⬡ ForgeScan — Readiness Diagnostic

Know exactly what you need
before you spend a dollar.

ForgeScan scores your company across four dimensions — entity structure, funding eligibility, substance gaps, and banking readiness — and delivers a prioritised roadmap in five business days.

Book your ForgeScan Try the free self-scan tool →

HK$8,000–15,000 · 50% credited toward any larger package · 5-day delivery

What's included

Four scored assessments. One clear roadmap.

Every ForgeScan produces a written report with a score out of 100 per dimension and a sequenced action list — so you know what to fix first.

Entity-readiness audit

We review your corporate structure, registered address, director composition, company secretary status, and any existing mainland or offshore entities. Gaps that block HK banking or grant applications are flagged with remediation steps.

Funding-eligibility assessment

Scored against four active HK schemes: HKSTP incubation, Cyberport CCMF, BUD Fund (including operating-age and MPF eligibility checks), and the new AISS. You receive a per-scheme eligibility verdict plus a timeline to eligibility if not yet qualified.

Substance gap analysis

HK substance rules tightened in 2024. We assess real operations: decision-making presence, local staff or contractors, MPF enrolment, and demonstrable HK business activity. Weak substance means rejected grants and closed bank accounts — we show you what to build.

Banking-readiness check

HK bank account opening has become significantly harder for mainland-origin companies. We assess your documentation, beneficial-ownership clarity, business-activity narrative, and transaction-history readiness against current bank criteria — before you spend time on rejectable applications.

Scored report + roadmap

You receive a written PDF report with per-dimension scores (0–100), a sequenced action list sorted by impact, and a 30-minute debrief call with a CompanyForge advisor.
50% of the ForgeScan fee is credited toward any subsequent package.

Who it's for

Right for you if any of these fit.

ForgeScan is designed for founders who want clarity before committing to a larger engagement — not a sales pitch in disguise.

Mainland founders eyeing HK expansion

You have a profitable mainland operation and want to set up a real HK entity — for fundraising, HKEX-readiness, or cross-border distribution. You need to know the right sequence: entity first, then banking, then grants.

出海 HK Launchpad BUD Fund

Early-stage HK startups chasing grants

Your HK company is set up but you're not sure whether you qualify for HKSTP, Cyberport, or BUD — and you don't want to waste months on an ineligible application. ForgeScan tells you in five days.

HKSTP Cyberport CCMF AISS

Companies stuck on bank account opening

You've been rejected by one or more HK banks and don't understand why. Our banking-readiness check diagnoses the exact documentation and narrative gaps — and tells you which banks are most likely to approve you given your profile.

Banking Entity structure

Established SMEs considering a full restructure

Your company has been operating for 1–3 years. You're considering the 出海 Landing Pack or a Funding Sprint but want an independent read on where you actually stand before you commit. ForgeScan is the right entry point.

出海 Landing Pack Funding Sprint

Process & timeline

Five days from intake to roadmap.

Structured, async-friendly. We work around your schedule — you don't need to be in Hong Kong.

Day 1

Intake & document upload

You complete a structured intake form and upload your company documents: incorporation certificate, directors list, existing financials, and any prior grant or bank correspondence.

Days 1–3

Four-dimension analysis

Our advisors assess entity, funding eligibility, substance, and banking readiness in parallel. We flag questions and request any missing documents via a shared workspace — no long email chains.

Day 4

Scored report drafted

You receive a draft report with per-dimension scores (0–100) and a sequenced action list. You can request one round of clarifications within 24 hours.

Day 5

Debrief call + final report

30-minute video call to walk through findings. Final report delivered in PDF. If you proceed to a larger package, 50% of the ForgeScan fee is credited immediately.

Note on regulated activities: Company-formation and statutory filing steps — if required as part of remediation — are executed via our licensed TCSP partners in accordance with the Hong Kong TCSP Ordinance. CompanyForge provides advisory and project management; licensed partners handle the regulated filings.

Pricing

Transparent. Scoped before we start.

Price varies by company complexity — a single-entity HK startup is simpler to assess than a multi-layer mainland-HK group.

The natural next step depends on what we find.

ForgeScan is designed to route you to exactly the right package — not the largest one. Most clients go one of three ways:

HK Launchpad

Entity not yet formed, or formed with gaps (wrong directors, no company secretary, missing registered address). Launchpad fixes the foundation: formation, company secretary, registered address, and a bank-account introduction.

