China Business
Networking Expeditions
Direct, operational access to the world’s fastest-evolving market. No media filters. No marketing decks. Inside the boardrooms and factory floors.
We build executive learning
expeditions to China’s frontiers
Bypass the media filters and consulting decks. Gain unfiltered, operational access to the world’s fastest-evolving market — from factory floors to the boardrooms of frontier startups.
The Problem
Global decision-makers lack unfiltered knowledge of China. Pre-2020 assumptions — cheap labour, copycat products — are dangerously outdated. Standard business trips offer only showrooms and PR pitches.
What We Do
We take you inside the boardrooms, factory floors, and incubators of iconic giants and frontier startups. No polished presentations — live Q&As with founders and engineers operating at Chinese speed.
The Outcome
You leave with actionable insight. Verified contacts, strategic frameworks, and a grounded understanding of how large-scale systems actually function — sourcing, partnerships, or expansion.
China’s Critical Economic Zones
A visual overview of our key hubs and associated company ecosystems. Hover over markers to explore each city.
Strategic access across
China’s most critical zones
Unprecedented access to
giants and frontier startups
Filter our network to build your target agenda.
An AI company focused on LLMs and foundational research. Illustrates rapid acceleration of China’s indigenous AI capabilities.
Frontier leader in AI and computer vision. Deploys algorithms across smart cities, security, and healthcare at massive scale.
Develops brain-computer interfaces. Shows how startups commercialize frontier bio-engineering rapidly.
National champion in speech recognition. Shows how AI companies scale through state contracts and digital infrastructure.
Global leaders in surveillance, computer vision, and smart city infrastructure at unparalleled national scale.
Leading humanoid robotics firm. Direct exposure to applied AI, motion control, and autonomous machine deployment.
A technology company disguised as an insurer. Illustrates how financial giants use AI and cloud to transform smart city services.
World’s most vertically integrated EV manufacturer. Massive scale, cost engineering, and high-volume automated production.
The Shanghai Gigafactory benchmarks automotive efficiency. Shows how foreign firms operate within China’s ecosystem.
Competes through software-defined cars and vertical integration of AI and advanced driver-assistance systems.
Premium EV manufacturer differentiating through battery-swapping infrastructure and community-driven brand loyalty.
Pioneer in autonomous aerial mobility, developing passenger-grade drones for urban air transportation.
Search giant pivoting into deep tech. Best known for the Apollo autonomous driving platform and smart mobility ecosystems.
China’s dominant cloud computing and e-commerce platform. A window into how platform ecosystems are governed at scale.
Lifestyle platform blending UGC and direct e-commerce. “Community first, commerce second” model.
Operator of WeChat, China’s super-app. Illustrates how digital platforms manage data governance at population scale.
Parent company of TikTok. Illustrates how Chinese companies build globally dominant digital platforms across regulatory regimes.
Distinguished by its fully integrated supply chain and automation in warehousing, compressing delivery times to hours.
Global telecom leader. Builds vertical integration while navigating export controls and driving technological self-reliance.
Supplies 70% of global container cranes. A case study in state-backed industrial policy and logistics infrastructure.
State-owned champion in commercial aviation. A rare window into China’s ambitious aerospace engineering projects.
Global reference for drones. From prototype to category-defining product with unmatched speed and precision.
Global smartphone manufacturer. Supply chain mastery, design differentiation, and breakneck product iteration cycles.
Real-world operational
deep dives
Inside the ecosystems, not in front of them.
Huaqiangbei Electronics
Guided by a technical sourcing expert, you will source components for a working device — batteries, screens, chips, connectors — across the world’s largest electronics market. From concept to functional prototype in hours.
Manufacturing Guided Visits
Walk an operational manufacturing facility where components are assembled, tested, and shipped at scale. You will hear the noise, feel the pace, and witness the relentless execution that defines China’s manufacturing advantage.
Startup Incubators
Inside Shenzhen’s most active incubators — Plug & Play and Tencent WeStart. Meet early-stage founders, sit in on real pitch sessions, and observe how venture capital and engineering talent converge at Chinese speed.
360° logistics
Executive-standard throughout
We handle every detail so you can focus entirely on learning and connecting.
