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Plaud has reached a milestone few <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> companies have achieved at comparable speed, but the significance extends beyond revenue growth.
The company said on June 17 that it had grown from USD 1 million to USD 100 million in annual recurring revenue, or ARR, within two years, serving more than two million users across more than 170 countries. The milestone places Plaud among a small group of AI companies that have quickly reached the USD 100 million ARR threshold, a cohort largely made up of software-first businesses.
Plaud’s trajectory, however, has been built around hardware as much as software. Its products, including the Plaud Note, Plaud Note Pro, and Plaud NotePin S, are designed to capture conversations and convert them into structured notes, summaries, and workflows powered by AI.
While many AI companies have scaled through chat interfaces, coding assistants, and enterprise software platforms, Plaud is focusing on a form of AI adoption that begins before users sit down at a keyboard.
"The conversations that actually move things forward don't happen on a keyboard," Nathan Xu, co-founder and CEO of Plaud, said in a statement. "We built the interface for the post-screen world."
The argument reflects a broader shift across the AI sector. As models become more capable, attention is moving toward how AI systems collect context from the physical world and interact with users beyond traditional screens.
Several companies are exploring similar territory. Earlier this year, <a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance</a>-owned collaboration platform Lark and consumer electronics company Anker Innovations were reported to be <a href="https://rwegrgdf5.eu.org/lark-steps-into-hardware-developing-an-ai-powered-recorder-with-anker">developing an AI-powered recorder</a>, highlighting growing interest in dedicated devices that can capture and process spoken information. Some smartphone makers, including Honor, have also been exploring AI features for on-device meeting assistants, memory functions, and autonomous task execution.
These efforts suggest the race to build AI-native interfaces is expanding beyond software applications and web browsers. Companies are increasingly experimenting with hardware, wearables, and ambient computing experiences that can gather information before it is manually entered into a system.
For Plaud, conversations sit at the center of that vision.
The company argues that much of the information that drives decisions is lost when it is translated into documents, summaries, or prompts after the fact. By capturing meetings, calls, and in-person discussions directly, Plaud aims to preserve what it describes as the "source-of-truth" context that can power AI-driven workflows.
That proposition has attracted attention from larger technology players. In May, Plaud was reportedly <a href="https://rwegrgdf5.eu.org/tencents-rumored-plaud-deal-points-to-looming-ai-hardware-contest">exploring deeper collaboration opportunities with Tencent</a>, including a potential partnership involving hardware from the Chinese technology giant.
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Plaud’s ambitions have also gone beyond individual note-taking.
The company said it is expanding into collaborative and enterprise-oriented workflows through Plaud Team, which brings conversation intelligence into shared work environments. It is also introducing integrations built around the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and other workflow connections designed to link conversations with broader AI agent ecosystems.
The strategy reflects a wider shift in enterprise AI. Rather than functioning only as standalone productivity tools, AI applications are increasingly being integrated into systems that can trigger actions, distribute information, and coordinate work across platforms.
Still, AI hardware remains an uncertain category. Smartphones, collaboration software, and emerging AI assistants are all competing to become the primary interface through which users interact with intelligent systems.
Yet, Plaud’s growth suggests there may be demand for products built around a different assumption: that conversations, rather than screens, could become the starting point for the next generation of AI workflows.

