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CoCreate 2025 Attracts Record Number of SMEs as Alibaba.com Unveils AI Overhaul
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 63% of SMEs worldwide now seek AI tools to do cross-border trade, per Alibaba.com Research. Responding to this shift, the B2B platform today launched its most ambitious AI overhaul to date—empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to navigate global markets faster, smarter, and at scale.
The unveiling headlined CoCreate 2025, Alibaba.com's flagship SME summit, which broke records with 3,500+ attendees and 25,000+ SME business pitches from 150 countries, underscoring surging global demand for agile, tech-driven trade solutions.
New Globalization Runs Light: AI Empowers "Micro-Multinationals"
Globalization has gone lean: AI empowers small teams to enter global markets faster than ever. This paradigm shift has birthed "micro-multinationals"—small businesses that scale internationally with agility. A two-person design studio, for instance, can now sell products in 20 countries by leveraging AI-generated market insights, an effort once requiring extensive resources and months of effort.
AI has reduced barriers to global trade, giving small businesses access to the same robust, diversified supply chains that once belonged exclusively to large corporations. Tasks like supplier negotiations, compliance checks, and logistics planning—formerly managed by entire departments—are now streamlined into automated workflows.
"AI isn't a luxury—it's survival, especially in B2B, where high-stakes decisions demand innovation," said Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com. "User behavior is evolving: keyword searches no longer suffice. B2B demands long-text, multimodal AI tools to navigate global trade. That's why we're overhauling our 26-year-old business, empowering SMEs to thrive in a world where speed, precision, and adaptability matter most."
Deep Search, AI-Powered Precision
Alibaba.com introduces Deep Search, an AI-powered B2B procurement tool that transforms complex sourcing with multimodal capabilities — understanding long natural language queries and image-based searches simultaneously. Unlike traditional engines, Deep Search dissects queries into core components, cross-references 280 million B2B-specific product listings, and ranks results by hyper-relevance to deliver precise supplier matches alongside products.
Powered by 26 years of industry insights and real-time transactions, its B2B-optimized AI evolves rapidly to address niche business needs. Deep Search cuts sourcing time dramatically, connecting buyers with vetted suppliers in seconds.
The World's First AI Agent for Global Trade Surges 50% in One Month
Incubated by Alibaba.com and launched under the Alibaba International umbrella, the AI search engine Accio has emerged as the world's first AI agent dedicated to global trade since its release in May 2024. Within a month of its Agent Mode launch, Accio's user base skyrocketed by 1.5 million, marking a 50% spike in users from pre-launch metrics.
The Accio Agent now automates 70% of manual workflows—slashing tasks like product ideation, prototyping, compliance, and supplier sourcing from weeks to minutes. By transforming fragmented processes into a unified, AI-driven cycle, it fuels unprecedented efficiency for cross-border businesses.
CoCreate 2025: Where Pragmatic AI Thrives
CoCreate 2025 doubled in size compared to last year, attracting over 3,500 attendees and showcasing how AI solves real-world trade challenges. The summit's marquee pitch competition received over 25,000 applications, highlighting SMEs' hunger for cutting-edge solutions.
Coinciding with CoCreate 2025, Alibaba.com's Super September—its largest annual sales event—launched with an AI twist. The event features over 200,000 AI-curated sourcing lists highlighting global bestsellers, with discounts of up to 20%.
About CoCreate
CoCreate is the world's leading sourcing event, connecting global ecommerce sellers, retailers, and wholesalers with top manufacturers and industry experts. By fostering face-to-face collaboration, the summit empowers businesses to discover innovative products, optimize supply chains, and build partnerships that drive long-term growth.
About Alibaba.com
Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.
Media Contact:
Mike Hong
mike.hong@alibaba-inc.com
CoCreate 2025 Attracts Record Number of SMEs as Alibaba.com Unveils AI Overhaul
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 63% of SMEs worldwide now seek AI tools to do cross-border trade, per Alibaba.com Research. Responding to this shift, the B2B platform today launched its most ambitious AI overhaul to date—empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to navigate global markets faster, smarter, and at scale.
The unveiling headlined CoCreate 2025, Alibaba.com's flagship SME summit, which broke records with 3,500+ attendees and 25,000+ SME business pitches from 150 countries, underscoring surging global demand for agile, tech-driven trade solutions.
New Globalization Runs Light: AI Empowers "Micro-Multinationals"
Globalization has gone lean: AI empowers small teams to enter global markets faster than ever. This paradigm shift has birthed "micro-multinationals"—small businesses that scale internationally with agility. A two-person design studio, for instance, can now sell products in 20 countries by leveraging AI-generated market insights, an effort once requiring extensive resources and months of effort.
AI has reduced barriers to global trade, giving small businesses access to the same robust, diversified supply chains that once belonged exclusively to large corporations. Tasks like supplier negotiations, compliance checks, and logistics planning—formerly managed by entire departments—are now streamlined into automated workflows.
