Four funding schemes will be launched mid-August offering funding support to design projects and to help trade move up the value chain.

Assistant Commissioner for Innovation & Technology Tony Lam said the Design Support Programme is part of the $250-million DesignSmart Initiative.

Among the four funding schemes, the General Support Scheme will be launched in mid-August, with the Design-Business Collaboration, the Design Research and the Professional Continuing Education Schemes starting mid-September.

For details of the schemes and their application procedures, click here.

One-stop shop for design cluster planned

Apart from the Design Support Programme, the new initiative also covers the setting up of a one-stop shop for design cluster in the Tech Centre in Kowloon Tong.

It will be developed through the collaboration of the Science & Technology Parks Corporation and the Design Centre.

The one-stop shop aims to create and sustain a cluster of high value-added design activities among design professionals and interns, and companies, where creative ideas with functionality will be stimulated, nurtured, researched, promoted, commercialised and branded.

Services to be offered are:

* incubation services for design ventures;

* professional education and training;

* design-related exhibitions, seminars and workshops;

* design-related resource centre such as design library; and,

* events and activities for networking among design professionals and user industries.