Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation

What Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation does

The Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation is an independent, tax-exempt non-profit (Charity File No.: 91/009533) established in 2022 and headquartered at 912-913 Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, Kowloon, with a small staff of six employees. Its mission is to strengthen cultural and economic ties between Hong Kong and the ten ASEAN member states plus Timor-Leste through curated programming rather than commercial products. The foundation operates as a liaison platform serving ASEAN consulates, Hong Kong and Chinese government agencies, business leaders, policymakers, youth, and ASEAN communities in Hong Kong.

Its core programs are event-driven and intellectual rather than technology-driven. Flagship offerings include the annual Hong Kong-ASEAN Summit (held since 2022 with South China Morning Post), the annual ASEAN Film Festival (held since 2023, co-presented with M+ Museum, Asia Society Hong Kong Center, and the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency), and a portfolio of whitepapers on bilateral relations. In 2026 the foundation expanded into new verticals with the inaugural ASEAN Literary Festival (at the Hong Kong Book Fair with HKTDC) and the inaugural Hong Kong-ASEAN Youth Forum (supported by the Belt and Road Office and Hong Kong Talent Engage). Additional programming includes lectures, ASEAN Coffee Culture community events, and field visits in partnership with the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office.

The business model is donation- and sponsorship-based: the foundation is registered as a tax-exempt charity and does not charge for its cultural events (over 3,500 free tickets were distributed at AFF 2025). Revenue derives from partnerships with government bodies (Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Belt and Road Office, NMCO, HKTDC), cultural institutions (M+, Asia Society HK, Hong Kong Palace Museum), media (SCMP), and corporate supporters. The foundation is chaired by Mr Daryl Ng (also Chairman of Sino Group), with an Advisory Council convened by Mr Thomas Jefferson Wu that includes senior Hong Kong business, academic, legal, and political figures.

Name

Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation

Legal name

Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation Limited

Website

https://hkasean.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation is an independent tax-exempt non-profit founded in 2022 that strengthens cultural and economic ties between Hong Kong and the 11 ASEAN member states through flagship annual events (Summit, Film Festival, Literary Festival, Youth Forum), whitepapers, and community programming, funded by donations and institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Cultural Exchange Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Multilateral Diplomacy & International Representation (UN, Regional Bodies) (BPAIAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Cultural exchange programs
• Diplomatic engagement
• Research publications
• Film festival programming
• International relations

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Charitable/Donation-based Funding: As a registered tax-exempt charity (Charity File No.: 91/009533), the foundation operates primarily through donations, sponsorships, and potentially government support. The foundation organizes events and programs funded by partners and supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation is an independent non-profit foundation that organizes and delivers cultural and economic exchange programs between Hong Kong and the ASEAN member states. Its core offerings include the annual Hong Kong-ASEAN Summit for policymakers and business leaders, the annual ASEAN Film Festival for cultural programming, research publications and white papers on bilateral relations, and emerging initiatives such as the ASEAN Literary Festival and the Hong Kong-ASEAN Youth Forum.

Product overview

Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation operates as a non-profit cultural and research organisation offering a portfolio of initiatives that strengthen ties between Hong Kong and ASEAN. The core programme centres on the ASEAN Film Festival (AFF), an annual showcase of Southeast Asian cinema launched in 2023, now in its third edition featuring films from ASEAN and Belt and Road countries. Complementary to the film festival, the Foundation conducts research and publishes white papers on bilateral trade and cultural relations (covering Hong Kong-Indonesia and Hong Kong-Malaysia). The annual Hong Kong-ASEAN Summit, now in its fourth edition, brings together policymakers and business leaders. Additional programming includes the inaugural ASEAN Literary Festival, Youth Forum, community events such as ASEAN Coffee Culture celebrations, and special lectures. Together these initiatives serve to promote cultural exchange, education, research and economic cooperation between Hong Kong and the ten ASEAN member states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASEAN Film Festival (AFF): Annual non-profit film festival showcasing films from ASEAN and Belt and Road countries to promote cultural understanding and appreciation.
• Hong Kong-ASEAN Summit

Products and services

• ASEAN Film Festival (AFF)
• Hong Kong-ASEAN Summit
• Research Publications and White Papers
• ASEAN Literary Festival
• Hong Kong-ASEAN Youth Forum
• ASEAN Coffee Culture Celebration
• HK-ASEAN Foundation Lecture

