Last year's "Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Data Forum and Open Data Competition 2023" was an unprecedented success, becoming an important bridge for deepening co-operation between Shanghai and Hong Kong and jointly creating a future. This competition was aligned with the grand blueprint of the national "14th Five-Year Plan", aiming to promote exchange and collaborative development between Hong Kong and Shanghai in the field of data application and technological innovation.

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This was a continuation of the government-level meeting between Hong Kong and Shanghai in 2021. On August 30, 2021, the then Chief Executive of Hong Kong led the Hong Kong delegation in a video conference with the Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng, who led the Shanghai delegation, for the fifth Plenary Session of Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Conference. The "Memorandum of Understanding" from the meeting mentioned in its 20th item under the "Innovation and Technology" co-operation project: "To launch open data events such as SODA (Shanghai Open Data Innovation Application Competition) and B4B (Big Data Business Application Challenge) to deepen the big data industry co-operation between Hong Kong and Shanghai ." By jointly organizing the "Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Data Forum and Open Data Competition 2023", participants from Hong Kong and Shanghai were able to fully leverage the resources of SODA and B4B and actively develop an important platform for open data application co-operation between Hong Kong and Shanghai.

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In the competition, over 80 teams actively participated, demonstrating the enthusiasm and strength of Hong Kong and Shanghai in the field of innovative technology. After a series of selections, 20 outstanding teams emerged, and subsequent arrangements included mentor training, business matching, expert exchanges, and mock demonstrations to prepare for the final competition. Their proposals covered multiple layers, including data analysis and application development, showcasing the infinite potential of technological innovation in both places through the application of open data. The final competition and the award ceremony were also arranged in Shanghai, along with corporate visits, exhibition opportunities, and business matching. This not only affirmed the efforts and innovative spirit of each team but also marked a new chapter in Hong Kong/Shanghai co-operation, injecting strong momentum into the synergistic effect of economic development between the two cities.