The Hong Kong SAR Government launched the HK$1 billion BUD Special Fund in June 2012 to support non-listed Hong Kong enterprises in brand development, business upgrading, and market expansion. The BUD Special Fund – Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Investment Agreement (IA) Programme helps these enterprises strengthen their competitiveness in markets covered by FTAs and Investment Agreements, supporting sustainable business growth. The programme not only enhances companies’ market positions but also contributes to Hong Kong’s economic diversification and innovation, building a stronger foundation for enterprises to compete globally.
This is the latest scheme information, effectivefrom 14 March 2025.
The following BUD-related information is sourced fromHong Kong GovernmentandOfficial Documents.
The approved funding ratio between the Government and enterprises has been revised from1:1to1:3. This revised ratio also applies to audit fees.
The first payment of the approved funding has been reduced from75%to20%.
The project under BUD and E-commerce Easy schemeshave been adjusted from由HK$1,000,000toHK$800,000.The total government-approved funding that an enterprise may hold at any time must not exceedHK$800,000.
The BUD FTA Programme is open to non-listed enterprises registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310). Applicants must have substantive business operations in Hong Kong.
The BUD FTA Programme accepts applications all year round.
The BUD Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Programme mainly covers three areas: brand development, upgrading and transformation, and market expansion.The BUD Fund FTA Programme supports the following countries and regions: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, the Belgium–Luxembourg Economic Union, Canada, Chile, Denmark, and the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). Other eligible countries and regions include Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Macao, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Applicants must submit the following documents and information for review in accordance with the programme requirements:
If the applicant company was established in the current year, the above turnover proof documents are not required.
**The actual documents required may vary depending on the applicant's business nature, project details, and assessment requirements.
*The above information provides general examples of support areas. The actual project scope will depend on the applicant’s business nature and project proposal.
The BUD FTA Programme is open to non-listed enterprises registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310). Applicants must have substantive business operations in Hong Kong.
The BUD FTA Programme accepts applications all year round.
The BUD Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Programme mainly covers three areas: brand development, upgrading and transformation, and market expansion.The BUD Fund FTA Programme supports the following countries and regions: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, the Belgium–Luxembourg Economic Union, Canada, Chile, Denmark, and the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). Other eligible countries and regions include Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Macao, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
所有申請企業須透過BUD自貿協定計劃官方網站電子申請系統提交填妥的申請表格及證明文件副本。請注意，郵寄、電郵或親自提交的申請將不被接受。若申請者屬於第(i)類或第(ii)類申請項目，則需提供額外的文件以作證明。
BUD自貿協定計劃申請流程大致為：在收到企業的BUD自貿協定計劃申請資料後，生產力局會進行初步評估，然後由相關政府政策局或部門的成員及計劃管理委員會進行評審。
如有需要，生產力局會在評估過程中聯絡申請企業，以尋求澄清或要求補充資料。申請企業需在接獲要求後14個曆日內提交所需的資料或證明文件，否則申請將不再處理，並視作撤回。成功申請BUD自貿協定及投資協定計劃的企業將會收到初步的原則性核准通知。
請注意，在正常情況下，生產力局會在收到完整填妥的申請表格及所有所需證明文件後的60個工作日內，完成評審並諮詢跨部門委員會及計劃管理委員會，進而完成審批程序。
The BUD FTA Programme is open to non-listed enterprises registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310). Applicants must have substantive business operations in Hong Kong.
The BUD FTA Programme accepts applications all year round.
The BUD Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Programme mainly covers three areas: brand development, upgrading and transformation, and market expansion.The BUD Fund FTA Programme supports the following countries and regions: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, the Belgium–Luxembourg Economic Union, Canada, Chile, Denmark, and the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). Other eligible countries and regions include Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Macao, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Applicants must submit the following documents and information for review in accordance with the programme requirements:
If the applicant company was established in the current year, the above turnover proof documents are not required.
**The actual documents required may vary depending on the applicant's business nature, project details, and assessment requirements.
**The actual documents required may vary depending on the applicant's business nature, project details, and assessment requirements.
*The above information provides general examples of support areas. The actual project scope will depend on the applicant’s business nature and project proposal.
Applicant companies must meet the following criteria:
A Hong Kong subsidiary can apply for the BUD Fund as long as it is not listed, has a valid Business Registration in Hong Kong, and operates a substantive business in Hong Kong. The parent company being listed does not affect eligibility.
The BUD Fund is not a startup fund. While the BUD Fund Application Guidelines do not explicitly restrict newly established companies from applying, applicants are required to demonstrate ongoing business operations — such as revenue figures and project scale. For newly formed companies, the likelihood of a successful application depends on the reasonableness of the proposed project and whether it aligns with the company's existing business foundation. Therefore, OneSec recommends that businesses establish a solid operational track record before applying for BUD Funding.
A company may apply for funding for a new project. However, it must clearly declare in the application form the progress of any existing funded projects and any other applications currently under review. Please note that the performance and implementation status of existing projects may affect the approval of the new application.
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