From Data Cooperation to Industry Integration: Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge Reaches New Heights
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 Kick-off Ceremony
HONG KONG, April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge (HSODC) 2026" series of events was successfully concluded at the InnoEX. The competition is organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data, jointly curated by B4B (Hong Kong Big Data for Business Challenge), International Data Port (Shanghai Lin-Gang Special Area International Data Port Co.,Ltd.) and SODA (Shanghai Open Data Applications Competition).
The activities included the Kick-off Ceremony on 13 April, a forum titled "Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Forum" under the theme "Research Data Platforms" on 14 April, and the four-day Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Pavilion. These events showcased the achievements of open data applications in both cities, providing a platform for the industry to explore business opportunities and partnerships. The four-day event was honored to gather government officials, entrepreneurs, and teams from the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong to share the development achievements and forward-looking blueprints of open data in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and to express their expectations and support for deepening collaboration between the two cities.
Co-creating a Data Industry Platform for the Two Cities
At the HSODC Kick-off Ceremony, the organisers officially announced the commencement of applications for the HSODC 2026.
Themed "Co-creating a Data Industry Platform for the Two Cities", this year's competition is based on open data of the governments and their latest urban development needs. It continues to seek open data resources that foster social development while exploring collaborative models for open data and industry data, thus promoting the collaborative development of smart city construction between the two cities.
The event brings together the open data platforms of both cities, including Hong Kong's data.gov.hk and the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure Portal, as well as Shanghai's data.sh.gov.cn. Additionally, it incorporates industry datasets from organisations such as the Shanghai Electric Vehicle Public Data Collecting, Monitoring and Research Center, and the Shanghai Topease Information Technology Co., Ltd. Through this competition, innovative collaboration models between public and industry datasets are explored, driving joint efforts in building smarter cities and advancing co-ordinated development between Hong Kong and Shanghai. This year's competition incorporates more international elements, encouraging Hong Kong and Shanghai teams to explore global application scenarios, thereby promoting the advancement of digital technologies and innovation capabilities in both cities towards the global stage.
Addressing the kick-off ceremony, the Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, stated that the Challenge provides a platform for young people, research teams and enterprises from both places to showcase their creativity within the national strategic framework, driving high-quality development of the digital economy. In recent years, the HKSAR Government has actively improved open data, data sharing and flow by optimising data governance, thereby promoting data application within the government and across various industries. The development and use of data elements is a long-distance race, with Hong Kong and Shanghai joining forces, the two cities will contribute significantly to the high-quality development of the country's digital economy.
Mr Qian Xiao, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data, articulated a strategic vision centered on three pillars: deepening the exploration of application scenarios, augmenting the supply of data resources, and institutionalising exchange mechanisms. He stated, "Through the competition, we aim to fortify the comprehensive digital economy ecosystem between Shanghai and Hong Kong. Our objective is to co-develop a series of high-standard benchmarks that are exemplary, actionable, and scalable. By fostering a robust environment for bilateral knowledge transfer and digital transformation expertise, we aim to cultivate top-tier talent, broaden global perspectives, and significantly bolster the innovation and entrepreneurial vitality of both cities."
In addition to the above guests, the forum was honoured to invite government officials, entrepreneurs, and teams from Hong Kong and the Mainland. They shared the development and future plans of open data between Hong Kong and Shanghai, and expressed their expectations and support for Hong Kong-Shanghai cooperation.
"Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Forum - Research Data Platforms"
The "Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Forum" held on 14 April, themed "Research Data Platforms", brought together data experts to discuss in depth how to open up channels for scientific research data cooperation. Topics included sharing the applications of scientific research data and how compliance mechanisms for shared scientific research data can be applied to cross-border data collaboration between Hong Kong and Shanghai. The forum also featured a roundtable discussion session, which delved into the collection, compliance challenges, and application scenarios of global human resources data and medical data.
"Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Pavilion" Showcases Innovative Achievements Comprehensively
The four-day "Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Pavilion" exhibition at InnoEX displayed the data application achievements of last year's competition teams in the four major areas of Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, and Smart Economy. It also showcased how data can be used to solve real-world problems and create social value. The exhibition provided a valuable platform for the industry to understand the open data resources of both cities and explore business opportunities. The winning teams from the HSODC 2025 also showcased their award-winning projects and innovative data application solutions at the "Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Pavilion".
"Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026" is Now Open for Registration
Teams interested in contributing to innovation and technology development in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, and in providing data solutions for cooperation between the two places, may register to attend the Competition Briefing Session by 18 May 2026, and submit their proposal documents by 15 June 2026. Shortlisted teams will receive mentor training from late June to August 2026 and will have the opportunity to attend the Final Judging in person in Shanghai in August.
For competition details, please visit the official website: https://hkshadata.org
SOURCE B4B Limited
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