Plaud reaches USD 100 million ARR in two years as AI hardware gains traction

Artificial Intelligence

Deep Tech

China

Tsing Micro, a semiconductor company developing reconfigurable chips, has completed the IPO counseling process and entered the counseling acceptance stage. Filings reviewed by IPO Zaozhidao show the company plans to list on the ChiNext board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
The move brings Tsing Micro closer to formally submitting its prospectus and could make it China’s first listed company focused on a non-GPU chip architecture, according to IPO Zaozhidao.
Founded in 2018, Tsing Micro focuses on R&amp;D and commercial applications of domestically developed reconfigurable chips, known as reconfigurable processing units, or RPUs. These chips are designed to provide computing power for <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> computing centers, large models, <a href="/industry/autonomous-vehicles">autonomous driving</a>, and smart manufacturing. The company aims to build a domestic ecosystem for general-purpose computing based on RPUs and expand the use of reconfigurable chips across device, edge, and cloud computing nodes.
IPO Zaozhidao describes Tsing Micro as the developer of the world’s first commercial reconfigurable chip and as the commercial reconfigurable computing chip company with the largest shipment volume globally. Commercial reconfigurable chips follow a different technology path from traditional GPUs and can be used for AI computing and deep learning model acceleration. Reconfigurable AI chips are designed to retain the flexibility of GPUs while using dynamic operator reconfiguration to approach the energy efficiency advantages of dedicated AI chips, such as tensor processing units (TPUs). For this reason, some in the industry describe them as “general-purpose TPUs.”
Tsing Micro has begun mass-producing its TX8 series, a cloud computing chip for computing centers and other cloud environments, and its TX5 series, an energy-efficient chip for computer vision applications in edge computing. Together, the products are intended to support device, edge, and cloud computing scenarios.
The TX8 series is built on Tsing Micro’s self-developed reconfigurable dataflow architecture and targets the cloud market. Its TX81 AI compute chip uses chip-to-chip mesh technology, which allows data to move directly among chips, servers, and racks without first passing through network switches. The company said this design addresses three common bottlenecks in AI computing: computational efficiency, interconnect bandwidth, and memory access.
Tsing Micro’s cumulative reconfigurable chip shipments have reportedly exceeded 30 million units, and its chips have been deployed at scale in more than a dozen computing centers in China with at least 1,000 cards each.
At the software level, Tsing Micro is one of the few companies that has achieved full-stack compatibility with all core components of FlagOS, according to the report. Its adaptation scale ranks among the top two non-GPU architectures, alongside <a href="/company/huawei">Huawei</a> Ascend. That compatibility means AI applications developed on FlagOS can run on Tsing Micro chips. Last April, ten Chinese AI chip companies, including Tsing Micro, achieved same-day adaptation of the <a href="/company/deepseek">DeepSeek</a> V4 model based on FlagOS and released model inference images through FlagRelease.
Since its founding, Tsing Micro has attracted investors including national funds, state-owned capital, industrial investors, and market-oriented investment firms. Together, these backers give the company a shareholder base spanning policy support, industrial coordination, capital resources, and ecosystem links. The investor base could support Tsing Micro as it expands R&amp;D, deployment, and ecosystem development for AI chips built on emerging architectures.
This <a href="https://xueqiu.com/2854806290/395042990">article</a> was adapted based on a feature originally written by Stone Jin and published on IPO Zaozhidao. KrASIA is authorized to translate, adapt, and publish its contents.

Tsing Micro nears becoming China’s first listed reconfigurable chip company

Semiconductors

<a href="/company/baidu">Baidu's</a> autonomous mobility platform Apollo Go has secured a key regulatory approval in Switzerland, marking a significant step forward in its push into the European market.
