Infiniti Motor Company chief Roland Krueger is dead set that Hong Kong is a great place for startups and creating new ideas that are always good for the company. In this context, it launched "Infiniti Accelerator 2.0" to give a hand to technology startups.

"Obviously, Hong Kong is a good place for startups due to its diversity, good infrastructure. The city attracts talents and opens up opportunities for other markets in the area, not only the Chinese mainland but also the rest of Asia," says Krueger.

Infiniti partnered Hong Kong-based startup incubator Nest and launched a 12-week program on July 4 to help nine tech-related startups by providing them co-working space and business training.

"Helping startups is very important to us as they generate new creative ideas, which are an important source for technology and innovation for our company. And, we would like to input these new ideas from them and work with them," he says.

Besides, these startups are able to create ideas in a new and probably different way and, as a large organization, it's always good to challenge itself, and see whether the organization can benefit from other processes and ways of generating new ideas.

The nine startups include entrepreneurs from Hong Kong, Singapore, the US and Dubai, each of which has a focus on a "smart city" solution. According to Infiniti, three key areas - connectivity technologies, alternative energy and alternative mobility solutions - are vital for future intelligent cities.

"For these companies, we offer a platform on which they're able to develop their own ideas further. We will give them coaching, new ideas, and they will have meetings with our management team through which we help them bring their business to the next level," says Krueger.

After 12 weeks, Infiniti will organize an investor day, allowing the startups to pitch their ideas for investments and, hopefully, with the investment they get, they will be able to start their own company or move their businesses forward.

It's very hard to say which startup or entrepreneur can really succeed in the long run, Krueger says, as he believes the measurement is not what happens now or what will happen in the next 12 weeks - it should be a sustainable business model for a few years down the road.

But, he stresses, it definitely takes perseverance and patience to be a successful entrepreneur.

sophiehe@chinadailyhk.com