There is an overall positive outlook for Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T) sector, according to the “2026 Innovation &Technology Industry Trend Survey” by Hong Kong Computer Society (HKCS).
“The survey results show that although the I&T sector is generally optimistic about the industry’s prospects and over half of the companies plan to increase IT investment, talent shortage remains the biggest challenge in driving digital transformation and innovation,” Dave Chen, president of HKCS, said.
Overall positive outlook
Based on the survey, the majority (60%) of respondents expressed confidence, being either optimistic or very optimistic in Hong Kong’s I&T sector, nearly 30% said they were neutral, and almost 10% are pessimistic.
Moreover, over half of respondents reported plans to increase IT spending within the year, while 26.83% of companies reported plans to reduce IT spending.
Challenges
Despite the overall positive outlook and increase in IT spending, leaders identified major challenges for IT investment and digital transformation in 2026. Topping their list is talent shortage (24.39%), unclear business ROI (21.85%), and budget constraints (19.51%).
“Moving forward, while continuing to promote I&T development, Hong Kong also needs to strengthen talent cultivation and skills enhancement to further consolidate its competitive edge in the sector,” Chen concluded.
During the first quarter of 2026, HKCS sent questionnaires to members of its CIO Board and to its corporate members. It successfully collected responses from 41 organisations, including multiple large public and private institutions in Hong Kong.
