China Q4 2018

Startup China

4th quarter 2018 news

Made in China 2025: A look at how 5G could put China in charge of the wireless backbone // read it here
China: XinChao Media elevator TV ad firm backed to $302M in part by Baidu search giant // read it here
‘I wrote about Chinese oppression in a South African paper. Hours later, they cancelled my column.’ // read it here
How China’s AI exports seed high-tech surveillance far beyond the country’s borders // read it here
China tests technologies spanning AI, facial recognition and fingerprinting at border crossing of HK-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge // read it here
China: NextVPU AI and computer vision startup raises $28M from state-owned group // read it here
China: AEYE-GO secures investment for AI-driven self-checkout systems // read it here
Baidu, China’s Google clone, leads AI patent applications in China with 2368 filings // read it here
China: An intro to Deepwise, startup using AI to interpret medical imaging // read it here
China: An intro to Infervision, using AI in detecting cancer cells // read it here
China: Alibaba e-commerce giant registers new chip-making subsidiary, Pingtouge, in Shanghai // read it here
China: Yitu AI-powered facial recognition startup expands into speech recognition // read it here
China: 4Paradigm AI-driven firm secures $145M with corporate-focused data science software suite // read it here
China: Face++ AI facial recognition startup reportedly raising $500M at $3.5BN valuation // read it here
China: ByteDance to raise $1.45BN for venture fund focusing on AI and media content // read it here
An overview of China’s Didi Chuxing ride-hail app’s growth in Australia // read it here
A brief video look at Alibaba Cainiao Automated Warehouse, China’s largest // read it here
China: Full Truck Alliance ‘Uber for trucks’ reportedly heading for near $1BN funding // read it here
China: Momenta autonomous driving startup secures new funding, hits $1BN valuation // read it here
China: Watchdog works on online credit blacklist system to punish debt defaulters and ‘trouble-makers’ aiming for 2020 social credit rollout // read it here
China: TransWiseway transport system startup secures $103M with ‘internet of vehicles’ platform // read it here
On Bloomberg: The Chinese government’s plan to sideline bitcoin’s promise // read it here
China’s activists using blockchain to document MeToo stories // read it here
China now requires blockchain-based info service providers to register users’ real names, censor posts and store user data // read it here
China: Alibaba Cloud launches Blockchain-as-a-Service offering globally // read it here
China: 3 banks complete first trial payment on blockchain-based settlement system // read it here
China: An intro to the recently-announced Blockchain Test Zone in Hainan island’s Free Trade Zone // read it here
People’s Bank of China has registered 78 digital currency patents; 44 blockchain-related // read it here
China: Shenzhen tax bureau partners Tencent for blockchain invoice system via WeChat payment platform // read it here
7-Eleven partners WeChat Pay and Alipay for Canada-wide availability // read it here
Google CEO recently spoke for the first time about its censored China search engine, Project Dragonfly // read it here
China: Ucommune coworking space operator makes 5th acquisition this year in battle for China dominance with US rival WeWork // read it here
China: Atlas coworking startup secures funding on $871M valuation and rapid growth // read it here
China: Ucommune coworking giant raises further $200M, hitting valuation of $3BN // read it here
China: Cobo cryptocurrency wallet startup raises $13M to enter US and expand in SE Asia // read it here
China’s Huobi crypto exchange unveils expansion plans for Africa, Middle East and South Asia // read it here
China: Cobo cryptocurrency wallet startup gains $13M funding for international growth // read it here
People’s Bank of China central bank set to clamp down on airdrops, the free distribution of cryptocurrency tokens // read it here
China: 8th Global Public Blockchain Technology Assessment Index released // read it here
China: As cryptocurrency losses exceed $706BN, investors back off from blockchain and crypto startups // read it here
China: BOX cryptocurrency startup backed by Intel, Nasdaq for corporate supply chain financing services // read it here
China: Bitmain crypto mining firm partners state-run China Mobile for AI development // read it here
China’s Alipay partners HMSHost for seamless payments in airports across US and Canada // read it here
