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… ambitions:
<blockquote>“Looking ahead to the next decade, the company will actively transform… to create a new era of perception and interaction between cars and robots.”</blockquote>
Sharpa’s founding suggests Li and his co-founders were not content to remain component suppliers. Their backgrounds help explain that shift. Li studied robotics at Tsinghua University and earned a PhD in motion control from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sun holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. Xiang, also a Tsinghua alumnus, earned dual master’s degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering from Stanford and previously worked as an iPhone systems integration engineer.
From robotics research and mechanical design to real-world deployment, the trio has spent years bridging academic work and industrial engineering.
They are not alone in crossing over. Teams from the autonomous driving sector have increasingly moved into embodied intelligence, spawning startups such as Tars, founded by former Huawei scientist Chen Yilun. The company reportedly raised RMB 1.7 billion (USD 238 million) in its angel funding round.
“The common thread between automotive LiDAR and embodied intelligence is spatial perception,” said one financial adviser in the field. That overlap, he said, is why many investors suspect a close link between Sharpa and Hesai.
Sharpa is headquartered in Singapore and operates an office in Shanghai, Hesai’s home base. The setup allows it to manage global partnerships while remaining close to China’s manufacturing and supply chain ecosystem.
But one question lingers: why incorporate in Singapore and operate with such limited visibility?
The answer may trace back to a turning point in Hesai’s international expansion. Before and after its US listing in 2023, Li said in interviews that Hesai positioned itself as a global company, with the US accounting for a significant share of its business, a profile that appealed to overseas investors.
That narrative shifted in January 2024, when the US Department of Defense added Hesai to its list of “Chinese military companies,” triggering a selloff in its shares. Hesai filed a lawsuit challenging the designation but lost the case in the US District Court for the District of Columbia in July 2025. The issue has remained unresolved since.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3647460169092745">article</a> was written by Fu Chong for 36Kr.

Singapore-based Sharpa surfaces as robotics venture linked to Hesai founders

Robotics

Deep Tech

Embodied Intelligence

Singapore

Southeast Asia

China

Shanghai-based chipmaker Iluvatar CoreX has unveiled a multi-year GPU architecture roadmap that lays out when it expects to surpass <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia’s</a> platforms, a rare level of specificity in the semiconductor sector.
Rather than leaning on conventional benchmark comparisons, Iluvatar has tied its ambitions to a public timeline, inviting direct comparison with Nvidia’s generational cadence.
According to the roadmap, Iluvatar said its current Tianshu architecture has already met the first target. Citing data reported by <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3656157912817797">36Kr</a>, the company said that in workloads related to <a href="/company/deepseek">DeepSeek’s</a> V3 large model, Tianshu delivered about 20% higher average performance than Nvidia’s Hopper platform, achieving more than 90% utilization of computing power. The company described these results as measured performance in real-world workloads rather than peak theoretical figures.
The roadmap extends this trajectory through successive designs. Following Tianshu, the Tianxuan architecture is intended to compete with Nvidia’s upcoming Blackwell generation, while Tianji is positioned to surpass it in 2026. Tianquan, the fourth architecture in sequence, is projected to outperform Nvidia’s Rubin platform in 2027. Beyond that, Iluvatar said it plans to move toward what it called a “breakthrough” architectural design, according to <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341368/iluvatar-corex-targets-nvidias-rubin-gpu-road-map-amid-china-chip-push">SCMP</a>.
All four architectures are named after Chinese terms associated with the Big Dipper constellation. Iluvatar said it will release multiple products under each generation over the coming years.
Alongside its roadmap, the company highlighted commercial milestones to reinforce its claims. By June 2025, it reported delivering more than 52,000 general-purpose GPUs (GPGPUs) to over 290 customers across industries. Company disclosures indicated that its 2024 shipments <a href="https://rwegrgdf5.eu.org/iluvatar-corex-becomes-first-chinese-gpgpu-firm-to-gain-hkex-listing-approval">ranked third</a> among domestic GPGPU suppliers in China. Iluvatar has also expanded into edge computing, introducing four products under its Tongyang (TY) series with performance ranging 100–300 TOPS (tera operations per second). The company said its entry-level TY1000 outperformed Nvidia’s AGX Orin in several testing scenarios.
The announcement follows Iluvatar’s Hong Kong IPO on January 8. Its shares recently closed at HKD 179.2 (USD 23), just below the debut price of HKD 190.2 (USD 24.4), giving it a market capitalization of about HKD 45.5 billion (USD 5.8 billion).
According to its prospectus, Iluvatar’s revenue rose from RMB 189 million (USD 26.5 million) in 2022 to RMB 540 million (USD 75.6 million) in 2024, though net losses also widened over the same period. The figures reflect the challenge of balancing expansion and profitability faced by many chipmakers.
The timing of the roadmap coincides with ongoing uncertainty over Nvidia’s ability to sell its most advanced GPUs in China, a backdrop that has encouraged domestic suppliers to position themselves as alternatives. After years of emphasizing local breakthroughs, mass production, and deployment, Iluvatar is now anchoring its ambitions to a public schedule, raising the stakes on execution.