The company said that AmiGo, an on-demand autonomous mobility service developed through a partnership between Apollo Go and Swiss Post subsidiary PostBus, received on June 12 a special operating permit from Switzerland's Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). The permit covers Level 4 autonomous vehicle operations in eastern Switzerland, a category in which vehicles can operate without human control under defined conditions. The approval allows AmiGo to conduct <a href="/industry/autonomous-vehicles">autonomous driving</a> trials under a defined regulatory framework and moves it closer to a planned commercial rollout in 2027.
The development builds on expansion plans disclosed late last year, when Apollo Go and PostBus announced preparations for autonomous vehicle trials in Switzerland as part of Baidu's broader effort to establish a presence in Europe.
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Under the permit, AmiGo vehicles have been conducting open-road testing since June 1 across an approximately 80-square-kilometer service area spanning the cantons of St Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, and Appenzell Innerrhoden. The trials are currently operating with safety operators on board while the partners gather operational data and demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.
According to Baidu, the next phase will involve a closed-group user trial, followed by initial rides without safety operators once the required safety evidence has been submitted and approved. Regular driverless operations are expected to begin in early 2027, subject to regulatory clearance. Baidu said the service could become Europe’s largest planned automated public transport operation of its kind.
"Receiving FEDRO's special permit is an important milestone for AmiGo and a strong validation of our technology," Nan Yang, vice president of Baidu and general manager of the overseas business unit within its intelligent driving group, said in a statement.
Unlike robotaxi deployments focused on urban ride-hailing, AmiGo is designed as an extension of Switzerland’s public transport network. The service combines Apollo Go’s autonomous driving technology and RT6 vehicles with PostBus’ operational experience, targeting areas where conventional transport services may be less practical. The fully <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicles</a> can carry up to three passengers and are accessible through the AmiGo mobile application.
The Swiss project follows <a href="https://rwegrgdf5.eu.org/baidu-launches-fully-driverless-ride-hailing-service-in-abu-dhabi">Apollo Go’s expansion in the Middle East</a>. Earlier this year, Baidu launched a fully driverless ride-hailing service in Abu Dhabi through a partnership with local operator AutoGo, adding to its international footprint.
<figure id="attachment_159368" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159368" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-159368" src="https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai.jpg" alt="Photo of a robotaxi operated by Apollo Go and AutoGo in Dubai, UAE." width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai.jpg 1920w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-720x405.jpg 720w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-768x432.jpg 768w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-480x270.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-159368" class="wp-caption-text">A robotaxi operated by Apollo Go and AutoGo in Dubai, UAE. Photo courtesy of Baidu.</figcaption></figure>
Together, the Switzerland and Abu Dhabi initiatives reflect Baidu’s overseas strategy of working with local transportation partners while navigating market-specific regulatory pathways. In Switzerland, the focus is on integrating autonomous vehicles into public transport infrastructure. In the UAE, the deployment centers on commercial ride-hailing.
The latest milestone also highlights Apollo Go’s effort to draw on operational experience from China. Baidu previously said the platform completed 3.2 million fully driverless rides in the first quarter of 2026, with weekly rides exceeding 350,000 in March. As of April, cumulative rides provided to the public had surpassed 22 million. Apollo Go’s fleets had collectively logged more than 330 million autonomous kilometers, including more than 220 million fully driverless kilometers, across 27 cities globally.

