Igniting Innovation in Asia

Hong Kong’s tech scene is buzzing with opportunity, and we were thrilled to dive right into the heart of it last week. First Derivative, in collaboration with EPAM, hosted an exclusive community event that brought together 45 leaders from the local kdb+ community.

As a global financial powerhouse and a hub of innovation, Hong Kong was the perfect setting to reconnect with our network. Taking advantage of its position as a deep-water port close to the Chinese trade routes, it has grown to become the fifth largest stock exchange in the world, and strongest by brand recognition (HKEX).

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Hong Kong skyline, our rooftop gathering provided a relaxed yet exclusive atmosphere for industry leaders to connect and share insights. It was a casual event focussing on good food, drinks and company but we made an effort to meet individually with each of the attendees throughout the week.

The event was marked by high-caliber discussions, with representatives from leading institutions such as JPMorgan, UBS, Citadel, and Bank of China, among others. The energy and sense of opportunity in Hong Kong’s financial sector were palpable.

A key highlight from our discussions was the significant interest in our new FD/EPAM offering, TickEdge. As a fully managed service for kdb+ on AWS, TickEdge addresses a critical market need for scalable, efficient, and expert-managed time-series data solutions. We are already following up on several promising leads in this area.

These outcomes highlight the strength and diversity of our alumni community – First Derivative can be very proud of the success our former employees go on to achieve often in prestigious institutions. It is a breeding ground for great talent, and this story also shows the importance of maintaining strong relationships on their journey. Our alumni can become champions for us to win new business and bring through our next batch of talent.

Another successful element of our event is our collaboration with EPAM. On top of the FD specific leads, we generated EPAM relevant leads as well as some potential joint ventures across both organisations. Many of these would not have been possible for either company one year ago which shows us the value of the synergy for both FD and EPAM.

It will be important to continue the momentum generated from last week. Jason Raffo has been invited to speak at an AWS event in Hong Kong, a sign of the strength of our thought leadership in the AI space in the region. First Derivative will also have a booth at the Hong Kong Fintech festival in early November which will help deepen our exposure and understanding of the local market.

If you’re looking to leverage the power of kdb+, AI or cloud solutions to drive your business forward in Asia, let’s connect.