Quantifiable outcome

• Hosted over 1,250 in-person summit attendees across 4 Hong Kong-ASEAN Summits (2022-2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborative partner for ASEAN Literary Festival at the 36th Hong Kong Book Fair, providing the platform and infrastructure for literary exchange events.
• Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-presenter for ASEAN Film Festival 2025, supporting cultural programming and creative industry development initiatives.
• Our Hong Kong FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Supporting organization for ASEAN Film Festival and collaborative partner for various events, helping promote Hong Kong-ASEAN relations.
• Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office (NMCO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for organizing field visits to the Northern Metropolis for ASEAN and international representatives, facilitating understanding of Hong Kong's development opportunities.
• Belt and Road Office (HKSAR Government)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Support for inaugural Hong Kong-ASEAN Youth Forum, promoting youth exchange under the Belt and Road Initiative framework.
• Hong Kong Talent EngageminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborative partner for Youth Forum, providing information on government initiatives to support young ASEAN talents interested in working in Hong Kong.
• ASEAN Student Associations in Hong KongcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Partner student organizations including Filipino Student Association, Indonesian Student Association, Malaysian Student Association, Association of Thai Students, and ASEAN student groups at HKUST for youth engagement programs.
• Commerce and Economic Development Bureau - Belt and Road OfficecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Supporting organization for ASEAN Film Festival, promoting cultural exchange as part of Belt and Road Initiative people-to-people connectivity.
• M+ MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-presenter and venue partner for ASEAN Film Festival. M+ provides cinema facilities for film screenings and supports cultural programming as part of the festival.
• Asia Society Hong Kong CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-presenter and venue partner for ASEAN Film Festival events, contributing venue facilities and programming support for Southeast Asian film showcases.
• Hong Kong-Thailand Business CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-host of breakfast talks and events focusing on Thailand-Hong Kong business relations and Eastern Economic Corridor opportunities.
• South China Morning PostcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Annual partnership since 2022 for the Hong Kong-ASEAN Summit, with SCMP serving as co-presenter for this important platform bringing together policymakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to discuss Hong Kong-ASEAN relations.
• ASEAN Consulates in Hong KongcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Consulates from all ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) serve as key partners for events, cultural programming, and diplomatic engagement. Timor-Leste consulate also participates following their ASEAN accession.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC): HKTDC is a statutory body promoting Hong Kong's trade and services globally, including dedicated ASEAN-focused trade missions and events. It is a core HKAF partner for the ASEAN Literary Festival but operates at much larger scale as a broad incumbent in Hong Kong-ASEAN trade promotion.
• Belt and Road Office (Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, HKSAR Government): The HKSAR Belt and Road Office is a government unit coordinating Hong Kong's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, including people-to-people connectivity. It directly supports HKAF programming as a 'Them to Us' sponsor and competes for the same convening mandate at governmental scale.
• InvestHK: InvestHK is the HKSAR Government department responsible for foreign direct investment promotion, including dedicated ASEAN outreach. It overlaps with HKAF's economic mandate but at governmental scale and with a more commercial remit.
• British Council: The British Council is a global cultural and educational diplomacy organization of the UK government. It is a useful comparable as an established international cultural relations platform, though it operates at vastly larger scale and is government-backed.

Direct peers

• Our Hong Kong Foundation: Our Hong Kong Foundation is a Hong Kong-based non-profit think tank and advocacy organization. It is a core supporting partner of HKAF and shares the mission of convening research, policy dialogue, and public engagement around Hong Kong's role and development.
• ASEAN Foundation: The Jakarta-based ASEAN Foundation is the regional counterpart that promotes ASEAN identity and people-to-people connectivity across all 10 member states. It is the most direct functional peer, operating as an international non-profit platform for ASEAN-focused cultural, educational, and youth programming.
• Maritime Silk Road Society: The Maritime Silk Road Society is a Hong Kong non-profit chaired by Regina Ip, who also sits on HKAF's Advisory Council. It operates adjacent people-to-people exchange programming tied to the Belt and Road Initiative, making it a like-minded peer in HK-based international relations advocacy.
• Hong Kong-Thailand Business Council: The Hong Kong-Thailand Business Council is a core HKAF partner and co-host of bilateral business events. It is a directly comparable Hong Kong-based bilateral business chamber supporting Hong Kong-ASEAN (specifically Thailand) economic and trade engagement.
• Asia Society Hong Kong Center: Asia Society HK is a core co-presenter of the ASEAN Film Festival and operates as a non-profit cultural and policy platform focused on Asia. Its arts programming and convening role for Asian cross-border dialogue closely overlap HKAF's cultural exchange mandate.
• M+ Museum: M+ is Hong Kong's contemporary visual culture museum and a co-presenter of the ASEAN Film Festival. It is directly comparable as a non-profit cultural institution that curates and presents pan-Asian programming to Hong Kong audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hongkong-aseanfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/hongkongaseanfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hkaseanfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/hkaseanfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation