Since 2011, Guangzhou Municipal Government has provided a funding scheme to support innovation and technology development with overseas partners. Under this funding scheme, overseas partners enter into cooperation agreements with the government and receive funding for innovation and technology development projects. The Guangzhou Municipal Government expects, through this funding scheme, to promote quality research and innovation and to encourage a wider social participation in financing and collaborating on innovation and technology development.

On 20th September 2016, a MoU was signed between Guangzhou Science & Technology and Innovation Commission (GZSTIC) and Hong Kong Association of Overseas-Returned Scholars (HKAORS) to implement the funding scheme in Hong Kong. In order to further advance Guangzhou’s cooperation in technology and innovation with universities and research institutions in Hong Kong, GZSTIC commissioned HKAORS to be the “agent” for the collaboration on innovation and technology development between the two districts. For this purpose, HKAORS has initiated the Hong Kong-Guangzhou Technology and Innovation Partnership Programme (HKGTIPP).

自2011年起，廣州市政府分別與境外大學及機構組織簽訂了合作協議，建立了相應的合作模式和機制。由廣州市投入資金，引導全社會共同投入推進合作項目的實施，取得了良好的成效。

2016年9月20日，廣州市科技創新委員會（以下簡稱『科創委』）與香港海外學人聯合會（以下簡稱『海學聯』）簽署了《合作備忘錄》，委託『海學聯』積極推動穗港創新活動。『海學聯』為此制定了「香江科技創新計劃」，希望在香港高校或科研機構和廣州市的科技合作中發揮橋樑作用，推動穗港科技創新交流與合作。