Shenzhen draws young HK entrepreneurs to start businesses

Regarded as a land of "opportunity, success and happiness", Shenzhen in Guangdong province is now drawing tens of thousands of young people from Hong Kong to set up a business here.

The Udream startup incubation base -- established Dec 28, 2019, in the Bao'an district of Shenzhen as an innovation and creative center in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area -- has attracted not only young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong but also those from Guangdong, Macao, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Several young people from Hong Kong as well as a foreigner, who all started businesses in the Bay Area, shared stories of entrepreneurship, impressions of today's Chinese mainland, and the opportunities that the Bay Area brings in an interview with China Daily.

"I know that the Chinese mainland market offers a much larger room for development. I also want to explore the potential opportunities here (in the Bay Area). I want to be of help to other enterprises with my knowledge and experience, especially the young people, to develop in the Bay Area, which is a much bigger market," said Denise Lung, deputy CEO of Baculture Media.

Sam Boyd, founder of Guided Imports, agreed. "Shenzhen today is more of that land of opportunity. I want to start my business here, and I want to grow my business. There is no better place to do it than Shenzhen."

Amy Shang, co-founder of PBL Academy, said, "There are more possibilities. For example, many graduates look for finance-related jobs. Probably more people are interested in jobs in this sector. But in the Bay Area, there are many different industries, offering young people from Hong Kong much wider career choices."

The entrepreneurs all hoped that young people from Hong Kong could adopt an open mind and give themselves a chance to come to the Bay Area to have a look.