SPECIAL REPORT / GREATER BAY AREA
2026 Greater Bay Area AI Entrepreneurship & OPC Policy Guide
A practical guide to Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou: eligibility, support, application windows and action. Building on the original 34-page guide and official sources to help AI founders choose a base, prepare applications and validate demand.
Three core assessments
01Choose a business path before a funding route. Our framework places Hong Kong around validation and international connections, Shenzhen around engineering and supply chains, and Guangzhou around applied services. Actual choices depend on customers, teams and costs.
02OPC eligibility varies: Cyberport addresses solo founders and small teams; Haizhu generally covers relevant businesses with no more than ten people; Guangzhou’s sandbox uses a sole-natural-person-shareholder company definition. Qualification does not transfer automatically.
03Account separately for grants, cost offsets, loans and sales. Confirm the current window, co-funding and expense evidence before committing resources. Several rounds in the 14 September original have since closed; this edition labels their verification status.
The evidence base
Different units, dates and statuses are not additive. Targets are not achievements.
Guangdong OPC community target
Provincial target, not completed communities; ten are planned for initial cultivation in 2026.
[G1]Benchmark firms / entrepreneurial talent
Two separate target populations: firms and people.
[G1]Shenzhen OPC community target
By end-2027; the plan also targets over 500,000 m² in total community area.
[G9]CCMF seed funding
A six-month programme with assessment and milestone requirements.
[G3]ESS maximum per project
Projects normally run up to 24 months and require company co-funding.
[G6]Easy BUD ceiling per application
Distinct from the HK$7m cumulative enterprise ceiling; geographical coverage extends to 48 economies.
[G7]Haizhu annual OPC operating support ceiling
Order and computing support sit within the annual limit; implementation guides also apply.
[G13]Haizhu opportunities / capabilities
Cumulative platform listings, not completed transactions.
[G14]Haizhu signed projects / value
Separate from over RMB220m in expressions of interest. These figures do not establish a comparable conversion-rate denominator.
[G14]Haizhu four-sector call deadline
Transport, emergency response, healthcare and education; implementation must be in Haizhu. Follow the official deadline details.
[G14]Find your policy route
Verified： · Status is an editorial snapshot on that date. Check the latest official notice before applying.
18 / 18 policy routes
Guangdong OPC action plan
A 2026–2028 provincial framework implemented locally.
- Who it serves
- AI OPC firms, talent and ecosystem providers; implementing measures define eligibility.
- Support
- Directions for computing, models, data, communities, scenarios and financing.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Business focus and intended operating city
Application route
- Locate the relevant city’s implementing measures and application notices.
Planned capacity is not already available capacity.
OPC Hub @ Cyberport
Admission enquiries are accepted; availability and services require confirmation.
- Who it serves
- Solo founders or small teams; an HK company up to two years old, or incorporation within 90 days of acceptance, plus agentic-AI criteria.
- Support
- Workspace connections, technical resources and ecosystem access under agreed terms.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Official form, product summary, team and incorporation evidence
Application route
- Use the official form and designated email, then complete review and Smart-Space leasing.
Admission does not guarantee free space or a cash award.
Cyberport Creative Micro Fund
The February 2027 intake lists a 1 December 2026 deadline.
- Who it serves
- Applicants aged 18+; the individual route requires HKID, and the company route requires an eligible HK company.
- Support
- HK$100,000 over six months, subject to assessment and milestones.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Idea proposal, team profile, prototype plan and budget
Application route
- Apply through Cyberport’s entrepreneurship system and allow for review and further information.
Check the intake’s full eligibility and duplicate-funding rules.
HKSTP Ideation
The latest advertised round closed at noon on 14 September 2026; await the next notice.
- Who it serves
- Early-stage technology teams, with HK incorporation as required by the programme.
- Support
- One year of incubation with up to HK$100,000 support.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Problem, technology approach, team background and validation milestones
Application route
- Watch the official page for a new round and use its current form.
Multiple annual rounds do not justify assuming the next opening date.
Cyberport Incubation Programme
The official page announces enhancements; confirm current admission and timing.
- Who it serves
- Digital-technology companies; consult the updated eligibility guide.
- Support
- Technical, business and incubation support; historical funding is not a promise for a new round.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Company, founder ownership, product progress and business plan
Application route
- Read the Programme Update Notice and confirm admission with the CIP team.
