💵 North America's waste management funds. HK students in the UK drop. Netherlands tops healthcare spending.

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Today's Topics

✈️ Flows. UK enrolments from Hong Kong show a steady decline
💵 Funding. Investor interest in waste management is rising in North America
⚕️ Health Skills. Netherlands leads in per capita long-term healthcare spending

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✈️ UK enrolments from Hong Kong show a steady decline

UK study visas for main applicants continued to decline in 2024, with Hong Kong specifically seeing a near 15% decrease. Key drivers include visa restrictions affecting many international students, as well as restrictions on dependents. Proposed changes, such as reducing the Graduate Route from two years to 18 months and introducing new levies on international student fees, have further weakened the UK’s attractiveness. As a result, students are increasingly choosing alternative destinations such as Australia, Germany, and local Hong Kong institutions.

💵 Investor interest in waste management is rising in North America

Global VC interest in waste management reflects a focus on startups leveraging AI and robotics to solve environmental crises. North America led with a majority market share, while Europe faced a relative financing gap for late-stage scaling. Conversely, the APAC region generates a large share of global waste but suffers from record-low private investment and proper disposal mechanisms. This disparity stems from varying regulatory maturity, institutional capital availability, and more established exit pathways in Western markets compared to emerging economies.

⚕️ Netherlands leads in per capita long-term Healthcare spending

Global long-term care allocations vary widely, with the Netherlands leading in spending, supported by initiatives such as universal institutional care mandates. Conversely, the US and Australia lag in funding proportions as the US prioritises acute service pricing and administrative costs over social support. Low-spending nations correlate with higher non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality, as inadequate public funding shifts the economic burden to families through out-of-pocket expenses. This dynamic deepens healthcare inequities and constrains access to preventive and early interventions.

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