Accelerating innovation and expansion through IPHatch recognition: Algogene Financial Technology Company

Fintech start-ups face the challenge of standing out in a crowded market while innovating and scaling their solutions. For Algogene Financial Technology Company Limited, a Hong Kong-based company that specialises in algorithmic trading, winning IPHatch Hong Kong in 2020 significantly boosted its ability to overcome such hurdles. The competition recognises promising, innovative start-ups and aims to fuel their growth.

Tony Lam, the CEO of Algogene, has explained to Managing IP how success in IPHatch helped to accelerate and protect the company’s expansion, and identified the key role played by intellectual property (IP).

Algogene provides a comprehensive platform that allows users – ranging from retail investors to institutional players – to learn, develop, test, and execute trading strategies. By leveraging the power of big data, AI, and advanced algorithms, the company enables individuals to make more informed, scientific, and automated investment decisions.

“We have developed a one-stop platform which is [designed] to help all market participants, including individual and institutional investors, to do investments in a more scientific and automatic way,” Lam says.

The platform offers tools such as a cloud-based simulation engine with over 20 years’ worth of historical market data, AI-powered portfolio builders, and sentiment analysis to facilitate better financial forecasting. Users can tap into the power of AI and big data to gain insights that were previously available only to large financial institutions.

But in a highly competitive and regulated market, how did Algogene carve out a niche and accelerate its development? The answer partly lies in the company’s triumph at the IPHatch competition.

For many start-ups, success requires technological innovation, strong business partnerships, and a network that can open doors to new opportunities. Winning IPHatch provided Algogene with just that, and enabled the company to take significant strides in its product development and market positioning. “We needed the IPHatch competition,” Lam says. “It was really helpful to our technology and business development.”

Algogene’s platform processes vast amounts of information, including market data, economic statistics, company reports, and social media sentiment. With data volumes reaching hundreds of terabytes, the company faced a significant challenge in terms of data processing speed and the ability to handle big data efficiently.

“We have a high requirement in terms of computing speed and big data processing capability,” Lam explains. “One of our technology patents really handles this, to further customise our algorithm, and now, compared to our previous approach, the data processing speed has increased by more than 300%.”

Since winning IPHatch, Algogene has continued to build on this technology, developing a large language model designed to help users to generate trading ideas and formulate trading models more efficiently. The patented technology has also played a key role in improving memory and training speed, helping Algogene to stay ahead of the curve in AI-driven asset management.

Beyond technological innovation, winning IPHatch also brought tangible business benefits. Lam notes that the recognition from the competition enhanced the company’s credibility with investors and partners, especially in Hong Kong’s highly regulated financial industry. “It is extremely difficult to convince a well-established financial institution to adopt our system,” he says. “After winning the competition, we have integrated patented technology into our platform. And now we can present that our solutions are better [because of such] patents and they now have more confidence in our product.”

Winning IPHatch also paved the way to valuable business connections. Algogene leveraged the competition’s extensive network to forge partnerships with key players in the financial industry. Notably, the company connected with proprietary trading firms in Singapore and co-organised an algorithmic trading competition there during the COVID pandemic. This was a crucial moment, as it helped Algogene to expand its reach beyond Hong Kong and into Southeast Asia, despite the challenges posed by the crisis.

“IPHatch has a very strong network in Asia and through their connection with a proprietary trading firm in Singapore, we co-organised an algo trading competition in Singapore during COVID,” Lam says. “And now our trading competition has been expanded to a more global scale, participants coming from more than 50 countries and regions every year.

“The IPHatch team is really helpful, to connect us with overseas business partners and other potential clients. They also connect up with some VC [venture capitalists] in Singapore and Japan, which is also helpful for our fundraising.”

A large part of Algogene’s growth and success can be attributed to its emphasis on IP. Patents play a central role in the company’s strategy, ensuring that its innovative trading technology is protected from competitors.

“Most start-ups, at the beginning, don't have the resources or expertise to protect innovative ideas and solutions,” Lam says. “If our product is selling in the market, it will definitely attract potential competitors to replicate our product or features. So without IP protection, it will be very dangerous and difficult for start-ups to compete with mature companies in the market. So for Algogene, we really emphasise the importance of IP and it protects our unique methodology.”

The company’s patented technology differentiates it from competitors in the algorithmic trading space, making it harder for others to replicate Algogene’s products and services. More importantly, IP protection enhances the company’s credibility with investors, as they are more likely to invest in start-ups that have a clear strategy for protecting their innovations.

“Good management of IP does not only help in enhancing a company valuation, it also helps in building credibility with investors and partners, and also attracts talent and collaboration opportunities that can drive further growth,” Lam says.

By safeguarding its technology through IP, Algogene can continue to innovate without the constant threat of imitation.

With confidence in Algogene’s IP strategy, Lam believes the company is at the vanguard of progress in AI-driven asset management. “We aim to democratise access to advanced trading technology, allowing everyone from retail investors to institutional players to leverage AI and big data for their investment strategy in the broader sector,” he says. “We foresee a continuous shift towards automation and data-driven decision making.”

Algogene’s success story highlights the importance of competitions such as IPHatch, which provide start-ups with the resources and recognition they need to accelerate growth. By offering not only a platform to showcase innovations but also valuable networking opportunities and business support, IPHatch can help start-ups such as Algogene to achieve their full potential.

The launch of IPHatch Asia 2025 will be held on December 6 in Hong Kong, as a part of the Business of IP Asia Forum. As a part of the launch, two key panel discussions will shed light on fresh IP pathways, the evolving role of IP in fostering business growth, and underscore the invaluable insights shared by women in technology entrepreneurship.

Under the theme of “Reimagining IP for Impact and Growth”, the 14th edition of the Business of IP Asia Forum aims to explore the immense potential of IP in nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship, and driving impactful economic and social development on a global scale. The event brings together IP owners, users, investors, and business leaders from around the world to discuss the latest developments in IP, and explore business collaboration opportunities. Participants will gain fruitful insights from speakers from Hong Kong Disneyland, Peninsula Merchandising, Xiaomi, and Kakao Entertainment on how to leverage IP for business development.

Global Tech Summit, a main feature of the event, has been relaunched as a joint initiative with Entrepreneur Day and will explore the impact of AI on various industries, as well as provide practical tips for start-ups. An exhibition section named Innovation and IP Market, with “Smart City Innovation” as its theme, will display various projects from R&D centres, universities, and IP service providers.

IPHatch is an open innovation challenge and programme pioneered by Piece Future, an Asian-headquartered private IP bank located in Singapore that connects IP-rich multinational corporations, universities, and start-ups with valuable patent assets. Winners gain access to cutting-edge patents from leading corporations and academic institutions, providing a strong foundation for accelerated innovation. Currently active in 10 locations – including Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, other Asian regions, and the UK – IPHatch collaborates with 12 government agencies worldwide. To date, the programme has successfully matched and nurtured more than 70 start-ups, driving impactful growth and fostering transformative solutions globally.