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The three pillars of China’s booming start-up ecosystem

Once known as the “world’s factory”, China has risen to become an economic superpower in recent decades. In fact, the nation is expected to become the world’s largest economy in 2027 in terms of nominal GDP. Aside from its sheer size, China has successfully transformed its economy from manufacturing towards nurturing an environment to enable high-tech innovations: It is home to more than 150 unicorns, leading the world in the field of AI, robotics and computer vision, to name just a few. This start-up scene wasn’t built overnight, but through decades of efforts by the Chinese government, state-owned enterprises, large corporations, universities and many more stakeholders. Here is a breakdown of the secret ingredients that have made China a tech powerhouse, through the lens of the World Economic Forum’s own community of trailblazing start-ups, this year’s cohort of the Technology Pioneers. 1. Innovation-friendly policies The Chinese government played a crucial role in laying out foundations for innovation. In 1978, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping lured foreign investments and capital with the Open Door Policy, aimed to encourage foreign businesses to set up offices and do business in China. Alongside this policy, the government also created Special Economic Zones in four different regions, including Shenzhen, to further attract foreign business. The resulting urban growth allowed these cities to position themselves as attractive start-up hubs for the 21st century. The government also created the Chinese Government Guidance Funds to facilitate public-private investment. These funds – collaborations between central, provincial and local government – focus on investment into industries with emerging and high-potential technologies, including AI and robotics, as well as the digital transformation of traditional industries. China’s next five-year plan has highlighted industrial internet and domestic industrial software as key focus areas for government policy. As a result, regional governments are rolling out plans, supported […]

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Akamai fights fraud in APAC

Akamai Technologies, Inc. has launched its new Account Protector solution. Using proprietary behavioral analytics and reputation heuristics, the solution is designed to extend the Akamai Bot Manager solution to also detect and prevent account takeover attacks by human threat actors in real time, without increasing friction for legitimate users. The solution is integrated into the Akamai Intelligent Edge Platform instead of attached at a single point, so it requires no changes to existing applications. Businesses worldwide face the complex and costly problem of account takeover, where human threat actors seize valuable digital assets — from bank account funds to retail store loyalty points to online game rare items. Account Protector analyses requests, generating risk and trust indicators to calculate the likelihood that a user is the legitimate account owner or an impersonator. Using machine learning technology, the solution learns and self-tunes as it analyses subsequent logins for the same set of credentials. This enables legitimate account holders to access their accounts without unnecessary friction while increasing the safety of their accounts. Account Protector generates a user session risk score in real time during authentication, combining: User behavioral profiles based on signals like previously observed locations, networks, devices, and activity time. Account Protector does this while complying with data privacy laws and frameworks like GDPR and others. Population profiles that give a view of the behavior of a company’s user set. Variances in behavior can be compared to the entire population to detect anomalies, even if an individual user is logging in for the first time. Reputation data based on observed malicious activity across the network and IP, such as indications of bot activity, one user connecting from multiple locations in a short span of time, attempting to access a large number of users, and a high percentage of failed login attempts. Akamai utilizes its own vast activity […]

Topcast enters agreement with H3R for fire equipment

Topcast Aviation Supplies Co., Ltd. (“TOPCAST”) and H3R Aviation, Inc. signed a distribution aggreement offering effective aircraft fire extinguishing agents worldwide. Fire in the air is one of the most hazardous situations that pilots and flight crews can face. Without immediate intervention, a fire on board an aircraft can quickly lead to the catastrophic loss of that aircraft. H3R Aviation is the leading supplier of Halon and Halotron extinguishers, multipurpose (Class A, B & C fires) agents that chemically interrupt a fire’s combustion chain reaction. The use of halon fire extinguishers is addressed in the FAA Advisory Circular 120-80, and stresses the effectiveness of Halon, when fighting an in-flight fire. H3R Aviation fire extinguishers include Halon 1211, Halotron 1, Halotron BrX and FM-200 hand portable units, and Halon 1211, Halotron 1 and Novec(TM) 1230 wheeled extinguishers that meet DOT requirements and comply with FAA and/or National Fire Protection Association recommendations. H3R Aviation, Inc., a member of the H3R group of companies, is the largest supplier of portable clean agent fire extinguishers to the aviation industry. H3R offers the general aviation and commercial aviation markets high quality, UL Listed Halon and Halon-alternative fire extinguishers for the cockpit/cabin, cargo bay and flightline/ramp that can be found on a range of aircraft from Boeing, Bombardier, to Piper and Cirrus. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Hong Kong SAR, Topcast is a world-leading trustworthy aircraft part distributor and MRO service provider offering exceptional OEM and aftermarket aircraft parts, equipment and repair services for a broad range of aircraft types. With nineteen offices across Asia-Pacific, Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa connecting suppliers with customers in all segments for over 90 countries.

