A closer look at the contenders for Founder Awards at Silicon Dragon in Hong Kong, Nov. 5  shows that progress is being made in getting funding for startups in the region.

The so-called series A gap in financing is narrowing as more startups from southern China attract venture capital after an initial seed investment.  But it takes extra work for these startups to break through and nab venture financing - arguably more so than in Silicon Valley, where the culture of innovation is deeply rooted and Sand Hill Road dominates.

Those that made the 10 finalists list show their startup credentials. They represent a range of the hottest technology sectors, from drones to IoT, data & analytics, e-commerce and smartphones.

Their financial backers hail from Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Beijing, Bangalore and Taipei, and include prominent cross-border VC firms Sequoia Capital China and India, GGV Capital, Infinity Ventures, Accel and active angel investor 500 Startups.  

Six of the group of 10 have raised more than $1 million in later stages of finance while three have drawn well more than $10 million, with the highest (DJI) coming in at more than $100 million in funding.