Built on Microsoft Azure, the company’s cloud computing platform, HSBC VisionGo employs machine learning technologies to offer personalised professional insights and networking opportunities through an AI-enhanced interface, along with new interactive features designed to foster dialogue and collaboration within the business community, assist SMEs as they adapt to new ways of working, and help find synergies between companies.

The pandemic has already brought businesses closer together. According to a recent HSBC report1, 95% of Hong Kong businesses have extended support to and/or received support from other businesses they work with by exchanging expertise and sharing premises (50%), enabling others to get their products to customers (46%) or relaxing payment terms for their smaller partners (35%).

HSBC VisionGo enables SME operators to follow each other to keep track of their latest insights, ask matter specialists and like-minded entrepreneurs questions directly to exchange ideas, as well as gather practical insights on a variety of business topics through interactive polling. SMEs can also promote their own offers to create new business leads, or redeem available offers as added benefits.

Terence Chiu, Head of Commercial Banking, Hong Kong, HSBC, said: “HSBC is committed to investing in digital innovation to help Hong Kong’s SME sector. We are a connector in the business community, and we aim to use our strength to build a collaborative business ecosystem that will help businesses get through these challenging times and position themselves to make the most of the opportunities when they come.”

A beta version of the platform was unveiled in March 2020, in time to assist SMEs tackle their COVID-19 challenges through shared resources and webinars. Since then, it has become an open space for SMEs to access practical tips on anything from how to apply for the government-guaranteed loan scheme, to how to start an e-Commerce business.

As of the official launch, the VisionGo community already brings together over 9,000 members – both HSBC and non-HSBC customers – and continues to grow. It has connected 5,000 participants to 400 webinars and consultations organised by the business community. It has registered around 600,000 page views of its growing library of 1,500 articles.

As the platform continues to develop, HSBC will introduce features such as integration with PayMe for Business for event organisers in the near future. The platform’s capacity will continue to be expanded to forge partnerships with different ecosystem players.

Starting today, HSBC VisionGo will present two weeks of signature webinars featuring special guests and celebrity business owners to celebrate the launch, covering e-Commerce, digital marketing, management and leadership, tech innovation and entrepreneurship. Interested individuals may now register for free on the platform to access vital knowledge and a new world of collaboration.