Hong Kong will have to grow “exponentially” before it can be compared to the likes of Shenzhen with its innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem, a goal that can be achieved by bringing in talent and capital, the Science Park’s outgoing CEO has said.

In an exclusive interview before he steps down on Friday, Albert Wong Hak-keung said the government-backed innovation hub at Pak Shek Kok had come a long way from its early days about two decades ago, from first being seen as simply a landlord to now staking its claim as a start-up incubator for the city’s future growth.

“At the beginning, we were struggling to determine whether Science Park is a real estate project or what we are,” said Wong, who joined the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation in 2016.

He will be succeeded by Terry Wong Ping-sau, who has 30 years of global executive leadership experience across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

The outgoing CEO said he had not yet made any future plans.

The Science Park supports 700 to 1,000 start-ups at any given time with incentives such as allowing them to operate rent-free in the first year, and provides communal facilities including semiconductor, biomedical and robotics labs, along with an extensive incubation programme.