Older schedules coexist with the update notice; obtain intake-specific confirmation.
Enterprise Support Scheme
Applications accepted throughout the year.
- Who it serves
- Eligible HK-incorporated companies undertaking in-house R&D in Hong Kong.
- Support
- Up to HK$10m per project, matched 1:1, normally within 24 months.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- R&D objectives, staff, work packages, budget and co-funding evidence
Application route
- Follow ITCFAS instructions for online information and required signed, stamped originals.
R&D funding is not generic reimbursement for off-the-shelf software.
BUD Fund / Easy BUD
An ongoing programme; check the applicable application category.
- Who it serves
- Eligible enterprises with substantive business operations in Hong Kong.
- Support
- HK$7m cumulative ceiling; Easy BUD up to HK$150,000 per application across 48 economies.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Operating evidence, target market, budget and supplier quotations
Application route
- Follow the official link to HKPC’s fund site and check costs and procedures.
Check category limits, matching contributions and overlapping-funding rules.
RAISe+ Scheme
Fourth round: 7 September–30 October 2026.
- Who it serves
- Submitted by UGC-funded universities with industry sponsorship.
- Support
- Up to HK$100m per project, subject to stage-specific matching and commercialisation requirements.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- University partnership, IP rights, industrial sponsorship and commercialisation roadmap
Application route
- Coordinate with the university’s technology-transfer team and internal selection process.
A startup cannot substitute itself for the required university applicant.
Technology Voucher Programme
New applications ceased after 31 December 2024.
- Who it serves
- Included for historical projects and existing applications.
- Support
- Not included as funding available to new projects.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Existing projects should refer to their approval and completion requirements
Application route
- Consult the official page for existing-project arrangements.
Do not rely on outdated open-application publicity.
Shenzhen OPC communities and industry policy
The plan is published; operators confirm admission and specific support.
- Who it serves
- AI founders, teams and companies assessed under community and programme rules.
- Support
- Workspace, models, talent, scenarios and financing connections.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Team, product, space needs and operating plan
Application route
- Shortlist communities and confirm availability, rent and services.
Planned area and targets are not immediately rentable inventory.
Shenzhen model vouchers: allocation and redemption
The September allocation window in the original guide has passed; some original notice links could not be retrieved.
- Who it serves
- Verify the current project, provider, purchased costs and applicant requirements.
- Support
- The action plan cites up to RMB2m; rates and thresholds depend on current implementing rules.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Contracts, invoices, payments, provider qualification and usage logs
Application route
- Find the current notice on the industry bureau site and distinguish allocation from redemption.
The original’s account of threshold changes requires confirmation against an accessible current official document.
Shenzhen young-talent startup support
Effective from 1 January 2026, subject to implementing rules.
- Who it serves
- Under 45, first working or starting a business in Shenzhen from 2026, with qualifying education, innovation or contribution.
- Support
- Space, housing and startup measures; eligible guaranteed startup loans may reach RMB600,000 for individuals or RMB5m for small firms.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Identity, education or innovation evidence, first employee social-insurance record and company details
Application route
- Check recognition and individual services through the iShenzhen youth-talent section.
Loans require approval and repayment; housing, settlement and startup measures have additional conditions.
Shenzhen Kunpeng youth innovation projects
The 2026 round closed online at 18:00 on 4 September.
- Who it serves
- Projects and teams must meet the annual guide and apply themselves.
- Support
- R&D support depends on the guide, review and approval.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Project proposal, team evidence and signed/stamped pages
Application route
- Check existing applications in the technology system; await the next notice for new submissions.
Project-pool registration is not a completed funding application.
Haizhu AI OPC development measures
Measures are published; separate application guides and rounds require checking.
- Who it serves
- AI-related businesses operating in Haizhu with independent accounting and generally no more than ten people.
- Support
- Operating support up to RMB300,000 annually, including qualifying orders and model usage.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Valid orders, revenue, accounts and model-usage expenses
Application route
- Follow the AI bureau’s application guide and organise evidence by expense and order.
Funding-pool and non-duplication rules apply; ceilings are not simply additive.
Haizhu AI call across four sectors
Transport, emergency response, healthcare and education; submit before the 30 September 2026 deadline.