Baidu’s Apollo Go expands Europe plans with Swiss permit

Baidu

East Asia

Transportation

Autonomous Vehicles

Mobility

Europe

… that grafts removed after 14 days had formed a continuous endothelial layer and begun integrating with host blood vessels.
“This means you can use an autologous, living-cell, made-on-demand vascular substitute to bypass thrombosis and long ex vivo culture. And because it uses the patient’s own cells, the graft carries no risk of rejection and requires no donor matching, avoiding many of the immune-matching problems associated with allogeneic cell products,” Immortal Dragons said.
<figure id="attachment_162684" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-162684" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-162684" src="https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Immortal-Dragons-Wang-Boyang.jpg" alt="Photo shows Wang Boyang (right), founder of Immortal Dragons." width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Immortal-Dragons-Wang-Boyang.jpg 1920w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Immortal-Dragons-Wang-Boyang-720x480.jpg 720w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Immortal-Dragons-Wang-Boyang-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Immortal-Dragons-Wang-Boyang-768x512.jpg 768w, https://console.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Immortal-Dragons-Wang-Boyang-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-162684" class="wp-caption-text">Wang Boyang (right), founder of Immortal Dragons. Photo source: Immortal Dragons.</figcaption></figure>
Another portfolio company, ImmuneBridge, is working on bottlenecks in allogeneic cell therapy. Immune cells from adult donors can vary widely in quality, while immune cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, may have limited function and often require gene editing.
ImmuneBridge’s solution is to return to a younger source: neonatal umbilical cord blood. The company says its small molecule, IBR403, can greatly expand hematopoietic stem cells while maintaining their ability to differentiate into lymphoid and myeloid cells. The expanded cells can then be used to create immune cells such as NK cells, T cells, and B cells, effectively forming the basis for a young immune cell bank.
These projects are attracting attention because they point to a broader trend: replacement technology is moving from isolated procedures toward repeatable platforms.
China has been especially active in xenotransplantation, 3D bioprinting, and cell therapy, according to Immortal Dragons. This momentum does not depend on one or two standout products. The wider ecosystem is also developing, from early R&amp;D and manufacturing processes to regulatory reform and payment systems.
Take xenotransplantation. In 2025, Nature published a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08799-1">study</a> on a six-gene-edited pig liver transplanted into a brain-dead human recipient. The liver produced bile and albumin and was monitored over ten days. Chinese media and medical outlets have linked the work to Xijing Hospital and Dou Kefeng’s team at Air Force Medical University.
On the industry side, ClonOrgan said it operates a biomedical pig breeding facility roughly 22 hectares in size and maintains a breeding herd of about 2,000 pigs. PitchBook lists its investors as including Luminous Ventures, YuanBio Venture Capital, and an industry fund under Betta Pharmaceuticals.
<h3>Three bottlenecks to replacement technology</h3>
Despite the excitement, replacement products that can be commercialized at scale are still mostly limited to peripheral or relatively simple tissues, such as skin and cartilage. To expand replacement into organs such as kidneys and hearts, at least three major hurdles remain:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The first is vascularization. Tissue-engineered constructs thicker than roughly 100–200 microns face a diffusion problem: without capillaries, oxygen and nutrients cannot reliably reach the interior. Thin-layer tissues can partly bypass this constraint. Solid organs such as the liver, kidneys, and heart cannot. They require dense, stable vascular networks. Although 3D printing and biomaterials have advanced, clinically reliable vascularization remains one of the central barriers to engineered organs.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The second hurdle is immune rejection. Whether the replacement involves gene-edited pig organs, stem cells, or bioprinted tissue, the body may treat it as foreign. Current approaches include gene editing to reduce antigen recognition, combined with immunosuppressive drugs. But long-term immunosuppression can increase the risk of infection and certain cancers, and chronic rejection remains difficult to eliminate.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The third hurdle is age assimilation. Researchers worry that even if a young organ is successfully transplanted, it may be affected by the older host environment. Aged plasma, chronic inflammation, and signals from senescent cells could accelerate deterioration. Studies on age-mismatched transplantation suggest that senescent cells and aging-related molecular signals can influence graft outcomes, though the exact relevance to future replacement therapies remains under investigation.</li>
</ul>
Beyond these scientific hurdles, ethical concerns, high costs, and regulatory gaps will also shape commercialization. Replacement medicine raises difficult questions: who gets access first, how risk should be priced, how animal welfare should be handled in xenotransplantation, and how much evidence should be required before preventive use.
Still, bottlenecks are not the same as dead ends. The long-term goal of replacement technology is to reduce the pain, frailty, and disease associated with aging, while extending the years in which people can live healthy, autonomous lives.
From a wooden toe in ancient Egypt to a gene-edited heart entering a formal clinical trial, the basic impulse has remained the same: when the body fails, medicine looks for ways to restore what was lost. The next question is whether replacement can move beyond rescue and become part of how people maintain health before decline becomes irreversible.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3846923123640584">article</a> was written by Xiao Xi for 36Kr.

