The 6th "Design Licensing and Business (DLAB) Support Scheme" Launch Ceremony

Announcement of 43 Selected Local Design Companies
Supporting Companies in Exploring Design Licensing Opportunities and 
Expanding Business in the Mainland

HONG KONG, Jan. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Design Licensing and Business (DLAB) Support Scheme, organised by the Innovative Entrepreneur Association ("IEA") and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency ("CCIDA"), held its launch ceremony today (January 17), announcing the 43 selected local design companies for the 6th DLAB Support Scheme. The organiser was honoured to have Mrs. Lowell CHO, Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, as the Guest of Honour of the ceremony. She was joined by Ms. Cherrie CHONG, President of IEA, Ms. Iris WONG, Director of the Merchandise Trade and Innovation Department of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council , Mr. Zacharias CHENG, Vice President of IEA and Ms Ellen MOK, General Secretary of IEA to officiate at the launch ceremony. Following the launch ceremony, a sharing session was held where Ms. Tina CHOW from GZ Art-Land shared her insights on licensing development in the Mainland.

Since the first edition, DLAB has provided funding to 220 local design companies ("design companies") which specialised in character design or possessing licensed design content, which helped them to understand more about the market opportunities in design licensing and to expand their business. The selected design companies for the 6th DLAB Support Scheme must be registered in Hong Kong, and have full ownership of the IP right of their design content which cannot be launched in more than six years. The design companies will not only receive comprehensive training on marketing, business operations and brand building, but also have access to a professional advisory team for guidance and support. Design companies in Group One must have been established for no more than six years, while those in Group Two must have been established for no more than twelve years. Both groups of design companies will setup an exhibition booth in the Hong Kong Pavillion at the Hong Kong International Licensing Show 2025 held from 28 to 30 April, 2025 at a discounted rental fee of HKD4,000 for new participants or HKD6,000 for past participants. Furthermore, they will be sponsored to participate in the Greater Bay Area exchange program held in February 2025, which aims at strengthening connection with Mainland enterprises and understanding the market potential in the Mainland.

Ms. Cherrie CHONG, President of IEA, said, "Over the past five editions, IEA has supported outstanding local companies and designers in developing licensing businesses through the DLAB Support Scheme. The Hong Kong Pavillion at the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and exchange programs also created opportunities for them to expand business networks and increase exposure, allowing more potential clients and customers to recognise the works of the selected companies and designers. Some of the companies successfully matched up with their right partners. We hope that the selected design enterprises of the 6th DLAB Support Scheme will inject new vitality into Hong Kong's brands and creativity, enabling more local young brands to enter the international market and expanding the development of the entire industry.

For more details of the 6th DLAB, please visit www.dlabhk.com.

About Innovative Entrepreneur Association (IEA)

Innovative Entrepreneur Association is a non-profit making organisation, with the aim to foster the spirit of "Innovative Entrepreneurship" in Hong Kong, the Mainland and all over the world. With the cooperation with the government and other organisations, IEA helps the start-up companies acquire more experience and strategies in order to enhance their competitiveness. IEA always strives to promote Hong Kong as world-leading "Creative and Entrepreneurial Capital".  

Website: http://www.iea.org.hk.

DLAB Logo

There are four letters in the logo of DLAB, "D" stands for Design, "L" stands of Licensing, "A" is And while "B" is the short form of "Business"

About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) established in June 2024, formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration, promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries under the industry-oriented principle, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia's creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community to implement Hong Kong's positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan. 

Website: https://www.ccidahk.gov.hk.