The growing bond between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland leads to more opportunities for the young generation. [Photo by Ru Baile/provided to China Daily]

Challenging but promising

Opportunities abound. But starting a business from scratch on the mainland is by no means easy.

Former IBM employee Tim Lee decided to move to the mainland to seek opportunities after the 2008 financial crisis.

He monitored the emergence of the mobile internet, which was then less developed on the mainland than in Hong Kong.

Lee was fluent in technology and English, and had access to devices like iPads, which were cutting-edge at the time.

"I was one of the few people on the mainland who understood what's new internationally," the 34-year-old Chinese University of Hong Kong graduate says.

But Lee didn't quite understand mainland culture and business practices.

Some investors even mocked his ideas as unrealistic.