Iluvatar CoreX lays out GPU roadmap to surpass Nvidia by 2027

Nvidia

Semiconductors

Jingdong Property, referred to hereafter as JD Property, has filed a fresh application for an IPO in Hong Kong, reviving a listing plan that stalled in 2023 while awaiting regulatory approval, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/jdcoms-jingdong-property-files-hong-kong-ipo-2026-01-27/">Reuters</a>.
The logistics and industrial real estate manager did not disclose the size or timing of the proposed offering. If completed, IPO proceeds would be used to expand its overseas infrastructure asset network, deepen its presence in key Chinese cities, upgrade services, and fund general corporate purposes, according to its filing.
JD Property is majority owned by <a href="/company/jd">JD.com</a>, which holds about 75% of the company and would remain its controlling shareholder following the proposed listing.
The renewed IPO attempt comes as JD Property reports improved operating performance. Revenue for the first nine months of 2025 rose 21% year-on-year to about RMB 30 billion (USD 4.2 billion), while net losses narrowed sharply from the same period a year earlier.
As of September 30, 2025, JD Property managed around 270 infrastructure projects in China and overseas. Assets outside China accounted for about 12.8% of total assets under management, according to its prospectus.
The filing identifies overseas expansion as a stated use of IPO proceeds, although it does not name specific markets or projects. Public disclosures over recent years show the company has added logistics and industrial assets across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Europe.
In the Middle East, JD Property has invested in logistics facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, including projects in Riyadh and Dubai, as well as partnerships with local authorities. In Europe, it expanded its UK footprint in December 2025 with the acquisition of logistics assets near Leicester, following an earlier investment in Milton Keynes in 2022.
The company has said these projects are intended to support demand for modern, high-standard warehousing and logistics infrastructure across multiple sectors.
Singapore is also part of JD Property’s overseas portfolio. In August, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/china-tech-giant-jdcom-unit-two-other-firms-plan-1-billion-singapore-reit-2025-08-27/">Reuters</a> reported that the company was working with EZA Hill Property Management and Partners Group on a potential Singapore-listed industrial REIT (real estate investment trust).
The proposed trust was reported to be valued at more than USD 1 billion and could be listed as early as this year, subject to market conditions and final asset composition. JD Property has not publicly confirmed a listing timeline.
Since 2023, JD Property and EZA Hill have acquired nine industrial properties in Singapore. The most recent transaction closed last month, when the partners bought a four-property logistics portfolio for SGD 306 million (USD 242.5 million). The assets were aligned with a disposal by CapitaLand Ascendas REIT.
The renewed IPO effort follows other capital markets activity within the JD.com group. Last month, Jingdong Industrials, also referred to as JD Industrials, completed its Hong Kong listing, raising about HKD 2.8 billion (USD 358.9 million).
JD.com has previously listed logistics-related assets through real estate investment trusts in mainland China, according to public disclosures.
JD Property said details of the Hong Kong offering, including pricing and timing, would remain subject to regulatory review and market conditions.

JD Property revives Hong Kong IPO plan as overseas portfolio grows

JD.com

East Asia

… natural-language interaction could reshape hardware terminals into new traffic gateways.
It remains a non-consensus frontier, but one that StepFun has already begun to explore through customer collaboration and hardware experimentation.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3656118724010374">article</a> was written by Xiao Xi for 36Kr.

As AI consolidates, what makes StepFun worth a RMB 5 billion raise?

