The conference is a natural fit for Cathay Pacific, the official airline partner of RISE. After all, the airline connects Hong Kong’s ever-expanding tech scene with that of other cities in the Greater Bay Area and the world as a whole, linking the human forces behind technological innovation.

That’s most evident in Cathay Pacific’s Ignition Project, now in its second year. The project selects and sponsors eight Hong Kong startups to exhibit at RISE, showcasing homegrown talent in front of a global audience. Each winner will also receive two return tickets to Lisbon to attend November’s Web Summit, the biggest tech conference in the world.

RISE’s attendees would do well to explore the airline’s free Business Plus programme, which allows companies to earn and unlock rewards as they fly with Cathay Pacific. It’s the ideal fit for entrepreneurs who flit across the globe, taking their projects from disruptive ideas to world-changing reality.