information, check documents, support tender procedures and make the system more traceable.
That said, the government has emphasized that Diella is not replacing elected officials or civil servants. As per Enio Kaso, director of AI at AKSHI, each stage will be monitored and approved by human experts.
In May 2026, the Albanian government said it had completed the technical groundwork for the AI-powered public procurement system under the Diella project. The planned system would pull data from more than 40 digital public registries, reduce paperwork for businesses and support parts of the tender process. Earlier reports said the government hoped to have the full system ready by the end of 2026.
The government’s case for Diella is built around anti-corruption reform. Rama has said the goal is to “wipe out every potential influence on public biddings” and thus make public tenders “100% free of corruption”. That is a bold promise, especially in a country where procurement scandals have long damaged public confidence and complicated Albania’s path toward European Union membership.
At first glance, the logic is easy to understand. AI does not ask for bribes or favour a cousin—a big problem in the country, according to Rama—a friend or a political ally. It can apply the same rules across a large number of applications. Moreover, it can also leave a digital trail, which should make later review easier.
Some anti-corruption and governance experts see real potential in that approach. Dr. Andi Hoxhaj of King’s College London has said that if used well and programmed properly, AI could help procurement officials spot missing documents, check whether companies meet eligibility requirements and flag unusual patterns in bids. In practice, that could make the process more consistent and make it harder for individual officials to quietly bend rules.
Diella’s appeal is speed and consistency. Her weakness is dependence.
Like any AI system, Diella relies on the quality of the data, rules and models behind her. Erjon Curraj, an expert in digital transformation and cybersecurity, has warned that incomplete, outdated or biased data can lead to flawed results. Poor design could also cause the system to reject a valid supplier, miss signs of collusion or treat similar cases differently for reasons that are hard to explain.
In public procurement, those mistakes can have serious consequences. A wrongly flagged company could lose a major contract, and a corrupt bidder could slip through. Government agencies could hide behind the AI and say the system made the recommendation.
That leads to the biggest question: who is accountable when something goes wrong?
The answer cannot be “the AI” because Diella cannot resign. She cannot face voters. Nor can she be cross-examined in any meaningful human sense. Accountability has to sit with ministers, agencies, auditors and courts.
There is also the issue of transparency. If Diella is helping screen tenders, businesses need to know what criteria are being used. They also need a way to challenge incorrect decisions. Citizens should be told whether the AI is making recommendations or merely organizing information. Independent auditors need access to logs, data sources and decision pathways.
Without those safeguards, AI in government can become a black box. It may look modern from the outside, while making power harder to question.
Diella has also become a political symbol. Supporters see her as proof that a small country can move quickly and experiment with new forms of digital government. Critics see her as a distraction from deeper problems in Albania’s institutions.
Both readings can be true at the same time: Diella may help modernize public services, but she may also be used to project reform while older problems continue in the background.
That tension became clearer after the recent procurement investigations involving senior officials since Diella’s appointment. Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku has been accused by prosecutors of alleged misconduct linked to infrastructure tenders, which she denies. Senior figures at AKSHI, the agency behind Diella and e-Albania, have also been placed under house arrest as part of a separate public procurement investigation.
While these developments do not automatically discredit Diella, they may strengthen the argument for better digital oversight. More importantly, they also show that technology cannot carry the whole burden of reform.
If the institutions around an AI system are weak, the AI will not magically make them strong. Unclear procurement rules will still cause problems, and the process will still be compromised when political pressure shapes the data, the model or the final decision.
After all, AI can support integrity; it cannot replace it.
While Diella is already a public symbol of AI in government, her most important procurement role is still taking shape. This makes Albania’s experiment both ambitious and unfinished.
The more realistic model is simple: let AI handle repetitive, data-heavy administrative work. Let humans retain authority where judgment, context and public accountability matter.
That means AI can help draft tender criteria, check documents, summarise bids and flag risks. Human officials should still make final decisions, explain those decisions and take responsibility for them. Meanwhile, independent bodies should be able to audit the process, and businesses should have a clear appeal route when they believe the system has made a mistake.
Diella once said she felt “hurt” while responding in parliament to claims that her role was unconstitutional. While this made for a memorable moment, it is important to remember simulated emotion is not consciousness, speed is not wisdom, and pattern recognition is not moral judgment.
Albania’s AI minister is therefore neither a triumph nor a failure at this stage. She is a live test case. Other governments will be watching closely, especially as public services become more digital and more automated.
The lesson is not that AI should stay out of government, but that AI must enter government carefully. The technology needs clear limits, public oversight and human accountability.
Diella may help Albania build a faster and cleaner procurement system—or she may become a warning about giving too much symbolic power to systems people do not fully understand. The final judgment will not come from the title “AI minister”. It will come from what the system does, who controls it and whether citizens can trust the results.