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SME Marketing Fund (SME EMF)

Help you open unlimited markets

中小企業市場推廣基金 (SME EMF)

What are SME EMFs? Why is it needed?

中小企業市場推廣基金 (SME EMF)

There are many potential start-ups in Hong Kong. They are not lacking in strength, but it is difficult to expand overseas markets due to lack of funds for promotion.

The SME Marketing Fund is set up for this purpose to help them go out of Hong Kong by subsidizing their promotional activities, such as exhibition booths, study tours, electronic platforms, etc.

Eligibility & Application

Image by Giorgio Trovato

Eligibility 

  1. It must be a non-listed enterprise registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310).

  2. It must have substantive business operations in Hong Kong at the time of making the application.  An enterprise holding a shell business registration or having its main business operation outside Hong Kong will not be regarded as having substantive business operations in Hong Kong.

  3. If it has previously received funding support under EMF, the cumulative amount of funding received must not exceed the prevailing cumulative funding ceiling.  Applicant enterprises which have similar business registration details will be treated as connected enterprises.  For the purpose of calculating the cumulative funding ceiling, connected enterprises are treated as if they are one enterprise.

  4. It must not be the organiser/co-organiser/service provider or a related company of the organiser/co-organiser/service provider of the promotion activity and the related services covered by the application.

Funding scope

  1. Trade exhibitions held outside Hong Kong targeting markets outside Hong Kong.

  2. Trade exhibitions held in Hong Kong targeting markets outside Hong Kong.

  3. Trade exhibitions held in Hong Kong targeting the local market.

  4. Online trade exhibitions.

  5. Business missions outside Hong Kong.

  6. Online business missions.

  7. Advertisements on trade publications which mainly target markets outside Hong Kong.

  8. Export promotion activities which are conducted through electronic platforms/media and which mainly target markets outside Hong Kong .

  9. Setting up or enhancement of a corporate website/mobile application owned by the applicant enterprise for export promotion, which mainly targets markets outside Hong Kong.

Funding ceilings

Funding Ceiling per Application

Each application should cover expenditure related to one promotion activity.  The maximum amount of funding support for each successful application is 50% of the total approved expenditure incurred by the applicant enterprise or HK$100,000, whichever is the less.  The amount of funding support for video/product shooting and editing services for each application will be no more than the total amount of government funding approved for all other eligible expenditure items under the same application, i.e. capped at 50% of the total approved government funding per application.

 

Cumulative Funding Ceiling per Enterprise

There is no limit on the number of applications by an enterprise for funding support under EMF.  However, each enterprise may receive funding support under EMF up to a cumulative limit of HK$1,000,000 and a maximum of 50% of the cumulative limit may be used for applications relating to setting up/enhancing the corporate website/mobile application owned by the applicant enterprise.

Application Method

Initial payment

活動

Activity

Submit application 45 to 120 calendar days before the activity

Reimbursement / Final payment

Submit application 60 calendar days after the activity

Supporting documents

 

  1. A duly completed application form.

  2. A copy of a valid Business Registration Certificate of the applicant enterprise.

  3. A copy of a valid Hong Kong Identity Card or Passport of the person signing the application form for and on behalf of the applicant enterprise. 

  4. For first-time application for initial payment: A signed Funding Agreement for Initial Payment in duplicate.

5. (a) For unlimited company: Certified Extract/Electronic Extract of Information on the Business Register, i.e. Form 1(a) or Form 1(c) of the Business Registration Office, issued within the past 2 years; or  

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(b) For limited company: full copy of the most recent Annual Return (i.e. Form NAR1) or Incorporation Form (i.e. NNC1) of the Companies Registry.

6. (a) For application for reimbursement: Original receipts/certified true copy of each receipt in relation to payments made by the applicant enterprise for declared expenditure items, plus a copy each of the relevant invoices/quotations/contracts.  The name of the payer shown on the receipt(s)/documents must be the same as the name of the applicant enterprise.

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(b) For applications for initial payment cum final payment: Original receipts/certified true copy of each receipt of deposit paid and the relevant booking confirmation/signed contracts/invoices/quotations if payments for the declared expenditure items have not been made in full upon application for initial payment.  The name of the payer shown on the receipt(s)/documents must be the same as the name of the applicant enterprise.  Original receipts/certified true copy of each receipt of payments specified in (6)(a) should be submitted upon a corresponding application for final payment.

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