Artificial Intelligence

Foundation and Large Models

Chinese researchers and companies were front and center at NeurIPS in San Diego, one of the world's top three international conferences on <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a>, underscoring the deep ties between research communities in the US and China, along with the political risks those connections now face.
A graduate student from the University of Toronto researching ways to use AI in biology visited <a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance's</a> booth at the recent event, saying it is "one of a few companies that works on using AI for accelerating science discovery."
ByteDance was a top-tier sponsor and had a recruiting booth at the event, which has become a place for AI companies to scout promising talent.
While ByteDance is best known to consumers as the company behind TikTok, its "AI for Science" program engages in a broad range of basic research, including developing foundation models for biological and materials sciences. It has offices in San Jose, California; and Seattle, Washington; as well as Beijing, and recruiters at the event spoke in both English and Chinese.
The 2025 NeurIPS conference had roughly 25,000 attendees, more than six times the 2015 figure. The number of papers submitted jumped 38% on the year to 21,575, with 5,290 accepted. Chinese institutions were among the biggest sources of papers.
The top affiliation among authors of papers accepted by NeurIPS in 2025 was Tsinghua University, according to data from AI World, which is affiliated with a European think tank. While Google ranked second, Peking University and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences took the next two spots.
One of the top papers was led by a researcher from the team at <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba Group Holding</a> developing the Qwen family of large language models.
US companies and institutions rely heavily on talent from China. According to a study by the Paulson Institute, 38% of top AI researchers at US organizations in 2022 had graduated from Chinese universities. Many moved to the US for advanced education and were then hired by American companies. <a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a>, Google, and Meta have many Chinese employees working on AI development.
It is "honestly quite surprising" how well the US has done in retaining this talent, said Matt Sheehan, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Sheehan followed the careers of 100 Chinese researchers affiliated with US organizations who had papers accepted at NeurIPS in 2019. As of 2025, 87 were still in the US, while ten had returned to China and three had moved elsewhere. This speaks to the US's "staying power as a magnet for top-tier researchers," Sheehan said.
But as tensions between the US and China over AI escalate, Chinese students and researchers are in an increasingly unstable position. US President Donald Trump's administration has tightened visa issuance for immigrants and international students, and begun revoking visas of Chinese students with ties to China's government.
A Chinese doctoral student attending the University of Texas at Austin expressed concern. "O-1 visa holders should be OK, but I'm not sure what Trump" will do, the student said, referring to visas for those with extraordinary ability.
A Chinese student from the University of Florida, who is researching advanced sensors with military applications, is debating whether to seek permanent residency and get a job at a US defense technology company. "I feel the atmosphere toward China has become tense," the student said.
Distrust of the US government is leading to uncertainty about working at US companies. "I can work on the frontier of AI development back in China, too," said a Chinese student at Princeton considering taking a job at ByteDance.
Companies such as Microsoft have AI research facilities in Beijing. But "I heard a rumor that you cannot use the same cloud services as in the US," the student said. "If so, it makes more sense to go to Chinese companies right away."
Chinese players see the situation as an opportunity to bring back talented Chinese graduates of US universities. And ByteDance is not alone. At NeurIPS, <a href="/company/ant-group">Ant Group</a>, Taobao, short-form video platform <a href="/company/kuaishou">Kuaishou Technology</a>, and others all had corporate booths, looking to recruit returnees.
"Five or ten years ago, if you wanted to do the best AI research, you had to come to the United States," Sheehan said. "There were some opportunities in China, but there were very few opportunities to work at the forefront of AI in China. In 2025, there's lots of opportunities to work at the forefront of AI in China."
The University of Texas doctoral student said: "From what I see among the AI researchers around me, 70% stay in the US, while 30% return to China."
Returnees from the US are already leading AI development efforts in China. Yang Zhilin, CEO of "AI tiger" Moonshot AI, earned his doctorate at Carnegie Mellon University before returning to China to found the company.
More recently, Yao Shunyu, a top researcher at OpenAI, moved to <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent Holdings</a>, where he was appointed chief AI scientist.
"We cannot know what percentage of people are doing economic espionage," Sheehan said. "But when you just look at the sheer size of the contribution [from Chinese researchers], it's very difficult to imagine that anything that is taken away or stolen from the US could match the size of the contribution. We're talking about one-quarter to one-third of the US AI research being done by these Chinese researchers."
The government should make it easier for Chinese nationals with doctorates to work in the US, he said.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/artificial-intelligence/chinese-ai-researchers-in-us-torn-between-promise-politics">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>.

