A research and development collaboration between a Hong Kong climate-conscious paint company and a national-level environmental engineering and construction enterprise based in Shandong province has been recognised as a priority project by the Jinan Municipal Government, following business facilitation by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

Founded in 2021 by experts from the City University of Hong Kong, i2Cool’s patented paints and films reduce building surface temperatures by reflecting solar radiation. The company’s ground-breaking innovation has earned it a string of accolades, including winning HKTDC’s 2022 Start-up Express development programme and a Gold Award at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions in 2021.

In July 2024, the firm took part in the GreenBiz HK promotional seminar in Jinan, organised by the HKTDC in conjunction with government bodies in Shandong Province. Designed to foster cooperation between Shandong and Hong Kong green enterprises, the seminar attracted over 600 businesses including Shandong Guoshun—a leading environmental engineering firm specialising in industrial energy efficiency and low-carbon construction.

Serving over 200 enterprise clients worldwide, one of Guoshun’s core business lines is implementing energy-saving optimisation measures, such as emissions reduction, which aligns seamlessly with i2Cool’s mission to lower surface temperatures.

The executive team at Guoshun was so impressed by i2Cool’s presentation that it promptly began discussions on potential collaboration.

By September, the two greentech firms reached a preliminary cooperation agreement to jointly apply for inclusion in the Jinan Science and Technology Bureau’s Innovation Challenge initiative, a key government programme to accelerate industrial development and cultivate high-quality productivity.

The programme works by incentivising businesses and universities in Jinan to propose solutions to core technical obstacles that hinder an enterprise’s development. Through collaboration, the parties’ technical solution is expected to significantly enhance the company’s capabilities and drive overall improvement across the industrial sector.

After a rigorous evaluation process, shortlisted projects may receive a subsidy from the municipal budget covering up to 25% of actual development costs.

In February 2025, the two companies formalised their partnership by signing a cooperation agreement to jointly develop heat-dissipating coating technology and committed to research and development valued at RMB4 million (US$0.5 million).

Shortly thereafter, the project marked a major milestone when it was designated a priority project in Jinan’s Innovation Challenge. It joined other award-winning projects that have been deployed in 20 countries and regions, spanning industries such as construction, telecommunications, chemicals, logistics, new energy, photovoltaics and grain storage.

Director of the Regional Innovation and Cooperation Division at the Jinan Municipal Science and Technology Bureau Yang Tao praised the collaboration.

“This partnership between Shandong and Hong Kong will facilitate the industrialisation, digitalisation and greening of the construction sector, enhance residents' quality of life during extreme weather events, and contribute to building an environmentally-conscious and civilised society across Shandong Province and the nation as a whole," he said.