- Who it serves
- Enterprise/institution demand owners or providers; implemented or under construction with a clear plan in Haizhu; registration elsewhere is allowed.
- Support
- Selected projects may receive application guidance, visibility and order referrals.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Official form: stamped PDF and editable version; project slides may accompany it
Application route
- Submit to haizhu-ai@foxmail.com as specified in the notice and retain a submission record.
Selection does not guarantee funding or procurement.
Nansha support for HK and Macao youth founders
New 2026 measures are published; consult implementation details for each item.
- Who it serves
- Qualifying HK/Macao youth enterprises; verify identity, ownership and actual operations.
- Support
- First-time actual operations for six months may qualify for RMB20,000; growth, matching and interest support have separate conditions.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- HK/Macao identity, ownership, operating duration, revenue and relevant award evidence
Application route
- Confirm the current guide with Nansha’s human-resources department and apply under the relevant provision.
The measures do not specify a universal amount for the AI OPC support provision.
Tianhe OPC HK/Macao service community
Officially described community resources; confirm places, duration and services with the operator.
- Who it serves
- OPC founders and relevant talent, investors and providers under admission rules.
- Support
- Seven free and two low-cost service categories covering space, training, scenarios, policy and computing.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Team, product, space requirements and service needs
Application route
- Confirm applicable resources, contracts, charges and renewal with the community.
Free capital-support services do not guarantee investment or financing.
Guangzhou AI OPC regulatory sandbox
The official announcement describes automatic admission, normally for one year.
- Who it serves
- A Guangzhou-registered AI-based limited company with one natural person as its sole shareholder.
- Support
- Registration, credit, compliance guidance and supervisory services.
Preparation and application route ＋
Suggested preparation (check current forms)
- Entity, ownership, credit, data and IP records
Application route
- Confirm classification and sandbox status with the market regulator.
Sandbox status does not waive legal duties; elevated risk can trigger exit.
01 / Choose your base by customers and delivery constraints
Start with your operating model: customer location, contracting entity, data location, founder presence, R&D expenses and payment cycle. List what the next six months require before judging whether space, R&D funding or market-development support solves a bottleneck.
CLAWTIME suggests evaluating a primary base with partner locations. Establish reliable delivery and accounting first, then expand to meet customer needs. Multiple entities add accounting, contractual, staffing and compliance costs.
- Score customer access, delivery resources, team eligibility and six-month cash burn for each base. Include policy funding only in a conservative scenario.
02 / Verify the legal and programme applicant
OPC may describe an operating model, a team or a legal entity. Guangzhou’s sandbox specifies one natural-person shareholder; Haizhu considers AI activities, independent accounting and generally up to ten people; Cyberport adds company age and agentic-AI criteria.
Document the relationship between applicant, payer, contracting entity and IP owner. A founder’s personal eligibility does not automatically qualify the company; awards to community operators are not resident-company funding.
- Maintain registration, ownership, operating, staffing and accounting records; reach an eligibility conclusion for each programme separately.
03 / Hong Kong: validation, R&D and market access
Early projects can compare CCMF and Ideation; agent-focused small teams can assess OPC Hub admission. Companies with an R&D programme can consider ESS, distinguishing in-house R&D from routine software procurement.
For market development, examine BUD. Eligible universities submit RAISe+ applications, so startups need an appropriate industry partnership. CIP currently shows an enhancement notice alongside older arrangements and is flagged for confirmation. TVP no longer accepts new applications.
- Sequence by the problem being solved—validation, customer pilot, R&D, market development—while rechecking eligibility and costs at each stage.
04 / Shenzhen: connect communities, talent and model costs
Shenzhen’s OPC plan connects communities, talent, computing and industry. Community counts, area and company numbers are future targets. Operators determine actual admission, availability, fees and services; use the original guide’s community list for initial enquiries.
Distinguish voucher allocation, redemption and provider qualification. The second allocation window recorded in the original has passed, and some original links were unavailable during this check. Historical rates or thresholds should not be treated as a new open round.
- Retain provider qualification, contracts, invoices, payments and usage logs. Check the current rules before including support in cash-flow forecasts.
05 / Guangzhou: scenarios, orders and real operations
Haizhu connects orders, model usage and applications with support, subject to implementing guides and annual funding. The scenario call offers a more concrete near-term entry for both problem owners and technology providers.