Could replacement technology become longevity medicine’s next frontier?

Medtech

Health Tech

… href="https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/661928/saudi-arabia/saudi-vehicle-imports-surge-to-19-million-in-2-years-with-china-emerging-leading-supplier">Saudi Gazette</a>.
Saudi Arabia imported approximately 1.9 million vehicles over the two-year period. Japan, India, Thailand, and South Korea ranked among the other leading supplier countries, while the market share of US brands declined.
Saudi Arabia remains one of the world’s major automotive markets and continues to pursue localization of its automotive sector and supply chain.
<h3>Saudi bond issuance rises 22% in first quarter</h3>
Saudi Arabia completed bond issuances totaling SAR 16.13 billion (USD 4.3 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, up 22% year-on-year, according to data from the Capital Market Authority cited by <a href="https://www.arabnews.com/node/2646764/business-economy">Arab News</a>.
Private placements accounted for the majority of issuance activity, with 55 issuances valued at SAR 15.63 billion (USD 4.2 billion).
The figures indicate continued growth in Saudi Arabia’s debt market as the kingdom works to deepen capital markets, diversify financing channels, and encourage institutional investor participation.
<h3>Saudi economy grows 3% in first quarter</h3>
Saudi Arabia’s real GDP grew 3% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics cited by <a href="https://www.arabnews.com/node/2646495/business-economy">Arab News</a>.
Oil activities, non-oil activities, and government activities all recorded growth during the period. Non-oil sectors remained the primary driver of expansion, supported by gains in financial services, manufacturing, logistics, investment, and consumer spending.
The figures reflect continued progress under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.
<h3>Riyadh to host global security and technology summit</h3>
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior and Tuwaiq Academy will jointly host the Global Security and Technology Summit in Riyadh from December 18–20, according to <a href="https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/662056/saudi-arabia/riyadh-to-host-global-security-and-technology-summit-in-december-2026">Saudi Gazette</a>.
The event will bring together representatives from government, industry, and academia to discuss cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, smart surveillance technologies, and crisis management.
The summit will also feature forums, knowledge sharing sessions, and technical workshops aimed at promoting international cooperation and innovation.
whereRelatedArticle
<h3>Qatar Chamber publishes latest business directory</h3>
Qatar Chamber has released the 2025–2026 edition of its business directory, according to <a href="https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/07/06/2026/qc-launches-commercial-and-industrial-directory-20252026">The Peninsula</a>.
The publication is designed to serve as a comprehensive database of companies and institutions affiliated with the chamber, providing investors, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders with convenient access to business information.
Qatar Chamber said the directory serves as a trusted economic reference tool and supports business connectivity across sectors.
<h3>Project Qatar 2026 opens with 145 exhibitors</h3>
The 22nd edition of Project Qatar opened in Doha with participation from 145 companies, according to <a href="https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/09/06/2026/project-qatar-begins-with-participation-of-145-local-and-international-companies">The Peninsula</a>.
The exhibition includes 120 local companies and 25 international firms. Organizers said strong international participation reflects confidence in the outlook for Qatar’s construction sector.
The event provides a platform for contractors, developers, suppliers, and investors while showcasing developments in smart buildings, digital management systems, and advanced industrial technologies.
<h3>Qatar Chamber and Aqarat discuss real estate cooperation</h3>
Qatar Chamber and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority, known as Aqarat, recently held talks on strengthening cooperation and supporting the development of Qatar’s real estate sector, according to <a href="https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/08/06/2026/qatar-chamber-real-estate-regulatory-authority-explore-joint-cooperation">The Peninsula</a>.
Discussions focused on improving the investment environment, enhancing industry governance, and creating a more attractive and resilient business ecosystem.
The meeting also addressed challenges faced by developers, investors, and businesses operating in the sector.
<h3>Qatar residential sales reach QAR 6.2 billion in Q1</h3>
Qatar’s residential market showed signs of moderation in the first quarter of 2026 but remained resilient, according to a report by Knight Frank cited by <a href="https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/12/06/2026/total-residential-sales-value-reaches-qr62bn-in-q1-2026">The Peninsula</a>.
Residential transaction volume reached 1,582 deals, up 15% year-on-year, while total residential sales value reached QAR 6.2 billion (USD 1.7 billion) down 15% from the previous quarter.
Loan volume surged 85% to QAR 17.2 billion (USD 4.7 billion), indicating continued demand for financing high-value assets.
This <a href="https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/afuMCLRY7Uzz-tvY-sIldg">article</a> was adapted based on a feature originally written and published by Al Shasia. KrASIA is authorized to translate, adapt, and publish its contents.
Note: AED, QAR, SAR figures are converted to USD at rates of AED 3.67 = USD 1 and QAR 3.64 = USD 1 and SAR 3.75 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 16, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Middle East weekly: Invest Qatar and QNB host dialogue, Keeta launches UAE restaurant SME program, China becomes Saudi’s top vehicle supplier, and more

