Bay to Bay 2018

Introducing Bay to Bay

This series of events – to be held in the US and China – kicks off on October 31st in Hong Kong, with the aim of exploring how innovation is evolving and the style of entrepreneurialism and leadership that is increasingly shaping the world we live in.

Bay to Bay references the dual centres of gravity emerging around not only the San Francisco Bay Area, but also the China Bay Area, both of which are driving the global technology sector and the ever-increasing influence it has on the world of innovation. Bay to Bay brings together leading minds from business, government, media, and academia to discuss some of today’s biggest issues around global business and innovation, including; the impact of geopolitics, the war for relevance and development of talent.

The Twin Bay Areas

We will explore how the two Bay Areas differ, what they can learn from each other and how they can inform each other’s development and future.

Innovation is set to peak with the development of China’s Greater Bay Area. The region is estimated to represent about 12% of China’s current economy and attract some of the biggest players in innovation, while Silicon Valley remains home to seven of the largest technology companies. However, both areas face their own challenges, some the same but different. While Silicon Valley is having to work hard every day to address how it remains competitive internationally in the future, Chinese brands struggle to commercialise their innovations outside of the domestic market.

大湾区 | Da Wan Qu

While Silicon Valley is having to work hard every day to address how it remains competitive internationally in the future, Chinese brands struggle to commercialise their innovations outside of the domestic market, marred by perceptions such as ‘Copycat China’ and ‘Made in China’.

Beijing’s big idea to transform southern China into an innovative and economic growth engine is attracting much attention on the global stage. With some people in the area referring to themselves as ‘da wan qu ren’, or “Bay-Area-ese”, China’s Greater Bay Area promises international prestige and similar status as its Bay Area counterparts of San Francisco, New York and Tokyo. While the area is viewed by many as being more aggressive in its economic and technological developments, it is really just at the beginning of its journey, as clear details of the plan are yet to be revealed. This session takes a look at the current state of affairs in the area, from understanding the region’s dynamic, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, its geopolitical standing and the emergence of new innovations.

Speaker Highlights

Companies from the West have been journeying into China for decades – some have journeyed well and others not. For some, the road has been bumpy and long and at times it has even been closed. Successes and failures of foreign companies’ ventures into China are well documented. As the focus turns to the globalisation of Chinese brands, today we see many stories on the flipside. We’ve seen undisputable successes from the likes of Lenovo and Huawei, but many have been unable to penetrate Western markets. As we see a new wave of innovation emerging from the Bay areas, companies will need to consider from the outset what it will take to be a global success.

In this fireside chat we speak with eBay about the company’s journey in China, which has spanned over three decades. We will also hear from uCloudlink, a company born in Shenzhen who has recently begun its journey to expand internationally in markets such as New York, France and the U.K.

Interested in learning more about navigating today’s China? Join us on 31^st October in Hong Kong at the inaugural Bay to Bay event and hear directly from the top minds in business, academia and media.

Learn more about the event in here: baytobay.com