CIIE inspires global confidence in Shanghai

SHANGHAI, Nov. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from english.shanghai.gov.cn 

Global business leaders and cultural industry representatives convened at the Potside Chats salon — The CIIE: Open for the Future — to share their insights on the China International Import Expo and its impact on Shanghai's burgeoning global influence on Nov 7.

The event was organized by China Daily and hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government. The event gathered voices united in their optimism for China's future and its role in fostering international collaboration.

Owen Messick, president of dÅTERRA China, a seasoned CIIE participant celebrating its 10th anniversary in China, remarked on the event's impressive scale. "This year's CIIE is the biggest yet. It was just crowds of people. Our booth is now 300 square meters, the largest we've ever had," he said.

With about 3,500 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions, this year's CIIE highlighted China's digitalization in streamlining international business operations. Pablo Machado, president of Business Management at Suzano Asia, lauded China's pioneering role in digital document exchange.

"The only country in the world where we do all shipping documentation exchange including bill of lading, letters of credit, and invoicing is China. We did our first imports into China 100 percent digitalized." Machado noted a significant reduction in import lead times, from 10 days to three days.

Echoing this sentiment, Jelena Grubor Stefanović, director of the Representative Office of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, expressed admiration for Shanghai's blend of tradition and innovation.

"It's so easy to fall in love with China. The digital aspects of the convenience, the beauty of the city, the old, and the new in Shanghai." Stefanović emphasized the significance of platforms like CIIE for fostering understanding.

The CIIE served not only as a platform for established businesses but also for budding entrepreneurs like Andrew Gatera, founder of Onecup Roasters, who sees the event as a springboard for innovation and market integration.

"CIIE is a great opportunity to visit and do research. Next year when we come to CIIE, we need a bigger booth. We need to visit more. We need to understand more about the China market."

Astrid Poghosyan, project manager at the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, shared her fascination with the CIIE's emphasis on technology-driven musical innovation. "People in Shanghai are eager to experience traditional art forms in new ways," Poghosyan observed. "Technological advancements are creating innovative musical experiences and Shanghai offers a diverse musical landscape."

Alessandro Conti, an Italian food vlogger and entrepreneur based in Shanghai, shared his journey, emphasizing Shanghai's openness as a catalyst for young entrepreneurs. "I think that China is part of me, a part of my growth. I naturally decided to develop in this place. I want to be part of this growth. I want to be building up my family and my future here."

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

CIIE inspires global confidence in Shanghai

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Indonesia's state-owned power company, PT PLN (Persero), is calling on startups across Asia to collaborate in driving sustainable energy innovation through its Connext Powered by PLN program. The program supports PLN's transformation into a more adaptive and innovative energy company, striving for net zero emissions, while also strengthening its presence as an active player in the Asia-Pacific startup ecosystem to foster collaboration and growth.

Japan Visit: Benchmarking and Collaboration

To kick off this effort, PLN representatives visited Japan for a week in October 2024. The country was chosen because of its ambitious Startup Development Five-Year Plan, which aims to create 100 unicorn companies, 100,000 startups and attract JPY 10 trillion in investment by 2027, making it the largest startup hub in Asia. Moreover, Japan leads in energy-related innovation, with over 108,000 patents filed between 2000 and 2023 in areas like hydrogen and fuel cells (10.5%), e-Mobility (21.8%), solar energy (7.7%), energy storage (22.5%), and carbon capture (0.8%).

During the visit, the PLN delegation toured and visited several start-up offices involved in renewable technology, hydrogen and ammonia power generation, AI, semiconductor startups, which have the potential to enrich the process of clean energy transition and digital transformation of PLN in Indonesia. PLN also held one-on-one meetings with selected startups at the Google Campus to explore pilot projects and proof-of-concept initiatives.

A notable outcome of the visit was an MoU with Creww, Japan's open innovation platform, marking PLN's first international collaboration under the program. The partnership connects PLN to Creww's network of 8,000 startups and 450 accelerator programs, paving the way for future collaborations with startups across the region.

"This initiative is a strategic step in building an ecosystem rich in innovation and collaboration, creating significant opportunities for green energy start-ups. This collaborative effort reflects PLN's commitment to driving economic growth, creating jobs, alleviating poverty and preserving the environment," said PLN President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo.

Launched in 2023, the Connext Powered by PLN program connects energy startups in Indonesia to foster innovation in renewable energy. Building on its success, PLN plans to expand its reach in the region, furthering its commitment to a sustainable energy ecosystem.

Learn how startups in Asia can collaborate with PLN, visit: https://plnconnext.com/

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

PLN Invites Green Startups in Asia's to Join Forces for Regional Energy Transformation