Saudi Arabia

Qatar

Middle East

… target="_blank" rel="noopener">Formula 1 racing</a> since 2022 and previously sponsored individual F1 teams. It has also been the global technology partner of Italian soccer club Inter Milan since 2019.
But the scale of the 2026 World Cup will pose a far bigger challenge. Analysts with Bank of America, itself a FIFA sponsor, estimate that there will be more than 90 petabytes of direct tournament data to be processed. That would be 45 times more than at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and comparable to the likely global flow of data into YouTube over the tournament period. Adding in operational and broadcast data and simulations, data volumes at the 2026 World Cup could reach 2,000 petabytes.
"The 2026 World Cup is the first tournament where the data itself is a primary product," the Bank of America analysts wrote.
"Artificial intelligence moves from a support tool to the control system," they said. "Every team will use AI models, analyzing hundreds of millions of data points and 2,000+ performance metrics in real time. Digital twins of 16 stadiums, AI-run command centers across three countries, and 35-50m viewers per match push AI into a central operational role for the entire event."
Lenovo now has to make sure all those systems work—and that spectators know that it was the company's doing.
"This is a big deal," said Jeffrey Towson, a management consultant who works with Chinese tech companies. "[Lenovo] can get some credibility and exposure as an AI company."
Jing Jie Yu, an equity analyst with investment research company Morningstar, agrees that the sponsorship should bring financial returns for Lenovo.
"A strong showcase from Lenovo would be definitely accretive towards its brand equity, which plays well towards the company's premiumization strategy for its devices," Yu said, adding that she expected the company's infrastructure services and server sales to gain business as well.
With an implicit eye on its own business services division, <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba Group</a> announced a deal on May 29 to become the exclusive AI and cloud computing partner for the UEFA Champions League, Euro 2028, and two other European football competitions. Microsoft has a comparable relationship with the English Premier League.
"For Chinese consumer tech brands facing narrative battles in Western markets, sports has become what trade fairs were in the 1980s: the legitimate entry point into rooms where you would otherwise be unwelcome," iMpact's Pereira said. "The price tag is high, but so are the potential rewards."
Lenovo has long positioned itself as a technological bridge between the US and China, maintaining what it describes as dual global headquarters in Beijing and North Carolina since buying IBM's PC business in 2005. In 2014, it added on part of IBM's server business and took over the <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/lenovo-aims-to-repeat-pc-trick-with-motorola-buy3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motorola phone brand</a> from Google.
"Lenovo has a unique position within US-China relations, as the firm has a global manufacturing footprint and longstanding sales relationships with Western enterprise and consumer customers," said Jacob Cooke, co-founder and CEO of consultancy WPIC Marketing and Technologies in Beijing.
Consequently, efforts by policymakers in both China and the US to separate the <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/artificial-intelligence/china-to-push-state-owned-ai-data-centers-to-use-domestic-chips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two countries' technology industries</a> over the last several years has sometimes put Lenovo in an awkward position. In recent months, both Palmer Luckey, founder of American defense contractor Anduril Industries, and the America First Policy Institute, a think tank closely linked to the administration of US President Donald Trump, have publicly criticized the American military's continued use of Lenovo computers.
"Their headquarters has a flagpole with the CCP party flag and then the Lenovo logo under it. It's nuts," Luckey said last month during a talk at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, referring to the Chinese Communist Party by its English initials.
Yet despite such sentiments, the Americas continues to be Lenovo's biggest market by revenue, generating a third of its global sales last year and 21% growth from the previous year.
Lenovo will be aiming to build on that momentum as well as to exploit the larger audience for World Cup games beyond the US Bank of America, which notes that 1.5 billion people watched the 2022 tournament final, estimates the championship could capture 7% of global internet traffic.
"It's a very visible platform to showcase that Lenovo is not just selling computers and hardware," said Mark Greeven, a professor of innovation and strategy at IMD Business School's Shenzhen campus and director of its China Initiative. "It's probably one of the best platforms to showcase AI capabilities."
That is certainly what Lenovo is aiming for, said Shafer from the US headquarters, "If the only thing the world remembers is that the PC company Lenovo sponsored the World Cup, then we will have failed at delivering on our goal."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/big-in-asia/world-cup-tests-lenovo-s-ambitions-to-challenge-ai-champions">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

World Cup tests Lenovo's ambitions to challenge AI champions

Lenovo

… Technology</a>, a developer of world models for embodied intelligence, has raised a nine-figure RMB sum in a Series A round. Jingming Capital led the round, with participation from Shandong New Growth Drivers Fund, Shandong Finance Investment Group, Oriza Rivertown, Xinneng Venture Capital, Nanjing Innovation Capital Group, Innoangel Fund, Shangshi Fund, Renai Group, Xuansu Investment, and others. Qianjue will use the proceeds to build its proprietary world model architecture, advance its algorithms, support deployment across use cases, expand its R&amp;D and project delivery teams, and strengthen commercialization. —<a href="https://36kr.com/p/3844720012151040">36Kr</a></li>
</ul>
whereRelatedArticle
<h3>Clear Robotics, VoidZero, DataMasque, and others made recent headlines:</h3>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Clear Robotics, a Singapore-headquartered maritime technology company, raised USD 1.75 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Shipsfocus Ventures. Katapult Ocean, SGInnovate, M7 Holdings, MGS Ventures, and other investors also participated.</li>
<li aria-level="1">VoidZero, the developer tools company behind Vite, Vitest, Rolldown, Oxc, and Vite+, has been acquired by Cloudflare and will be integrated into the company. Financial terms were not disclosed.</li>
<li aria-level="1">DataMasque, an Auckland-based data deidentification and synthetic data platform, raised USD 4 million in a round led by Wavemaker Ventures. Existing investors OIF Ventures and Icehouse Ventures also participated.</li>
</ul>
If there are any news or updates you'd like us to feature, get in touch with us at: <a href="mailto:hello@rwegrgdf5.eu.org">hello@rwegrgdf5.eu.org</a>.

