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HKSTP’s Startup BioMap Secured Funding from HKIC for AI and Biotech Development

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HKSTP

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 June 2024 – Hong Kong Science Park Corporation (HKSTP) congratulates BioMap, a Park company, on its strategic partnership with the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC) to jointly propel innovation across multiple sectors including biopharmaceuticals, green technology, and new industrialisation, further cementing Hong Kong’s position as an international hub for innovation and technology.

BioMap, a pioneering company at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the life sciences sector, integrates cutting-edge AI with biotechnology to accelerate research and development and design novel proteins in areas such as pharmaceuticals and enzymes. Earlier this year, BioMap established its presence at the Science Park and will launch its inaugural BioMap Innovation Hub in Hong Kong, aimed at expanding their global operations. HKSTP continues to provide comprehensive infrastructure and professional services, enabling BioMap’s engagement with a diverse range of partners and investors.

The ceremony took place during the International Bio-Computing Innovation Summit where Clara Chan, CEO of HKIC, and Wei Liu, CEO of BioMap signed the strategic partnership agreement, witnessed by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Along with business expansion in Hong Kong, BioMap also launched its first Innovation Hub to attract innovators from around the world and nurture local I&T talent, boosting the building of an AI for life science ecosystem in Hong Kong. Distinguished guests including Wei Liu, CEO of BioMap; Gracie Ng, Chief of Staff of HKSTP; Professor Max Shen, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) of the University of Hong Kong; Professor Wang Yang, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and Dr Rocky Cheng, CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, joined the “Light Up” ceremony.

Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome BioMap to Science Park and to establish a strategic partnership with Hong Kong Investment Management Limited. Together, we are embarking on a new chapter. HKSTP is committed to providing diverse support to biotech companies, accelerating the commercialisation of scientific research, and serving as a ‘super-connector’ – linking local and international industry partners and investors. Our aim is to assist companies like BioMap to leverage Hong Kong’s exceptional scientific research capabilities, international reach, and strategic location in the Greater Bay Area to access global markets.”

Wei Liu, CEO of BioMap, said, “We set up our first bio-computing innovation hub in Hong Kong to leverage the city’s international status, liberal financial policies, and world-class intellectual property system and data governance to help BioMap gain the trust of more multinational customers in the global competition, maintaining its leading position in the industry. Furthermore, Hong Kong has ample AI and biotechnology talent resources and an excellent innovative academic atmosphere. We hope that the BioMap Innovation Hub will serve as a cultivating and testing ground for Hong Kong’s interdisciplinary talents in information and biotechnology to transform more innovative ideas into practical macromolecule solutions utilising our large language model for life sciences, whilst further amplifying the value of innovative products through our global manufacturing and business network as well as partners.”

To enhance its visibility and connect with the international industry, HKSTP, along with BioMap and other park companies, participated in the world’s largest biotech event, BIO 2024, earlier in June in the United States. Key activities included the APAC Summit session, showcasing the strengths and potential of Hong Kong’s biotechnology sector to a global audience.

BioMap, headquartered in the US, is one of the second batch of strategic enterprises signed by the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) of the HKSAR Government to set up operations in Hong Kong. Combining AI and biotechnology, the company has developed the ‘xTrimo’ platform, a foundational large language model for life sciences based on protein language. Recently, BioMap secured a USD 1 billion partnership with multi-national pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and is collaborating with over 10 commercial partners and more than 200 academic institutions.

HKSTP is dedicated to nurturing the entrepreneurial skills of researchers and scientists, aiding them in translating research into viable products and fostering a thriving biotechnology ecosystem. Currently, the park is home to over 250 biotech companies.

As a government-owned organisation that manages HK$62 billion in fundings, HKIC announced two weeks ago its first partnership with another HKSTP company SmartMore, a homegrown AI unicorn, to make Hong Kong the base of SmartMore’s development and stock market listing.

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 to create a thriving I&T ecosystem grooming 12 unicorns, more than 14,000 research professionals and over 1,800 technology companies from 28 countries and regions focused on developing healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies, etc.

Our growing innovation ecosystem offers comprehensive support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation for technology ventures, with the I&T journey built around our key locations of Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long realising a vision of new industrialisation for Hong Kong, where sectors including advanced manufacturing, micro-electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined.

Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen plays positive roles in connecting the world and the mainland with our proximity, strengthening cross-border exchange to bring advantages in attracting global talent and allowing possibilities for the development of technology companies in seven key areas: Medtech, big data and AI, robotics, new materials, microelectronics, fintech and sustainability, with both dry and wet laboratories, co-working space, conference and exhibition facilities, and more.

Through our R&D infrastructure, startup support and enterprise services, commercialisation and investment expertise, partnership networks and talent traction, HKSTP continues contribute in establishing I&T as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong.

More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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