Yili expands in Europe with StartLife and Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing

Yili, Asia’s largest and fast-growing dairy company, is officially partnering with the agri-foodtech accelerator StartLife in the Netherlands. Yili is also joining the Open Innovation Forum, an industry network for food and FMCG companies at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), which is part of the University of Cambridge. Through building this wider innovation ecosystem, Yili will enhance collaborations across Europe to work on the challenges faced in the food and agricultural sectors to deliver healthy solutions to consumers. The collaboration with StartLife enables Yili to tap into the innovation ecosystem of agri-foodtech start-up and scale-up companies. Together with entrepreneurs, Yili will also brainstorm and facilitate exchange of new ideas across the industry. Yili Innovation Center Europe and Startlife are both based on the campus of Wageningen University & Research at the heart of Food Valley in The Netherlands, which makes the collaboration even more appealing. Through becoming a member of the IfM’s Open Innovation Forum, Yili has a unique opportunity to collaborate with industry experts and world-leading academics, gaining access to the latest industry insights, tools and techniques. IfM’s Open Innovation Forum also provides a platform for collaboration opportunities among companies at full range of activities in the food, beverage and FMCG value chains. The Forum helps members to combine their internal thinking with external insights, ideas and paths to market, and strengthens Yili’s membership in the Corporate Venturing Leadership Forum originating from the Cambridge ecosystem as well. Through these exciting collaborations, Yili gains access to a very large ecosystem of innovative agricultural and healthy food start-ups to help overcome future challenges faced by the industry, including challenges emerging in the next decade and beyond. This will result in new win-win collaborations, such as proof of concept projects to deliver holistic solutions. Yili will be a catalyst in enabling start-ups to get access to the fast-growing […]

Startup accelerator program to promote decarbonisation

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) are pleased to announce a new startup accelerator program designed to promote efforts to decarbonise. MC and NYK will team up with Startupbootcamp Australia (SBC Australia), a branch of one of the largest Europe-origin accelerators Startupbootcamp Group. SBC Australia specialises in energy-related acceleration and has a proven track record. This program aims to scout and support promising startups with disruptive technologies and business ideas to solve problems in the energy and resource sectors. Separately, MC and NYK have already collaborated with various startups that are invested in decarbonisation, however, their new program will provide them with a joint platform to research the latest trends in decarbonisation and opportunities to collaborate with emerging startups. The partners expect to run several program cycles to accelerate a significant number of startups. As global efforts to decarbonise gain momentum, MC and NYK are demonstrating their commitment to the realisation of sustainable societies by applying their know-how in resources, energy and business development to support the swift growth of promising and unconventional startups in the energy sector.

Tremco CPG and USL Group announce collaboration in Asia Pacific

On 1st June 2021, Tremco Construction Products Group (CPG) Asia Pacific (APAC), already home to nine distinguished construction brands across different product offerings, began supplying USL Group brands in the Asia Pacific region. The USL portfolio will be integrated into Tremco CPG for the Asia Pacific region under the leadership of Dr. Abu Saleh Mohammod, business development director of the Infrastructure segment, who will drive the growth of complimentary USL Group product brands including solutions from Matacryl, Pitchmastic PmB, Nufins, PDS and Prime Resins. The route-to-market collaboration will see USL Group’s range of bridge deck waterproofing, drainage, movement control technologies and construction chemicals marketed by Tremco CPG APAC, effectively solidifying Tremco CPG’s position as a one-stop solution provider of construction products. “This partnership offers significant value to our customers and stakeholders and unlocks new business opportunities for Tremco CPG APAC, especially within the infrastructure sector,” explained Saleh. USL Group is a leader in the structural protection and movement control construction landscape. Established in 1981, USL Group manufactures, supplies, and installs a wide range of specialist construction products across the globe. USL Group’s expertise in infrastructure and civil engineering, coupled with its strong presence in distribution channels and innovative specialty coatings, allow them to deliver superior and efficient engineering solutions. The addition of USL Group brand’s diverse and high-quality range of products is timely, and the newly formed symbiotic relationship will strengthen the expansion of the infrastructure segment while complementing Tremco CPG’s singular streamlined approach for architects, developers, and contractors. Saleh added, “Together, our powerhouse of brands and strategic technologies will cover many aspects of a construction project, so we look forward to this exciting new chapter ahead of us as we build a joint successful future.”