Nansha supports qualifying Hong Kong and Macao youth enterprises by operating stage; Tianhe provides space and services; Guangzhou’s sandbox addresses regulatory supervision. Each route requires a different eligibility and implementation check.
- Document implementation location, business owner, baseline, data permissions and acceptance. Selection or referral alone does not establish a customer purchase.
06 / Build a usable funding model
Track requested support, upfront expenses, own funding and payment conditions. Keep HKD and RMB separate. Ceilings are limits, loan principal is repayable, and vouchers usually cover eligible costs.
Model three scenarios: no award, delayed payment and scheduled payment. Explain margins after support ends. If one expense touches multiple programmes, verify stacking and disclosure rules first.
- Give each expense a unique evidence ID linked to its contract, project, payer and applications; keep reimbursement and debt separate.
07 / Assemble a reusable evidence pack
Use six folders: entity and ownership; founders and team; product and IP; customers and orders; budget; compliance and acceptance. The preparation lists below are editorial suggestions; current forms and guidelines define mandatory documents.
Product evidence may include a working prototype, tests, interviews and pilot agreements. Expense evidence should trace actual services and payment. Healthcare and education pilots require clarity on data access and professional responsibility at design time.
- Track owner, version, deadline and gaps in one submission checklist. Submit government applications through official channels; a CLAWTIME enquiry is not government acceptance.
08 / A 90-day route to delivery
Days 1–15: interview customers, identify a paid problem, choose a base and screen eligibility. Days 16–30: build a testable prototype, cost baseline and pilot plan with defined acceptance criteria.
Days 31–60: agree responsibilities, data permissions and scope, and submit within valid windows. Days 61–90: produce an acceptance report, revenue or a concrete next-stage commitment before scaling, pursuing R&D support or changing direction.
- Every fortnight track customer validation, cost per successful task, delivery quality and cash runway. Application count is not a product-success metric.
Six opportunities: buyers and validation
Research recommendations—not official rankings or existing procurement orders.
Enterprise knowledge and workflow agents
- Potential buyer
- Professional-services, manufacturing and operations teams
- Minimum pilot
- Pilot one frequent internal workflow with access controls and human review.
- Acceptance metrics
- Cost per successful task, accuracy and review time
- Risk boundary
- Data permissions, tool privileges and auditability
Cross-border commerce and multilingual content
- Potential buyer
- Brands and merchants with a defined expansion need
- Minimum pilot
- Test acquisition content and support in one target market.
- Acceptance metrics
- Qualified leads, sales contribution, returns and service costs
- Risk boundary
- Advertising accuracy, content rights and consumer rules
Industrial R&D assistance
- Potential buyer
- R&D companies and university-industry teams
- Minimum pilot
- Validate retrieval, simulation or experimental assistance on authorised data.
- Acceptance metrics
- Reproducibility, development time and engineering quality
- Risk boundary
- IP ownership, confidentiality and grant-cost attribution
City operations
- Potential buyer
- Park, transport and public-service operators
- Minimum pilot
- Pilot assisted scheduling in a bounded area with a named owner.
- Acceptance metrics
- Response time, missed incidents and operating cost
- Risk boundary
- Public safety, human review and rollback
Healthcare and education assistance
- Potential buyer
- Accountable teams within qualified institutions
- Minimum pilot
- Begin with assistance outside diagnosis and high-risk automated decisions.
- Acceptance metrics
- Accuracy, staff time saved and user feedback
- Risk boundary
- Sensitive data, professional responsibility and protection of minors
Shared services for OPCs
- Potential buyer
- Community operators and independent teams
- Minimum pilot
- Validate cost tracking, permissions and delivery management within one community.
- Acceptance metrics
- Retention, delivery success and willingness to pay
- Risk boundary
- Do not present platform advice as official approval authority
What to verify next
An editorial snapshot at verification date—not live application status or automated monitoring.
Haizhu scenario call
Near-term deadlineThe notice sets a 30 September 2026 deadline.
Next check → Obtain the form, verify project location/status and prepare both required file formats.
CIP changes and Shenzhen model vouchers
Confirmation neededCIP has an enhancement notice; some old voucher notices were unavailable.
