Up to HK$100,000
for your digital tech startup — grant-ready from day one
Cyberport's Creative Micro Fund backs early-stage digital businesses with non-dilutive funding. We help you apply with a submission that is complete, credible, and well-scoped.
What Cyberport CCMF funds
The Creative Micro Fund (CCMF) is Cyberport's pre-seed grant for early-stage digital technology companies. It provides non-dilutive cash — no equity, no repayment — to help founders move from idea to working prototype or initial market traction.
Who can apply
CCMF targets early-stage digital startups with genuine Hong Kong operations. Meeting the checklist below is necessary — but eligibility alone does not guarantee funding. Application quality matters.
- Your company is incorporated in Hong Kong
- Your digital tech product is at an early stage (pre-revenue or early revenue)
- You have a clear project scope with defined deliverables
- You intend to operate from Hong Kong — real office, real staff, real decisions made here
- Your founding team has relevant technical or domain expertise
- The project has not already received Cyberport incubation funding
- Your product addresses a genuine market problem with a digital solution
- Your company is not a Hong Kong-registered entity
- Your product is purely a physical device with no digital component
- You have previously received CCMF funding for this project
- Your business is a traditional service firm (consulting, retail, F&B) without a digital tech core
- You cannot demonstrate real HK substance — nominal registered address only
- The proposed project is a repackaged version of an already-completed product
Cyberport incubation vs. CCMF: CCMF is a standalone grant programme distinct from Cyberport's incubation programmes (Creative Micro Fund is open to non-incubatees). However, being a Cyberport incubatee — or being on the pathway to incubation — strengthens your application narrative considerably. CompanyForge advises on both tracks.
Funding amounts and disbursement
CCMF provides a single non-dilutive grant disbursed against agreed milestones — not a lump sum on approval. Understanding this structure is critical for planning your project budget.
From first contact to funded
Cyberport opens CCMF application windows periodically — typically multiple rounds per year. Below is the typical process from eligibility check to first disbursement.
Why applications fall short
CCMF applications fail for predictable reasons. Knowing them before you apply is more valuable than polishing your deck after the fact.
Cyberport incubation programmes
CCMF is a grant. Cyberport also runs incubation programmes that provide workspace, mentoring, and access to its corporate and investor network — on top of funding. The two tracks are related but distinct.
CompanyForge advises on both CCMF applications and Cyberport incubation applications. For founders building a digital tech company in Hong Kong, we typically assess both pathways at the ForgeScan stage — the eligibility criteria overlap significantly, and the application narratives can be aligned to strengthen both.
How CompanyForge strengthens your application
A well-prepared CCMF application is not a form-filling exercise. It is a strategic document. Our Funding Sprint package is designed specifically to improve the quality and coherence of your submission — from eligibility check through panel preparation.
- Eligibility audit and go/no-go recommendation
- Scope and deliverable design workshop
- Full application narrative drafting and review
- Panel preparation (mock Q&A session)
- Post-approval claims and record-keeping setup
- Applicable to CCMF, Cyberport incubation, HKSTP, BUD, and AISS
Common questions about CCMF
There is no minimum operating history requirement for CCMF specifically — unlike BUD Fund, which requires at least one year of operations and six months of MPF records. A newly formed Hong Kong company can apply, but the founding team's track record and the product's development stage matter considerably to the assessment panel. Substance — real HK operations, a credible team — carries more weight than the company's age.
Yes. The applicant entity must be a Hong Kong-incorporated company. The founders' nationality is not a disqualifying factor, but Cyberport expects meaningful HK operations — not a nominal shell managed entirely from the mainland. For 出海 founders, our 出海 Landing Pack establishes the real substance (local director, real office, proper MPF) that makes this credible.
Generally yes, but you cannot claim the same project costs from two grant sources simultaneously. If you are also applying for HKSTP, BUD, or AISS, the project scopes and budgets must be clearly delineated. CompanyForge advises on multi-grant strategy — sequencing and scoping applications so eligible costs are allocated without double-counting.
Cyberport typically allows you to apply for a timeline extension or scope amendment before the milestone deadline — not after. If you miss a milestone without prior agreement, the corresponding disbursement tranche may be withheld or reduced. Proactive communication with your Cyberport programme manager is critical. We coach clients on milestone management as part of our post-approval support.
No. No advisor can guarantee grant approval — and any firm that claims otherwise is misrepresenting what advisory services can deliver. What we do is strengthen your application: assess eligibility accurately, design a fundable scope, draft a coherent narrative, and prepare you for the panel. The success fee in our Funding Sprint means our interests are aligned with yours.
Companies we have built and run
CompanyForge is not a pure advisory firm. We have built HK-registered, operating companies ourselves — which means the advice we give comes from doing it, not just knowing about it.
Find out if CCMF is the right fit — before you invest weeks in an application
Book a ForgeScan. We assess your company's eligibility, identify any gaps in your HK substance or project scope, and give you a clear go/no-go recommendation with a plan to address shortfalls. The ForgeScan fee (HK$8,000–15,000) is 50% credited toward a Funding Sprint.
Book a ForgeScanCompany formation handled via our licensed TCSP partners. CompanyForge provides strategy, grant advisory, and client experience.