Accommodation
Shenzhen
Marriott Nanshan — Innovator Corridor- Located in Nanshan District, adjacent to Shenzhen’s primary innovation corridor
- 10–20 minutes from key technology and hardware ecosystem visits
- International executive-standard service with predictable operations
- Minimises cross-city traffic and daily transit time
Hangzhou
Marriott Executive Apartments — Yuhang- Strategic access to Alibaba and BrainCo headquarters
- Apartment-style layout suitable for multi-day executive stays
- Reliable international service standards
- Efficient access to airport and high-speed rail
Dining
Shenzhen
- Dinner: Shui’an Shili (MixC Qianhai) — Upscale seafood-focused Chinese
- Dinner: Xiang Song · Guofan — Hunan cuisine, traditional family banquet
- Dinner: Bingsheng Taste (Bay MixC) — Classic Cantonese, roast meats
Hangzhou
- Tea: Fuyun Hall Tea House — Traditional tea ceremony with light snacks
- Dinner: Ziweiting (West Lake State Guesthouse) — Historic Zhejiang cuisine
- Lunch: Gong Yan — Imperial-style Beijing cuisine, royal dining experience
Choose your format
Signature Expedition
A fixed, highly curated route operating four times a year. Open to individuals and corporates for groups.
Q1 · Week of March 24–28
Q2 · Week of May 19–23
Q3 · Week of September 22–26
Q4 · Week of November 17–21
- Format: 6 Days / 5 Nights
- Route: Yangtze & Pearl River Deltas
- Group size: Max 12 executives
Bespoke Expeditions
Tailor-made expeditions built around your team’s strategic agenda, industry focus, and target companies.
What is Included
Comprehensive logistics and access coverage.
- Accommodation (4★ hotels, with breakfast)
- Domestic transport (high-speed trains, flights, vans)
- Corporate visits & official briefings
- Senior bilingual guides & interpreters
- Meetings, workshops, and B2B matchmaking
- Welcome & closing dinners + scheduled meals
- Visa invitation letter & on-arrival assistance
- Travel insurance coverage, SIM & communications
- International flights
- Personal extra meals and expenses
- Visa costs (when applicable)
Why Join
Designed for entrepreneurs, investors, and executives who want to understand how China’s ecosystem truly operates.
- Gain clarity on sourcing and local incorporation strategies
- Establish credibility and build high-value partnerships
- Secure verified contacts in Asia’s fastest-evolving market
- Develop strategic frameworks to position your business globally
The 6-Day Expedition
Pearl River Delta → Yangtze River Delta. Mid-intensity business expedition across China’s core innovation systems.
Expedition Itinerary
Expedition Full Route
Mid-intensity business expedition across China’s core innovation systems.
Day 0 — Virtual Pre-Departure Briefing
Before traveling, all delegates join a 90-minute online orientation led by our China market experts.
- China 2026: key trends in e-commerce, tech, and regulation.
- Visa, health, and arrival checklist.
- Chinese business etiquette and meeting protocol.
- Overview of visiting companies & participant introductions.
- Each participant receives a 1-page profile pack with goals and background.
Day 1 — Shanghai: Policy & Professional Services
- Shanghai Hongqiao Government — FDI incentives & FTZ overview.
- Afternoon: Legal & accounting workshop (WFOE setup, trademarks, HR, tax).
- Networking dinner with European Chamber members or expats.
Day 2 — Hangzhou: Alibaba Campus & E-Commerce Innovation
- Morning: High-speed train to Hangzhou (1 hour).
- Visit to Alibaba campus — Taobao/Tmall ecosystem & “New Retail”.
- Afternoon: Factory or OEM supplier visit + QC Q&A.
- Return to Shanghai.
Day 3 — Shanghai → Shenzhen: Hardware Capital
- Morning: Flight to Shenzhen.
- Afternoon: Tencent HQ — WeChat ecosystem deep dive.
- Factory visits (electronics, hardware, components).
- Networking dinner in Nanshan.
Day 4 — Shenzhen: B2B Matchmaking & Startup Ecosystem
- Morning: B2B matchmaking with suppliers, CBEC startups & service partners.
- Lunch: Venture incubator session (Qianhai or Shekou).
- Optional hardware accelerator visits (HAX, Seeed Studio).
- Group dinner + wrap-up session.
Day 5 — Hangzhou: Platforms, AI & Emerging Interfaces
- Visit to Alibaba — platform-scale commerce, logistics, and cloud integration.
- Visit to BrainCo — applied AI and neurotechnology.
- Discussion on scaling ecosystems and productisation.
- Tea house session: structured reflection in a Chinese cultural setting.
Day 6 — Shanghai: Systems, Regulation & Strategic Context
- Transfer to Shanghai by high-speed rail.
- Institutional briefing on regulation, state coordination, market access and foreign participation.
- Practical discussion: how to operate inside the Chinese system.
- Final reflection session overlooking the Bund.
- Transfer to airport and departures.
On-the-ground from
previous delegations
Behind the access
Alberto Díaz
Founder & Expedition LeadWith years of on-the-ground expertise in the Chinese business ecosystem, Alberto curates access rather than just itineraries. He bridges the gap between international executives and China’s most innovative tech hubs, factories, and incubators.
Connect on LinkedIn →Institutional & B2B Partnerships
Partner with Gate Kaizen to offer high-value, co-branded learning expeditions to your members.