Chinese AI researchers in US torn between promise, politics

Wook, an <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a>-backed cross-border company focused on consumer electronics accessories, is moving closer to the public markets.
Shenzhen Wook Feifan Technology, referred to hereafter as Wook, submitted its prospectus to Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing on January 20, seeking a main board listing. Huatai International is serving as the sole sponsor.
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Shenzhen, Wook is focused on Southeast Asia, with digital capabilities at the core of its business. Through a proprietary data platform, the company said it has built a portfolio of brands and a supply chain ecosystem across the region, positioning itself as a China-based owner of outbound brands in 3C (computers, consumer electronics, and communications) accessories and small home appliances.
A key differentiator lies in Wook’s platform architecture. Its system integrates factories, supply chains, and retail endpoints, targeting structural challenges common in Southeast Asian markets. These include fragmented offline retail networks, underdeveloped local delivery infrastructure, inefficient and costly logistics operations, limited high-quality warehousing capacity, and relatively low levels of digitalization.
Backed by a self-operated warehousing and logistics network and localized operations teams, Wook has built what it describes as a moat centered on branding, digitalization, and supply chain management. As of September 2025, the company said its platform directly connected more than 40,000 small and medium retailers.
In Indonesia, Wook has developed a portfolio of brands with strong market recognition, including Vivan, Robot, and Samono. Vivan and Robot focus on 3C accessories, covering products such as power banks, charging cables, and Bluetooth speakers. Samono, which targets small home appliances, offers items including blenders, ovens, and air fryers.
According to Frost &amp; Sullivan, based on retail sales value in 2024, Wook ranked first among Chinese cross-border companies in Indonesia’s 3C accessories segment and sixth in the small home appliances category.
Beyond Indonesia, its core market, Wook has expanded into Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. The company has focused on its core categories while branching into newer verticals such as home improvement and building materials. By combining proprietary brands with partner brands, Wook aims to offer cost-effective products to small and medium retailers and end consumers across these markets. In the first three quarters of 2025, revenue from Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and other markets rose 68.5% year-on-year (YoY) compared with the same period in 2024.
Frost &amp; Sullivan estimates that Southeast Asia’s retail market reached approximately USD 879.9 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to USD 1.2 trillion by 2029, making it one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets. Supported by large populations and the expansion of emerging and mature middle classes, retail markets in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines are expected to maintain strong growth momentum.
Despite this expansion, traditional retail channels still accounted for 58.5%, 46.6%, and 55.4% of retail sales in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, respectively, in 2024. Small and medium retailers in these markets often face high procurement costs, low delivery efficiency, and limited operational capabilities, underscoring demand for integrated digital transformation solutions.
Financially, Wook reported revenue of RMB 908 million (USD 127.1 million) in 2023 and RMB 1.049 billion (USD 146.9 million) in 2024, representing YoY growth of 15.5%. In the first three quarters of 2025, revenue rose 17.5% YoY, increasing from RMB 749 million (USD 104.9 million) to RMB 880 million (USD 123.2 million).
Gross margin stood at 33.6% in 2023, 35.6% in 2024, and 36.9% in the first three quarters of 2025. Adjusted net profit reached RMB 47 million (USD 6.6 million), RMB 79 million (USD 11.1 million), and RMB 62 million (USD 8.7 million) over the same respective periods.
Since its founding, Wook has raised funding from a mix of institutional and strategic investors, including Danen Capital, Welight Capital, Maison Capital, Engage Capital, NBT Capital, Tian Ge Interactive Holdings, Lesso, Alibaba, Charisma Partners, Richen Capital, and GF Qianhe.
In its prospectus, Wook said net proceeds from the IPO will be primarily used to strengthen its warehousing and logistics network, expand marketing and distribution channels, boost brand awareness, upgrade digital infrastructure, build localized teams and talent development systems, and support working capital needs.
This <a href="https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=Mzk0NzI1OTI3Nw==&amp;mid=2247678840&amp;idx=1&amp;sn=4549dfafa2fd29ddf67f2b0f2cb2ff9a&amp;poc_token=HGmReWmjHacgVgzYneuLH5VkKJ2tq2fexHMCe_Fq">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.

Alibaba-backed Wook moves closer to IPO as Southeast Asia drives growth

Retail

Consumer Economy

… football.
On the product side, while Nike rolled out Flyknit and Adidas developed Boost, Puma has continued to refine its EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) midsole technology. Although its product refresh cycles have lagged behind rivals, footwear has consistently accounted for a large share of Puma’s total revenue.
Footwear remains central to how sportswear brands are judged, both in terms of technical credibility and consumer mindshare. Puma, however, missed the recent revival of German-style training shoes. In 2023, after Adidas hired away Puma’s former CEO Bjorn Gulden, Adidas quickly leveraged the Samba to regain momentum following its split with Kanye West. Puma failed to capitalize on the trend.
Also worth noting are Puma’s partnerships with football clubs including Manchester City and AC Milan, with 2026 set to be a World Cup year.
Through this deal, Anta is positioning itself on the same global stage as Adidas. Before that ambition can be realized, however, both Anta and Puma will likely have to navigate a difficult and prolonged transition.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3657541274575750">article</a> was written by Xie Yunzi for 36Kr.