New possibilities with LifecycleIQ Services

To help companies innovate faster and improve efficiencies during the age of digitalisation, Rockwell Automation is evolving its service and solutions capabilities and launching a new brand: LifecycleIQ Services. The new brand represents the expanding ways that customers can engage with Rockwell Automation technology and highly trained professionals to improve their performance and reimagine what’s possible across their industrial value chain. LifecycleIQ Services provide the transformative partnership that customers need and expect today. By combining digital technologies with expansive human know-how, the services help companies work faster, smarter and with greater agility at every point in their business cycle. The services can help companies realise the power of a Connected Enterprise during the design, operations, and maintenance stages in greenfield and brownfield facilities. “LifecycleIQ Services create a more intimate customer engagement model, one that can help companies not only solve problems, but also see new possibilities in production and transform them into reality,” said Frank Kulaszewicz, senior vice president, Lifecycle Services at Rockwell Automation. “We’re investing in providing a wide range of holistic services to help companies be more productive, safe and secure anywhere in a product, process or plant lifecycle.” One challenge faced by many industrial players in Asia-Pacific is how to adopt smart manufacturing technology quickly whilst seamlessly integrating legacy equipment and machinery. LifeCycleIQ Services help to address this unmet need holistically, enabling enterprises to be future-ready by incorporating agility and flexibility in both infrastructure and processes. Driving efficiencies also continues to be increasingly important to businesses across every sector in the region, with growing attention on sustainable operations. LifeCycleIQ Servicesnenables customers to better plan and service every aspect of the plant, from design to safe operations, enabling reduced energy usage, minimised wastage, and maximised output. Industrial companies can use LifecycleIQ Services to achieve outcomes like:Capturing more value […]

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Cintoo Cloud makes work more efficient

Cintoo Cloud continues to bridge the gap between Reality Capture and Digital Twins as it hits one million laser scans uploaded to its platform, demonstrating the demand from businesses for cloud-based technology to drive more efficient and collaborative ways of working. Industry 4.0 organisations are recognising the time, resource and cost savings to be gained by basing their Digital Twins of existing assets on meaningful, trustful Reality Capture data, which they can glean from the platform by uploading their laser scan data and BIM and CAD models. With a client base spanning utilities, oil and gas, energy, automotive, water treatment, food and beverage, construction, engineering, architecture and cultural heritage, the platform’s 12,000 users have uploaded more than 10,000 BIM models and 200 million square metres of laser scans – the equivalent of twice the surface area of Paris – to Cintoo Cloud. Companies are also leveraging their Reality Capture data in the platform for QA/QC and construction progress monitoring, scan-to-BIM, asset management, retrofits, predictive maintenance, decommissioning and much more. A SaaS platform, Cintoo Cloud turns massive laser scan data into cloud and BIM compatible Reality Data that can be shared, viewed, annotated, measured or distributed for collaborative Scan-to-BIM and Scan-to-CAD workflows. It also enables asset management and as-built versus model comparisons. The platform leverages a unique point cloud-to-mesh technology, allowing for fast streaming of high-resolution, mesh-based scan data in a web browser with no plug-in to install. Leveraging Cintoo SDK and APIs, mesh-based streaming can also be used to build VR and AR apps, mixing scans and BIM or CAD in the Unreal and Unity platforms. The platform has rapidly growing audiences in North America, Europe and Australasia, and is being used to host and manage the laser scan data of teams working on a diverse range of projects such as automotive factories in Detroit, Michigan; North Sea oil rigs; the renovation of the Howard Middle School in Atlanta – Martin Luther King Jr’s former school; and cultural heritage sites such as the ancient city of Volterra in Italy. Cintoo US CEO, Dominique Pouliquen, commented: “We only launched Cintoo Cloud two years ago and it has quickly become a must-have […]

Hexagon and Plex Systems to deliver smart manufacturing solutions

The new partnership will provide manufacturers a path to greater automation and Industry 4.0 adoption. Hexagon, a global leader in sensor, software, and autonomous technologies, and Plex Systems, the leader in cloud-delivered smart manufacturing solutions, today announced a new strategic partnership. The global partnership will enable Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division and Plex to co-sell Plex MES to Hexagon manufacturing customers, helping them to take control of the plant floor through full visibility and connectivity and realize the promise of Industry 4.0. “There’s no question that more connected, data-driven approaches to manufacturing are central to bringing better products to market faster and more cost-effectively with confidence.” said Paolo Guglielmini, president of the Manufacturing Intelligence division at Hexagon. “Plex brings valuable experience to our customers, and its impressive open MES solution augments our technologies offering a path to ramp up shop floor efficiency by bringing together data from siloed processes to solve manufacturing problems faster and more collaboratively.” Hexagon and Plex share a common vision for smart manufacturing, offering manufacturers an incremental path to achieve greater automation and Industry 4.0 adoption. Using Plex’s robust Manufacturing Execution System (MES) with integrated quality control, Hexagon customers will be able to augment their workflows by streaming quality measurements, engineering data and other manufacturing information into Plex’s MES creating a digital system of record in real-time. Manufacturers will benefit from enhanced visibility and control over their inventory and manufacturing processes, while gaining deeper insight, traceability and opportunities for continuous innovation by combining Plex and Hexagon’s digital solutions. “We are thrilled to partner with Hexagon, an organisation that is just as dedicated to delivering smart manufacturing solutions as we are and with a global scale,” said Bill Berutti, CEO at Plex. “Smart manufacturing isn’t something that will happen years down the road … it’s real, it’s imperative and it’s happening now.” Hexagon and […]

Launch of new startup accelerator program to promote decarbonisation

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