Next check → Update status, eligibility, expense periods and deadlines once a valid round is confirmed.
Ideation / Kunpeng
Latest rounds closedRounds closed on 14 September and 4 September respectively.
Next check → Prepare for the next round and wait for an official date.
Haizhu OPC and Nansha AI support
Implementation follow-upPolicy frameworks and application guides are separate documents.
Next check → Check funding allocations, actual operations, overlapping support and evidence requirements.
Coverage expansion
Three-city focusThis edition focuses on Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and provincial policy.
Next check → Macao and other GBA cities need separate verification before inclusion.
Primary sources and verification
References identify paragraphs or scope; official pages may subsequently change.
- G1Guangdong OPC action plan 2026–2028 ↗
Official reproduction of the provincial plan; targets and tasks.
· amr.sz.gov.cn - G2OPC Hub @ Cyberport ↗
Verification date; eligibility, admission and service conditions.
· www.cyberport.hk - G3CCMF Hong Kong Programme ↗
Verification date; funding, duration and February 2027 intake schedule.
· www.cyberport.hk - G4HKSTP Ideation ↗
Verification date; latest advertised round closed at noon on 14 September.
· www.hkstp.org - G5Cyberport CIP programme update ↗
Programme Update Notice and Current Status; older terms require confirmation.
· www.cyberport.hk - G6Innovation and Technology Fund ESS ↗
Verification date; scope, matching and submission requirements.
· www.itf.gov.hk - G7Trade and Industry Department BUD Fund ↗
Page revision; Easy BUD ceiling and geographical changes from 15 June.
· www.smefund.tid.gov.hk - G8Innovation and Technology Fund RAISe+ ↗
Verification date; university applicant, industry sponsorship and fourth round.
· www.itf.gov.hk - G9Shenzhen OPC entrepreneurship action plan ↗
2027 targets, initial communities and support directions.
· gxj.sz.gov.cn - G10Shenzhen young-talent support measures ↗
Shenzhen Human Resources Regulation 2025 No. 6; eligibility and startup measures.
· hrss.sz.gov.cn - G112026 Shenzhen Kunpeng application notice ↗
Online round 3 August–4 September, 18:00; self-submission.
· stic.sz.gov.cn - G12Shenzhen industry bureau: check subsequent rounds ↗
Agency verification entry only. Original links post_12969950 and post_12760220 could not be retrieved; this reference does not establish a new open round.
· gxj.sz.gov.cn - G13Haizhu AI OPC development measures (trial) ↗
Articles 2, 6 and 15–19: applicant, operating support, fiscal limits and application guides.
· www.haizhu.gov.cn - G14Haizhu four-sector AI scenario call ↗
Applicants, project criteria, platform statistics and 30 September deadline.
· www.haizhu.gov.cn - G15Nansha measures for HK/Macao youth employment and entrepreneurship ↗
Issued 29 July, published 4 August; Article 5 startup support.
· www.gzns.gov.cn - G16Tianhe OPC HK/Macao service community ↗
Municipal portal reproduction of the HR bureau introduction; service categories.
· www.gz.gov.cn - G17Guangzhou AI OPC sandbox announcement ↗
Entity definition, automatic admission, normal one-year term and risk-based exit.
· scjgj.gz.gov.cn - G18Technology Voucher Programme ↗
Verification note: new applications stopped at end-2024; existing projects follow approval requirements.
· tvp.itf.gov.hk
Version, definitions and limitations
Source document: CLAWTIME’s 34-page guide dated 14 September. The original PDF is unchanged. This web edition was checked on 26 September 2026 and adds updated statuses and analysis.
This is a Hong Kong–Shenzhen–Guangzhou focus edition, not an exhaustive directory of every GBA city. Amounts retain their currencies; targets, signed values and expressions of interest retain separate definitions.
Filters reflect editorial assessments at the verification date, not live acceptance or an eligibility determination. Preparation lists and the 90-day roadmap are CLAWTIME recommendations; current official forms, guides and agency responses govern applications.
Some Shenzhen notices were unavailable and are flagged for verification. The report does not guarantee funding, orders, investment or admission, or provide project-specific legal, tax or investment advice.
Turn insight into your next step.
Bring a clear problem, data and a validation plan to the right acceleration pathway.