Is Puma worth the 60% premium in Anta’s acquisition bid?

Merger &amp; Acquisition

Europe

<a href="/company/grab">Grab Holdings'</a> profitability could take a hit this year if Indonesia goes ahead with a proposed regulatory change to lower the cap on commissions that the ride-hailing group charges its drivers, according to analysts.
Indonesian authorities are finalizing a new regulation on ride-hailing services, intended to protect drivers' income and welfare. Local media has reported that the new rules would reduce the ceiling on ride-hailing platforms' commissions from the current 20% to 10%. This means operators like Grab would collect lower fees from their drivers.
On January 19, minister of state secretary Prasetyo Hadi confirmed that the government is looking to lower the cap, adding that detailed figures are still being calculated. "That's one of the agreements we're currently working on," he said when asked about the reported reduction to 10%. "It's not far from that."
"If a (commission) cap is implemented, we believe it will negatively impact the ride-hailing sector in Indonesia," Jacquelyn Yow, an analyst at CGS International Securities, wrote in a report.
She sees Grab facing a potential 5–10% downside risk to its EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) in 2026.
Reflecting such concerns, Nasdaq-listed Grab's shares dropped 5% on January 15, extending a downward trend that has persisted for several weeks.
Grab operates in eight countries across Southeast Asia. Indonesia accounted for 23% of its total revenue in 2024, according to its annual report, making it the platform's second-largest market, after Malaysia, and ahead of Singapore and the Philippines.
With the regulatory change looming, Grab is moving to give drivers some benefits. On January 13, its Indonesian unit announced a welfare program worth IDR 100 billion (USD 5.9 million) for what it calls its driver partners, covering employment insurance, holiday bonuses, and skill development initiatives.
Grab did not comment on the potential impact on its business as the regulation has not been finalized.
After years of losses, Grab's profitability has improved thanks to robust demand for its ride-hailing, delivery, and financial services. It marked <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/transportation/grab-explores-more-partnerships-in-autonomous-driving-ceo-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five consecutive quarters of positive net income</a> through the July-September period.
The company has projected annual revenue of USD 3.38–3.40 billion for 2025, 21–22% more than the previous year.
The fresh headwinds come amid resurgent speculation over a merger with Indonesian rival <a href="/company/goto">GoTo Group</a>, which operates the Gojek superapp. Indonesian authorities have confirmed the ongoing talks, but a Grab executive <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/grab-president-downplays-talk-of-merger-with-indonesian-ride-hailer-goto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">downplayed</a> the speculation last November.
Whether the talks lead to a merger remains to be seen, but they have drawn <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/business-deals/goto-grab-merger-plan-raises-monopoly-concerns-as-indonesia-eyes-approval" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerns about monopoly powe</a>r: If the deal goes through, the resultant entity would control more than 90% of the Indonesian market.
"We believe this corporate action has the potential to harm online motorcycle taxi drivers," said Taha Syafariel, chairman of Indonesia's Online Driver Association.
Grab will release its full-year earnings for 2025 on February 11, when executives could brief reporters on the company's outlook for the rest of this year.
Meanwhile, Grab has actively invested in new technologies, and in November, CEO Anthony Tan described potential future services as an "exciting frontier."
This month, Grab launched a drone delivery pilot program in Singapore in partnership with Singapore Technologies Engineering. The three-month trial will test unmanned deliveries of food and other items as Grab tries to dodge rising labor costs.
Additionally, Grab recently announced the acquisition of Infermove, a China-based <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> and <a href="/industry/robotics">robotics</a> company specializing in automated delivery solutions, for an undisclosed sum.
Grab has also partnered with Chinese autonomous driving company <a href="/company/weride">WeRide</a> to launch an autonomous passenger service trial in Singapore.
"AV (autonomous vehicle) technology has progressed exponentially since I first took a few AV rides almost ten years ago," CEO Tan posted on LinkedIn earlier this month after going for a test ride in a vehicle operated under the WeRide partnership.
"We've driven over 10,000 km autonomously without incident," he wrote, "and every single day, our AVs continue to be tuned with new data."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/transportation/grab-faces-regulatory-headwinds-in-indonesia-its-key-ride-hailing-market">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>.