"AI isn't a luxury—it's survival, especially in B2B, where high-stakes decisions demand innovation," said Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com. "User behavior is evolving: keyword searches no longer suffice. B2B demands long-text, multimodal AI tools to navigate global trade. That's why we're overhauling our 26-year-old business, empowering SMEs to thrive in a world where speed, precision, and adaptability matter most."
Deep Search, AI-Powered Precision
Alibaba.com introduces Deep Search, an AI-powered B2B procurement tool that transforms complex sourcing with multimodal capabilities — understanding long natural language queries and image-based searches simultaneously. Unlike traditional engines, Deep Search dissects queries into core components, cross-references 280 million B2B-specific product listings, and ranks results by hyper-relevance to deliver precise supplier matches alongside products.
Powered by 26 years of industry insights and real-time transactions, its B2B-optimized AI evolves rapidly to address niche business needs. Deep Search cuts sourcing time dramatically, connecting buyers with vetted suppliers in seconds.
The World's First AI Agent for Global Trade Surges 50% in One Month
Incubated by Alibaba.com and launched under the Alibaba International umbrella, the AI search engine Accio has emerged as the world's first AI agent dedicated to global trade since its release in May 2024. Within a month of its Agent Mode launch, Accio's user base skyrocketed by 1.5 million, marking a 50% spike in users from pre-launch metrics.
The Accio Agent now automates 70% of manual workflows—slashing tasks like product ideation, prototyping, compliance, and supplier sourcing from weeks to minutes. By transforming fragmented processes into a unified, AI-driven cycle, it fuels unprecedented efficiency for cross-border businesses.
CoCreate 2025: Where Pragmatic AI Thrives
CoCreate 2025 doubled in size compared to last year, attracting over 3,500 attendees and showcasing how AI solves real-world trade challenges. The summit's marquee pitch competition received over 25,000 applications, highlighting SMEs' hunger for cutting-edge solutions.
Coinciding with CoCreate 2025, Alibaba.com's Super September—its largest annual sales event—launched with an AI twist. The event features over 200,000 AI-curated sourcing lists highlighting global bestsellers, with discounts of up to 20%.
About CoCreate
CoCreate is the world's leading sourcing event, connecting global ecommerce sellers, retailers, and wholesalers with top manufacturers and industry experts. By fostering face-to-face collaboration, the summit empowers businesses to discover innovative products, optimize supply chains, and build partnerships that drive long-term growth.
About Alibaba.com
Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.
Media Contact:
Mike Hong
mike.hong@alibaba-inc.com
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
63% of Global SMEs Now Rush to AI Tools to Supercharge Cross-Border Trade: Alibaba.com Research
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The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time
SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVPN Global Conference 2026, Asia's largest convening of social and impact investors will be held from 25 to 27 August 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. The thirteenth edition of AVPN's signature annual Conference, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Asia", convenes global leaders in corporate philanthropy, family offices, private foundations, impact investing and impact organisations. This year, the Conference aligns with India's transformative Viksit Bharat Vision 2047, the government's vision to become a developed nation by 2047. The Conference presents an opportunity for global delegates to experience India's leadership in social innovation, and it also provides a platform for India's leadership and innovation to be included in Asia's social investment growth story.
Asia today faces a stark contrast between immense private wealth and deep, underfunded social needs. The region is home to nearly 40% of the world's billionaires, with 61 new billionaires in 2025, together amassing USD 124.4 billion. This juxtaposes with the fact that Asia Pacific also faces an annual financing gap of USD 1.5 trillion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Traditional development funding has retreated, and the world is experiencing a turning point in terms of resources and leadership. Amidst these challenges, Asia's leaders are stepping up to lead in impact through bold, people-first social development initiatives, powered by cross-sector collaboration, catalytic capital, and digital transformation, alongside other pioneering development models. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will spotlight global and Asian leaders, leverage philanthropy, impact investing, and blended finance as key levers to channel capital towards bold, collaborative opportunities for action.
Achal Agarwal, Chair, AVPN said, "Asia stands at a defining point where leadership must be measured not by aspiration, but by action. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is intentionally designed as a platform where those who influence capital, policy, and institutions come together to shape practical pathways forward. Hosting the Conference in India for the first time reflects Asia's growing confidence in designing solutions at scale, grounded in local realities and relevant to the world. This is about moving from dialogue to execution, and from promise to progress."
Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer, AVPN said, "Even as Asia becomes home to some of the world's fastest-growing pools of private wealth, we continue to face an annual SDG financing gap of well over a trillion US dollars that leaves critical needs in health, education, climate resilience, and livelihoods unmet. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is about changing that trajectory by bringing together philanthropic leaders, funders, investors, policymakers, and enterprises from across Asia to move capital more boldly and more collaboratively into solutions that can transform communities at scale. In a decade that will define the future of our people and our planet, we can no longer afford for Asia's wealth and Asia's social needs to exist in parallel worlds. This Conference is where those worlds must finally converge."
