Exploring the World
Shanghai
The city acts like a magnet for mass market businesses.
Shanghai may not be the most attractive city for Chinese tech startup, like Shenzhen and Beijing. These places are "Labs", with tax incentives and universities, but ultimately, the place to be to understand and forecast market trends is Shanghai, the real test bed of Asian innovations.
Shanghai is the most international city on China Mainland and thus still the preferred destination for foreign companies to establish their Chinese branches.
L'Atelier by BNP
Do not trust the appearances, l'Atelier's activities are much broader than finance. The team is in fact focused on all new (digital ) technologies, like in Mobility, Smart city, Life at work, Health, Retail and Fintech.
More than just traditional services that such an innovation consulting firm can provide, like immersive business trip, market analysis or startup scouting, this team has a specific mission: to dig deep into the Chinese ecosystem to bring its clients more intimate and exclusive insights and relationships with Chinese actors, beyond cultural and language barriers.
​
​
Website: atelier.net
Remarkable places
X-Node
X-Node has its spaces in the center of Shanghai, not far from the fancy JinAn Temple. The idea of X-Node is to build a startup community, with stronger ties than just shared offices.
The place hosts tech startups in Fintech, Healthtech, HRtech, and many others..., but also companies specialized in business development in China. Private or government-backed agencies are also here to help entrepreneurs to cross borders (see the Australian Landing Pad or the partnership with Tokumi in Japan, maybe soon with l'Atelier operated by the French bank BNP).
​
Website: thexnode.com
Shanghai
iStart Venture
This venture capitalist is a very well-known in Shanghai area, for its past successful investments as well as for its intimacy with the Chinese administration. One of the ministers of the Xi administration has actually spent 2 weeks in their office spaces, meeting with entrepreneurs, before publishing a new policy to foster entrepreneurship in China.
Meeting with the staff will give you very good insights of the current understanding and behaviours of Chinese towards innovation and startups.
​
Website: istartvc.com
​
