Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme (FTRSS)

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Objective

Launched in September 2025, the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme (FTRSS) provides funding support, on a matching basis, to eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) in attracting international top-notch researchers to Hong Kong and procuring facilities to conduct research projects in frontier technology fields, with a view to expanding Hong Kong's research capacities, promoting the integrated development of education, technology and talent, as well as dovetailing with the country's strategic planning of frontier technologies.

Eligibility

• Application Institutions
  
  • The Applicant Institution must be a local university funded by the UGC.
  • To facilitate inter-institutional and cross-sectoral co-operation, UGC-funded universities together with other parties that provide technological or financial support to the project may submit joint applications. In such case, the Lead Applicant Institution must be a UGC-funded university.
• Leading talents
  
  • Research personnel who have worked at a university, public/private research institute or the research arm of a private enterprise overseas for not less than three years in the past 10 years, and the immediate previous appointment of the leading talent shall generally not be any full-time engagement at such institutions in Hong Kong or the Mainland.

Key Features

• The research projects under application should be led by international top-notch talents and about basic research in frontier technology fields in Hong Kong
• Funding will be provided on a matching basis
  
  • Matching Ratios:
    
    • Remuneration expenses: 1 (Government): 1 (Applicant Institution and other funding sources)
    • Non-remuneration expenses: 4 (Government): 1 (Applicant Institution and other funding sources)
• Maximum funding support: in an amount between HK$100 million and HK$300 million per project
• The research facility under application should commence operation within 18 months and continuously operate for no less than five years
• Intellectual Property (IP) : research teams/inventors should be entitled to no less than 70% of the IP benefits (for IPs generated by the research teams/ inventors during the project period).

Application

Applications have closed as of 25 November 2025. The Innovation and Technology Commission expects the application results to be announced in the first half of 2026 after assessment of applications. Subject to responses and funding situation, the Innovation and Technology Commission may invite more than one round of applications if needed.

Assessment

Applications submitted by universities will be subject to vetting by an Assessment Panel comprising academia as well as representatives from the Government and/or the community at large. Assessment criteria include the talent component, I&T elements and research themes of the project, technical levels and management capabilities of the teams, reasonableness of the budget, as well as its overall benefits to the I&T sector and society as a whole.

Frequently Asked Questions