Did you know that the Hong Kong government offers two major funding schemes to support local enterprises looking to expand their businesses? These schemes are the BUD Fund and the EMF. These programs are designed to help businesses build brands, upgrade operations, and promote their products in mainland China and overseas markets. Still unfamiliar with these funding schemes? SMEBrother will explain them to you and provide information that can boost your growth through these programs.
What is the BUD Fund?
The Bud Fund or Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales is a government funding program launched by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2012. This program is designed to help non-listed Hong Kong enterprises to expand into Mainland China and overseas markets and enhance their competitiveness.
Learn about BUD fund and how to apply it in Hong Kong
The BUD Fund supports businesses in Branding (building and promoting a strong brand identity), Upgrading (improving production, service, or business processes), Restructuring (enhancing internal business operations to meet market demands), and Domestic Sales (developing sales and distribution channels in new markets).
What is the EMF (Export Marketing Fund)?
The Export Marketing Fund (EMF) is a funding scheme provided by the Trade and Industry Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government to help Hong Kong-based enterprises to promote their products and services to overseas markets.
The EMF aims to ease the financial burden on businesses involved in export promotion activities such as: participating in physical and online trade fairs and exhibitions, joining business missions outside Hong Kong, running online marketing campaigns, or placing advertisements targeting overseas audiences.
Who is eligible to apply for BUD Fund and EMF?
The general eligibility criteria for both BUD and EMF are that the enterprise must be a non-listed company (must not be listed on any stock exchange), registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance Cap.310, have substantive business operations in Hong Kong (not just a shell company, must prove active and have loyal operations).
For BUD Fund, the applications must be project-based with a clear scope, timeline, and objectives. For EMF, applicants must not be the organizer of the promotion activity, directly promote exports and not just local sales, can be used for both physical and online marketing activities.
What’s the maximum funding available under each program?
The total cumulative ceiling per enterprise for BUD Fund is up to HKD 7,000,000, whether you're participating in the Mainland program or the FTA/IPPA program. Generally, the government covers 50% of approved project costs although some sources note variances. For SME EMF, the cumulative limit per enterprise is up to HKD 1,000,000 in total.
What is “Easy BUD”?
Easy BUD is a streamlined application track under the BUD Fund designed specifically for lower-cost projects by Hong Kong enterprises looking to economies with which Hong Kong has Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) or Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs).
The funding cap per project is up to HKD 100,000, the matching basis of government funds is 25%, the project scope must be related to branding, upgrading, or expanding sales overseas, simplified documentation and faster approval process, the processing time is around 30 working days after submission of complete documents.
What is “E-commerce Easy” under the BUD Fund?
E-commerce Easy is a specialized initiative under the BUD Fund that supports Hong Kong enterprises through cross-border e-commerce platforms, targeting the Mainland China market. This is one of the government's efforts to help local businesses tap into online sales channels with faster approval and dedicated funding.
The funding cap per project is up to HKD 1,000,000. The matching basis is 1:1 matching, government covers up to 50% of eligible expenses. The approval time is typically faster than standard BUD applications. Who can apply? Non-listed Hong Kong registered businesses, must have substantive operations in Hong Kong, must plan to enter or expand in the Mainland China e-commerce market.
Using E-commerce easy is a way for quick entry into mainland e-commerce platforms. It has lower financial risk with matching subsidies, streamlined application process using approved service providers, ideal for SMEs testing online sales in China without going through full BUD application complexity.
How often can you apply for BUD Fund, EMF, and E-commerce Easy?
Each funding program has its own rules and timelines for application frequency, and let's show a clear breakdown:
-
BUD Fund
You can submit multiple applications, but you must complete and close previous projects before applying for new ones. You may have more than one approved project running, but the total government disbursement at any time cannot exceed HKD 800,000 (this is the March 2025 update). For larger-scale projects, you can only complete it in 6-12 months, and apply new after that.
-
Easy Bud
You can apply once every 3 months (based on March 2025 update), but has a limit to prevent abuse and manage workload. This is ideal for SMEs wanting to fund smaller projects quickly and frequently.
-
E-commerce Easy
You can apply anytime, but each project must involve pre-approved service packages, only for the Mainland China market, and subject to the HKD 7,000,000 total BUD cap. If you are planning multiple online sales initiatives, you may bundle them or apply in phases.
-
EMF (Export Marketing Fund)
You can apply as often as you want, but each application is for a separate and eligible activity. You haven't exceeded the HKD 1,000,000 cumulative funding limit, and the activities must be conducted within the required timeline.
SMEBrother will help you get your BUD/EMF application successfully
Navigating government funding schemes can be overwhelming, but you don't have to do it alone. At SMEBrother, we specialize in helping Hong Kong SMEs unlock the full potential of the BUD Fund and Export Marketing Fund (EMF).
With deep knowledge of the latest funding requirements and years of hands-on experience, we provide end-to-end support. From project planning and budgeting to application preparation, submission, and post-approval follow-up. Our goal is simple, to help you get approved faster and with higher success rates, so you can focus on growing your business!
Let SMEBrother turn your ideas into fully funded, revenue-generating projects. Apply with confidence, expand with certainty, and let SMEBro help you secure your BUD and EMF funding!