Grab faces regulatory headwinds in Indonesia, its key ride-hailing market

Grab

On January 8, Dubai Chambers held a media briefing in Shenzhen, announcing that the fifth Dubai Business Forum will take place in the city on May 14, 2026. The event is positioned to introduce China’s business community to investment and partnership opportunities linked to Dubai’s D33 economic agenda, while opening new channels for bilateral cooperation.
Launched in January 2023, the D33 agenda aims to double Dubai’s GDP by 2033 through higher industrial value creation, faster export growth, and a more diversified and sustainable economic structure.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers, said at the briefing that returning the forum to Shenzhen reflects Dubai’s long-term commitment to strengthening economic ties with China.
The Shenzhen edition of the Dubai Business Forum will be invite-only, curated for senior business leaders from China and Dubai. It is expected to bring together executives from multinational companies, unicorns, high-growth technology firms, venture capital institutions, and family businesses. A senior Dubai delegation will also attend, comprising representatives from leading companies, family offices, free trade zones, and government entities. Centered on sectors driving growth in both markets, the forum is designed to facilitate in-depth, face-to-face engagement aimed at advancing concrete cooperation.
<h3>China-Dubai economic ties deepen</h3>
The Dubai Business Forum first entered China in 2024 with a <a href="https://rwegrgdf5.eu.org/dubai-business-forum-in-beijing-underscores-growing-china-uae-ties-amid-d33-agenda-push">Beijing edition</a> that drew more than 800 business leaders and investors, and facilitated discussions around investment and trade in areas including the digital economy and <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a>.
The 2026 Shenzhen forum builds on that momentum, following earlier editions held in Beijing, London, Hamburg, and New York. It also aligns with Dubai Chambers’ broader strategy of deepening economic ties with major global markets, promoting cross-border trade, and identifying new investment opportunities.
Shenzhen, a key city in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, closely aligns with the priorities outlined in the D33 agenda. Key focus sectors such as technology, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and <a href="/industry/e-commerce">e-commerce</a> are areas where Shenzhen holds established competitive strengths.
As one of China’s leading innovation hubs, Shenzhen has developed a dense industrial ecosystem spanning AI, smart hardware, and software and information services. Through the Dubai Business Forum platform, companies from the city are expected to explore entry into the Dubai market and use it as a base for broader international expansion.
China is already Dubai’s largest trading partner. As of the third quarter of 2025, more than 6,190 active Chinese member companies were registered with Dubai Chambers, ranging from multinational corporations to small and medium enterprises. Beyond expanding Dubai’s global business network, the forum has increasingly functioned as a platform for translating China-Dubai investment and trade discussions into execution.
<h3>High-level dialogue, shared growth</h3>
The Shenzhen forum is designed to support Chinese companies seeking new global expansion pathways, with Dubai positioned as a strategic hub. Many Chinese firms are already active in Dubai across sectors including manufacturing, financial services, logistics, and robotics automation.
For companies expanding overseas, Dubai has evolved beyond a regional gateway into a global operations center. By establishing regional headquarters or operational hubs in the city, firms can access markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Even in sectors where Dubai lacks a natural domestic advantage, such as agritech, companies can leverage its logistics, capital, and connectivity to deploy solutions into higher-demand markets, particularly in Africa. The upcoming forum aims to support this transition from overseas expansion to full globalization.
The forum will also provide direct access to decision-makers through high-level, in-person dialogue. Senior Dubai government officials, investors, and business leaders will participate in targeted matchmaking sessions with Chinese companies, with a focus on aligning expectations and accelerating implementation.
36Kr Global was an official partner of the first <a href="https://www.dubaibusinessforum.com/en/">Dubai Business Forum</a> held in Beijing and will reprise its role for the Shenzhen edition, supporting Chinese participation and facilitating engagement with delegates from Dubai.
<blockquote>Companies interested in attending the 2026 Dubai Business Forum in Shenzhen may <a href="https://letschuhai.mike-x.com/kQrzs">express their interest using this form</a>. Applications will be reviewed by Dubai Chambers, with approved participants contacted directly regarding next steps.</blockquote>

Dubai Business Forum returns to China with 2026 Shenzhen edition

Middle East

Events