Applications for founders to join a five-day tour of China’s Zhejiang province, putting them in front of some of China’s most prominent innovators will close next week.
The delegation, organised by Melbourne investor Boman Group, includes meetings with execs from ecommerce giant Alibaba, robotics company Unitree Robotics and electric vehicle maker Geely, among others.
The trip departs June 1 and spans the cities of Hangzhou – home to the “six little dragons” (Game Science, DeepSeek, Unitree Robotics, DEEP Robotics, BrainCo and Manycore Tech) – and Taizhou, key innovation and manufacturing hubs.
Boman Group CEO Eric Gao said the trip is designed to help Australian founders forge direct connections with Chinese technology companies and gain first-hand exposure to one of the world’s largest tech markets, addressing a gap for founders looking to engage with China’s tech ecosystem.
“Founders have long made the journey to Silicon Valley to learn from the best and brightest in the US,” Gao said.
“This kind of opportunity didn’t exist for China until now. And we’re incredibly excited for what may come from it.”
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The program was developed in partnership with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Zhejiang Provincial Committee and the Australian Zhejiang Overseas Chinese Federation, and includes business forums such as the Taizhou Trade & Investment Promotion Conference.
Two-way exchange
Any founders keen to meet with specific companies or industries of interest have the chance to get tailored one-on-one meetings.
Gao said the exchange is intended to be two-way, with Chinese counterparts equally interested in what Australian founders are building.
“We’re helping bridge both the language and cultural barriers that can make it difficult for founders to run a trip like this on their own,” he said.
“This won’t be a one-way exchange either. We know our hosts abroad are incredibly interested and excited in Australian technology, and the solutions we’ve developed to solve issues unique to our region.”
Founders have to cover their own airfares, plus a delegation fee of $2,999 plus GST, covering on ground transportation, official meals, and accommodation.
Applications close April 25. Register your interest here.
