Let's be honest: when you're busy building your startup or just trying to get an idea off the ground, company law probably is rarely top of mind. Yet the wrong business structure, unclear governance, or a poor understanding of directors'duties can create serious problems later on, from costly restructuring and delayed fundraising to potential personal liability.
On 23 June 2026, the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) held the third session of our Thematic In-Depth Training series under the GBA Youth Start-up and Social Innovation Programme: “Essential Hong Kong Company Law for Startups Workshop”. Funded by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Youth Development Commission, this Programme is all about helping our students and alumni turn their socially impactful ideas into real, workable ventures.
We were thrilled to have Hong Kong solicitor Mr. Alex Leung lead this session. As a lawyer, Alex works closely with lenders and borrowers on loans and acquisitions and has hands-on experience in bank compliance and anti-money laundering. Instead of relying on textbook definitions, he shared real-world stories and practical insights that made the legal stuff click.
Alex guided us through the key legal pillars every founder needs to get right, from choosing the right business entity to avoid costly restructuring, to setting up practical governance, understanding financing rules, and clarifying director versus shareholder duties to keep internal relationships smooth.
A huge thank you to Alex for giving us his time and expertise, and for turning a potentially dry topic into something genuinely useful for our student founders. We hope everyone left feeling a little more confident about building their ventures on solid legal ground!