HK$10,000–18,000

See HK Launchpad →

Funding Sprint

Entity is in order and you are eligible for one or more schemes. Sprint advisory takes you through a full grant application — from eligibility confirmation through submission and follow-up.

HK$15,000–30,000 + 8–12% success fee per application

See Funding Sprint →

出海 Landing Pack

Mainland founder with no HK entity yet. The full-entry package: entity formation, banking, compliance, visa, and grant readiness — everything needed to be genuinely operational in HK.

HK$45,000–65,000

See 出海 Landing Pack →

Funding schemes we assess

HKSTP — Science Park admission Cyberport CCMF — up to HK$100,000 BUD Fund — up to HK$7M cumulative AISS — new AI Subsidy Scheme

Built by operators, not advisors

We ran this process on our own companies first.

Kangleling, CareEZ, and PierForge are Hong Kong companies we built and operate. The ForgeScan framework came from doing this ourselves — repeatedly — before offering it as a service.

Kangleling 康乐龄

HK-registered eldercare food company. Navigated entity formation, banking, and grant-readiness with real staff and MPF records from month one — exactly the substance profile that ForgeScan now assesses for clients.

CareEZ

Dysphagia screening application, HK-incorporated and HKSTP-adjacent. The eligibility assessment and pitch preparation process we built for CareEZ is the direct ancestor of ForgeScan's funding-eligibility module.

PierForge

Cross-border trade AI company with real HK operations. Built its substance profile — local decisions, HK-based transactions, MPF enrolment — before any grant application was filed. Exactly the sequence ForgeScan recommends.

Read the full case studies →

FAQ

Common questions.

What documents do I need to start a ForgeScan? ＋

At minimum: your HK incorporation certificate (or equivalent if not yet formed), a list of directors and shareholders with ID, your latest management accounts or bank statements, and any prior grant correspondence or bank rejection letters. If you don't have all of these, start the intake form anyway — we'll tell you what's missing and whether we can proceed.

Do I need to be in Hong Kong for the ForgeScan? ＋

No. The entire process is remote-friendly: document upload via a shared workspace, async questions and answers, and a video debrief call. Many of our clients are mainland China-based founders who have never set foot in Hong Kong yet.

What if my company doesn't qualify for any grant schemes yet? ＋

That's exactly what ForgeScan is for. We'll tell you what's missing and give you a timeline to eligibility — for instance, the BUD Fund requires at least one year of operating history and six months of MPF contribution records. If you're at month three of operations, we'll tell you what to do now so you're ready at month six.

How does the 50% credit work exactly? ＋

If you proceed to any paid CompanyForge package within 90 days of receiving your ForgeScan report, 50% of your ForgeScan fee is deducted from that package invoice. For example: ForgeScan at HK$10,000, then HK Launchpad at HK$15,000 = you pay HK$5,000 + HK$15,000 – HK$5,000 credit = HK$15,000 total. The credit applies to one package. It does not stack across multiple packages.

Is CompanyForge a licensed Trust and Company Service Provider (TCSP)? ＋

CompanyForge provides advisory, project management, and grant strategy services. Regulated activities — company formation, statutory filings, company secretarial services — are handled by our licensed TCSP partners in accordance with the Hong Kong TCSP Ordinance (Cap. 529). You engage with us as your advisor; our licensed partners execute the regulated steps.

How is ForgeScan different from the free self-scan tool at /tools/forgescan/? ＋

The free tool is a quick self-assessment — it surfaces obvious red flags based on your answers and gives you a rough eligibility indicator for each scheme. The paid ForgeScan goes deeper: we review your actual documents, assess your specific corporate structure, consult scheme administrators' current guidance, and produce a written report with a scored analysis and sequenced action plan tailored to your company.

Can I do a ForgeScan before my HK company is formed? ＋

Yes. In fact, this is often the best time — we assess your proposed structure before you file anything, so we catch structural problems early. We'll also recommend whether to start with HK Launchpad (formation-first) or 出海 Landing Pack (full entry) based on your situation.

Ready to know where you stand?

Book a ForgeScan and receive a scored readiness report in five business days — with 50% credited toward your next step.

Book your ForgeScan

Or try the free self-scan tool to get an instant eligibility indicator before you commit.

Know exactly what you need before you spend a dollar.