Prominent speakers at the Conference include Ajay Piramal (Chairman, Piramal Group), Boon Heong Ng (Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation), Prof. Larry Kramer (President & Vice-chancellor, London School of Economics & Political Science), Neerja Birla (Founder & Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust), Piyush Gupta (Chairman, Singapore Management University), Tony Tan (Executive Director, CapitaLand Hope Foundation), and more to be announced in the coming months.
Spotlight on Impact Investing
The Conference will feature a dedicated Impact Investing Day, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Impact Investing and Blended Finance". It will showcase projects ready for investment or blended-finance structures, the design and activation of catalytic capital, global investor dialogues linking asset owners with regional pipelines, and transition roadmaps from philanthropy to concessional or market-rate investments. It will also spotlight several signature multilateral and ecosystem initiatives, and offer delegates - leading Limited Partners (LPs), General Partners (GPs), development finance institutions, and multilateral development banks - the opportunities to unlock investment capital for impact.
Be a Part of the Action: Early Bird Registrations Now Open
With an anticipated 2,000 delegates, and more than 100 sessions held over three days, AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be more than a convening, it is a platform for collaboration, the site for action, and the blueprint for a positive, prosperous, and inclusive future.
More information and ticket details are available on the AVPN website at https://avpn.asia/conference/
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 diverse members across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.
For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit our website and read our latest Annual Review 2024 -25.
The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time
SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVPN Global Conference 2026, Asia's largest convening of social and impact investors will be held from 25 to 27 August 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. The thirteenth edition of AVPN's signature annual Conference, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Asia", convenes global leaders in corporate philanthropy, family offices, private foundations, impact investing and impact organisations. This year, the Conference aligns with India's transformative Viksit Bharat Vision 2047, the government's vision to become a developed nation by 2047. The Conference presents an opportunity for global delegates to experience India's leadership in social innovation, and it also provides a platform for India's leadership and innovation to be included in Asia's social investment growth story.
Asia today faces a stark contrast between immense private wealth and deep, underfunded social needs. The region is home to nearly 40% of the world's billionaires, with 61 new billionaires in 2025, together amassing USD 124.4 billion. This juxtaposes with the fact that Asia Pacific also faces an annual financing gap of USD 1.5 trillion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Traditional development funding has retreated, and the world is experiencing a turning point in terms of resources and leadership. Amidst these challenges, Asia's leaders are stepping up to lead in impact through bold, people-first social development initiatives, powered by cross-sector collaboration, catalytic capital, and digital transformation, alongside other pioneering development models. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will spotlight global and Asian leaders, leverage philanthropy, impact investing, and blended finance as key levers to channel capital towards bold, collaborative opportunities for action.
Achal Agarwal, Chair, AVPN said, "Asia stands at a defining point where leadership must be measured not by aspiration, but by action. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is intentionally designed as a platform where those who influence capital, policy, and institutions come together to shape practical pathways forward. Hosting the Conference in India for the first time reflects Asia's growing confidence in designing solutions at scale, grounded in local realities and relevant to the world. This is about moving from dialogue to execution, and from promise to progress."
Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer, AVPN said, "Even as Asia becomes home to some of the world's fastest-growing pools of private wealth, we continue to face an annual SDG financing gap of well over a trillion US dollars that leaves critical needs in health, education, climate resilience, and livelihoods unmet. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is about changing that trajectory by bringing together philanthropic leaders, funders, investors, policymakers, and enterprises from across Asia to move capital more boldly and more collaboratively into solutions that can transform communities at scale. In a decade that will define the future of our people and our planet, we can no longer afford for Asia's wealth and Asia's social needs to exist in parallel worlds. This Conference is where those worlds must finally converge."
Prominent speakers at the Conference include Ajay Piramal (Chairman, Piramal Group), Boon Heong Ng (Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation), Prof. Larry Kramer (President & Vice-chancellor, London School of Economics & Political Science), Neerja Birla (Founder & Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust), Piyush Gupta (Chairman, Singapore Management University), Tony Tan (Executive Director, CapitaLand Hope Foundation), and more to be announced in the coming months.
Spotlight on Impact Investing
The Conference will feature a dedicated Impact Investing Day, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Impact Investing and Blended Finance". It will showcase projects ready for investment or blended-finance structures, the design and activation of catalytic capital, global investor dialogues linking asset owners with regional pipelines, and transition roadmaps from philanthropy to concessional or market-rate investments. It will also spotlight several signature multilateral and ecosystem initiatives, and offer delegates - leading Limited Partners (LPs), General Partners (GPs), development finance institutions, and multilateral development banks - the opportunities to unlock investment capital for impact.
Be a Part of the Action: Early Bird Registrations Now Open
With an anticipated 2,000 delegates, and more than 100 sessions held over three days, AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be more than a convening, it is a platform for collaboration, the site for action, and the blueprint for a positive, prosperous, and inclusive future.
More information and ticket details are available on the AVPN website at https://avpn.asia/conference/
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 diverse members across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.
For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit our website and read our latest Annual Review 2024 -25.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Asia's Largest Social Investment Conference Urges Global Changemakers to Convene and Set the Impact Agenda for Asia