Deals in brief: Tin Men Capital backs Pints AI, Malaysia’s GreatAsic raises funding, latest China investments, and more

Venture Capital

Private Equity

Investment

Merger &amp; Acquisition

Singapore

Malaysia

Southeast Asia

India

… phase, reducing the abruptness of waking from deep sleep. When a user gets up at night, the lamp turns on dimly and switches off again when the user returns to bed.
In the first 48 hours after launching on Kickstarter, Sleepal raised more than USD 200,000, outperforming 90% of products on the platform, according to Fan.
Fan said Sleepal’s short-term business model will combine hardware sales with software subscriptions. In the long term, the company plans to expand from sleep detection into home-based health AI solutions. The multimodal sensing technologies validated in the bedroom could, for example, be applied in bathrooms for fall detection using millimeter-wave radar, or in dining areas for diet detection.
Fan ultimately wants continuous vital sign data to support chronic disease risk screening and prevention, turning the product into an entry point for at-home health management.
The bedside lamp is only its first step.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3844006775360002">article</a> was written by Qiu Xiaofen for 36Kr.

Can a bedside lamp track sleep? A Xiaomi veteran thinks so

A popular singer who was hired as the face of a <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> brand has become a shareholder of the company, in a case that is garnering attention as a new advertising method in China's increasingly cutthroat auto market.
"I want to bring China's original music and technology, and the Chinese power that symbolizes this era, to a wider global stage," Wang Leehom said at launch event in Guangdong for BYD's high-end Denza brand last month.
On the same day, Denza announced it had appointed Wang, who debuted in 1995 and carries a wide fan base of both men and women, as the face of their brand.
Wang revealed that he purchased shares in BYD using the fees he received from the company.
"Not only did I gain a deeper understanding of BYD and feel that we share the same vision, but I also sincerely respect this company," Wang said when asked why he become a shareholder.
Celebrity spokespeople revealing that they acquired shares in that company is rare. Becoming a shareholder means that the company's earnings will affect Wang's own income, and that he will bear some responsibility as a spokesperson. Chinese media described it as "the most audacious form of 'investment-type advertising' among automakers."
Until recently, Chinese automotive advertising has been largely focused on vehicles' functions, but marketing using celebrities has been accelerating. At Beijing's Auto China exhibition in late April, actor Bai Jingting appeared at the launch event for an automotive brand involving telecommunications giant <a href="/company/huawei">Huawei</a>, eliciting screams from female fans.
There were 193 celebrities employed as spokespeople in China's transportation industry, which includes automobiles, last year, according to consumer data analysis company Endata. The figure increased 71% from 2024, the highest growth among all industries, surpassing apparel and internet.
"Automobile companies are shifting from promoting functionality to appealing to emotional connections through stars," Endata said.
<a href="/company/li-auto">Li Auto</a> announced last September that film star Jackson Yee would be appearing in its ads, the first time the company has used a celebrity as a spokesperson since its 2015 founding.
<a href="/company/xpeng">Xpeng</a> featured cellist Ouyang Nana, 25, at a launch event for a new <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> in May 2025 in a bid to appeal to younger consumers.
Li Xiang, CEO of Li Auto, and He Xiaopeng, CEO of Xpeng, are both young founders that moved to the automotive sector from IT companies. They both symbolize the shift from gas-powered vehicles to new energy vehicles. And they both included their name in their companies, become the de facto faces of the brands.
But by 2025, the share of new energy vehicles in the Chinese market had risen to 48%, leading to a sense of saturation. As companies compete on features such as range, charging speed and high-performance driver assistance functions for EVs and plug-in hybrids, features and designs have become homogenized.
China's automakers are now urgently trying to cultivate new customer segments by redefining their brand characteristics and stories through celebrities.
The US-born Wang's emergence as a BYD shareholder comes as the company faces geopolitical pressure. Earlier this month, the US Department of Defense <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/international-relations/us-china-tensions/pentagon-blacklists-alibaba-byd-and-baidu-over-alleged-military-ties" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed the automaker</a> among companies it says have ties to the Chinese military. BYD said the move "lacks factual basis."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/electric-cars-in-china/byd-brand-ambassador-wang-leehom-uses-fee-to-buy-shares">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.rwegrgdf5.eu.org/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

BYD brand ambassador Wang Leehom uses fee to buy shares

Electric Vehicles