Cyberport and Cisco Collaborate on Enhancing AI Capabilities in Hong Kong to Power AI Industry Development and Digital Economy

Cyberport and Cisco will make joint efforts in the establishment of an AI lab at Cyberport, showcasing the transformative potential of AI network technologies that elevate the performance, adaptability, and intelligence of AI workloads, all within a resilient and cost-efficient infrastructure.

Cyberport, Hong Kong’s digital technology flagship and Cisco, worldwide technology leader, today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to take forward advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), future- ready network, and cybersecurity, paving the way to drive innovations and enhance economic resilience in Hong Kong to catalyse the development of digital economy. As part of the collaborations, Cyberport and Cisco will make joint efforts in the establishment of an AI lab at Cyberport, showcasing the transformative potential of AI network technologies that elevate the performance, adaptability, and intelligence of AI workloads, all within a resilient and cost-efficient infrastructure. Both parties will also strengthen cultivation of professional technology talents and work together to enhance enterprises’ cybersecurity capabilities.

Cyberport and Cisco entered into an MoU to take forward advanced technologies such as AI, future-ready network, and cybersecurity, paving the way to drive innovations and enhance economic resilience in Hong Kong to catalyse the development of the digital economy.

The MoU signing ceremony was witnessed by Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, Dr Ge Ming, Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology), Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, Fernando Gil de Bernabe, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Cisco Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, and Thomas Sypre, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Cisco Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, and was attended by Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, Iris Feng, General Manager, Cisco Hong Kong, Macau, and South China, and other Cyberport and Cisco management representatives.

Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government said, “I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Cisco for choosing Hong Kong and Cyberport as your valued partner, which casts a big vote of confidence in the development of Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre. Under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. In addition, being home to five world’s top 100 universities, as well as top-notch research laboratories, and numerous world-class experts and scholars, Hong Kong possesses robust capability in R&D and great originality. I am of full confidence that Hong Kong and Cyberport can support Cisco’s growth on a broader business horizon and help open up new business opportunities.”

Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport said, “This MoU with Cisco ignites major advances in AI and future-ready networks. Our goals are to transform the technology landscape, develop talent, and expand markets. Cyberport and Cisco will make joint efforts in the establishment of an AI lab at Cyberport, showcasing AI network technologies that elevate performance, adaptability, and intelligence within a cost-efficient infrastructure. As a leading AI hub in Hong Kong, Cyberport is now home to around 200 start-ups dedicated to AI and data science R&D and application. This collaboration will add strength to our ever-thriving AI powerhouse, which is pivotal in driving AI ecosystem and industry development in the long run.”

Iris Feng, General Manager, Cisco Hong Kong, Macau, and South China said, “At Cisco, we are incredibly excited to work with Cyberport to advance Hong Kong's AI and cybersecurity landscape. This collaboration is a cornerstone in our mission to foster innovation and develop future-ready talent. By leveraging Cisco's global expertise and cutting-edge technologies, we are set to create an ecosystem that not only enhances digital capabilities but also drives the city's economic growth. Together, we are paving the way for Hong Kong to become an international benchmark for technological excellence."

Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, and Iris Feng, General Manager of Cisco Hong Kong, Macau, and South China, share the vision of the MoU.

Under the MoU, Cyberport and Cisco will commence on the following collaborations:

• AI Networking Lab in Hong Kong: Cyberport and Cisco will make joint efforts in the establishment of an AI lab at Cyberport, demonstrating how AI network fabrics revolutionise AI workloads with superior programmability, performance, and insights, to enable a cost-effective and robust infrastructure for optimisation of AI application.
  

• Fostering tomorrow’s tech pioneers and enterprises: Cisco aims to empower the next generation of engineering professionals through Cisco Networking Academy, which is designed to provide top-tier training and education to budding engineers, ensuring they are well-equipped to meet future demands. Cyberport will become a gateway for these courses for professionals in Hong Kong.

• Cyberport and Cisco will also co-nurture Cyberport start-ups by providing active support and essential resources, empowering them to thrive and contribute to the development of digital economy. Both parties also seek to foster industry growth and facilitate knowledge exchange by facilitating discussions, training programmes, and collaborations between Cyberport and Cisco Communities.

• Innovative SaaS Solutions for Cyberport start-ups: Through the Cyberport platform, Cisco offers an array of intuitive Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions spanning networking, collaboration and security domains (Meraki/Webex/Umbrella) to the Cyberport community with complimentary 3- to 6-month trial periods under a try-and-buy programme. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the technological capabilities of both new and existing Cyberport companies.

• Threat Hunting Workshop: This hands-on workshop, led by experts from Cisco's Cybersecurity team, will provide a live demonstration of a high-functioning Security Operations Center (SOC) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system, equipping enterprises with knowledge to effectively combat cyber threats and to enhance cybersecurity capabilities.

With AI as Cyberport’s key technology cluster, the AI innovator community at Cyberport is expanding rapidly with around 200 start-ups and companies specialising in AI and data science research and development (R&D) and application. Meanwhile, Cyberport, with the support of the HKSAR Government, is establishing the AI Supercomputing Centre at full steam to take forward the development of AI ecosystem and industry development in Hong Kong. The collaboration will enrich Cyberport’s thriving AI ecosystem, attracting more start-ups and research talents from both the Mainland and abroad that add to Hong Kong’s strengths in basic research and internationalisation.

The MoU collaborations also come at an opportune time as AI has become a key focus area for businesses across the globe, including in Hong Kong. Companies are looking at how they can leverage the advancements in AI, especially in areas like machine learning and generative AI, to grow their business. According to Cisco’s AI Readiness Index, 95% of organisations in Hong Kong reported that the urgency to deploy AI-powered technologies has increased in their companies, and 75% said AI will have a significant impact on their business operations.