各位朋友：

2015-16 預算案提要：創業、中小企和科技

財政司司長今天發表2015-16年度財政預算案，以『多元發展、擴大優勢』為題，務實有餘而冒險不足。然而論調卻明顯較施政報告平和，總算是當前社會所需要的理性聲音。

以下是我的短評：

營造創業投資環境 力度不足
預算案回應了我和業界對於政府配對型式引進風險基金的建議，科技園公司會預留五千萬元設立「科技企業投資基金」，以配對形式與私人資金共同投資園內或孵化計劃的初創企業。可惜範圍限於科學園以內的初創企業，而且金額甚小，希望日後能擴大範圍和金額。我會繼續建議當局研究「科技應用基金」，刺激用戶和市場對科技服務和產品的需求。

研金融科技 方向正確
早前我建議當局研究推動金融科技和電子商貿，以免香港落後競爭對手。預算案宣佈財經事務及庫務局將成立督導小組，與業界、科研和監管機構合作研究推動香港作為金融科技中心。我認為方向正確，因為不止倫敦，新加坡在群眾募資方面都非常積極，香港必須加快步伐，以免錯失時機。

只有人才培訓 不談教育？
財爺的預算案演辭大談人才培訓，教育開支方面罕有地並無著墨，令人驚訝。教育是重要的長期投資，是培育未來人才的基礎。希望政府除了行業培訓以外，亦關注升學機會和教學質素，不要令學生失望。

首次開放預算案數據
繼去年首次以試算表格式發放開支預算摘要後，今年以更方便應用開發者和數據分析的CSV格式發放。網上已出現了一些政府開支的互動圖表，希望日後政府陸續發佈更多數據集。2月28日至3月1日於長沙灣好單位將會有一場關於預算案駭客松(Hackathon)，相信會有不少創新意念出現，有興趣的朋友不要錯過。

我的辦公室預備了預算案圖表和摘要，請按此閱讀！

2015-16財政預算案重點圖表 #1 創新及科技
2015-16財政預算案重點圖表 #2 科技及中小企
2015-16年度財政預算案摘要

莫乃光

議會發言
2015.02.25：環境事務委員會 就『推行都市固體廢物收費的框架建議』的發言
2015.02.16：政制事務委員會 就『個人資料私隱專員工作簡報』事項的發言
2015.02.14：財務委員會 就『成立創新及科技局』事項的發言

資本壹週專欄—立會珠璣
2015.02.18：創科局雖擱置 政府應借機反思

信報「專業為公」專欄
2015.02.23：預算案應投資未來發展科技

Dear IT friends,

Inside the 2015-16 Budget: Start-ups, SMEs, and Technology

The Financial Secretary delivered his 2015-16 Budget speech today with the theme “Diversification and Enhancement”, which is a practical approach but not taking much initiatives. It is however a sensible speech compared to the Policy Address, a rational discourse that is suitable for our community at present.

My brief comment on the latest Budget as below:

Start-up Support: Still not enough
The Budget responded to our appeal to initiate a venture fund for startups. The HKSTPC will earmark $50 million to set up a corporate venture fund for co-investment, on a matching basis with private funds in start-ups located in the Science Park or have participated in its incubation programmes. However the fund is too small and it is a pity that only startups in the Science Park could apply. We hope that these restrictions will be lifted. Also, I will continue to suggest the government to study the ‘Technology Adoption Fund’ to stimulate demand for technology services and products.

FinTech Study: Act now
Earlier, I suggested the government to advocate Financial Technology and e-Commerce, to avoid falling behind our competitors. It is announced in the Budget that the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will set up a steering group to study how to develop Hong Kong into a financial technology hub together with industries, research and development institutions as well as regulatory authorities. This is a step in the right direction, as London and Singapore are very progressive in developing regulations on crowd-funding, and so we have to speed up to seize the opportunity.

Nothing on Education?
The speech stressed on manpower training, but surprisingly scarcely mentioned new initiatives in education, which is an important long-term investment and the basis for better manpower supply in the future. I hope that the government focuses not only on vocational training but also the quality and opportunity of education.

Last year the government released the Budget Highlights in Excel format for the first time, this year they went one step further by using CSV format. There are already many infographics on government expenses found on the internet. I hope that the government will release more datasets in due course. There will be a Hackathon on budget in The Good Lab, Cheung Sha Wan from 28th Feb to 1st March, and we are expecting that the event will inspire many innovative ideas. Don’t miss out!

Last but not least, feel free to read charts and highlights of the Budget prepared by my office here!

2015-16 Budget highlight infographic #1 Innovation & Technology
2015-16 Budget highlight infographic #2 Technology & SMEs
2015-16 Budget Highlights

Charles Mok