China’s JD e-tail giant partners Google for flagship online store in the US // read it here
Infographic: A quick breakdown of Alibaba Group’s US$12.4BN earnings in Q3 2018 // read it here
China: Alibaba launches low-cost smart screen for the visually-impaired // read it here
China’s Alibaba partners Rwanda for Electronic World Trade Platform // read it here
Alibaba’s Hema Supermarket set to have 100 stores running in China by year-end // read it here
China: An overview of Alibaba’s e-commerce marketplace stats for Q3 2018 // read it here
China: Baidu search giant to invest $140M in development of mini-program ecosystem // read it here
China: Mogu online e-tailer selling fashion and cosmetics aiming to raise $67M in US IPO // read it here
China: Starbucks partners Alibaba e-commerce giant to launch ‘virtual store’ // read it here
China: Online retail B2C market in Q3 2018 hit US$186BN in transactions // read it here
Video: Social commerce currently the most interesting segment in China market according to ZhenFund CEO // read it here
China: Fresh Buddy social e-commerce app and food delivery system secures $100M // read it here
China: Liulishuo English-learning app raises $72M in US IPO // read it here
China: Yuanfudao homework app secures $300M, hitting $3BN valuation // read it here
China: A look at Shenzhen city’s sustainability moves – 16000 e-buses and 13000 e-taxis by year-end // read it here
China’s Ant Financial takes $100M stake in Brazil’s StoneCo fintech // read it here
China: Ping An Insurance Group to deploy additional $100M from Ping An Global Voyager Fund, its first overseas $1BN fund, by year-end // read it here
China: Central bank warns that rejecting cash as a form of payment is illegal, following merchants going digital-only // read it here
An in-depth look at how China’s fintech firms are enacting a global coup // read it here
Earlier this year, China’s central bank warned merchants against refusing cash payments, concerned over financial stability in the face of mobile payments // read it here
China: WeChat Pay launches AI-based automatic scan-and-pay for parking at over 1000 shopping malls // read it here
JUST’s vegan mung bean egg set to enter Chinese market in 2019 // read it here
China: Online gaming market *decreased* to US$8.29BN in Q2 2018 // read it here
China: 4 ways Google’s Dragonfly will fuel authoritarianism and state surveillance // read it here
China: Jiangsu Province to issue electronic marriage licenses via Alipay // read it here
While tech giants debate the dangers of facial recognition, China forges ahead // read it here
China: Government announces its sat-nav system, Beidou, has achieved global coverage, removing reliance on US-led GPS // read it here
China: Yaoshibang pharmacy platform and app raises $133M // read it here
China: WuXi AppTec medical technology platform raises US$1BN in Hong Kong listing // read it here
China: WeChat-powered hotel lets guests check in, enter rooms and get breakfast using mobile phone // read it here
China: An overview of what’s wrong with Huawei, and why countries are banning the telecommunications firm // read it here
China: Tencent now using facial recognition to detect minors playing mobile game // read it here
Germany’s Munich Re reinsurance provider partners Plug and Play to engage with China’s up-and-coming insurtech startups // read it here
Sunshine Insurance Group partners Plug and Play China, aiming for insurtech startups // read it here
China: Terminus IoT solution provider secures $172M with 70 cities and 8000 projects // read it here
China: SummitView Capital partners Xuzhou City for $433M fund focusing on IoT and sensor industry growth // read it here
China: G7 IoT-based fleet management startup raises $320M backed by Tencent // read it here
China’s JD and Intel partner on Digitized Retail Joint Lab to explore use of Internet of Things in smart retail solutions // read it here
China: Authorities can now enter any internet services entity and copy information relevant to ‘cybersecurity’ // read it here
China: 36Kr tech-focused media firm establishes $144M venture capital fund // read it here
The globalization of Beijing’s media controls: Key trends from 2018 // read it here
A look inside China’s global propaganda campaign // read it here
China: Fuyoukache online truck logistics service provider raises $170M // read it here
China: Mobvista mobile advertising and analytics platform aiming for US$208M IPO via Hong Kong // read it here
China: An overview of the top mobile apps by total downloads and earnings in October 2018 // read it here
China: Baidu search engine giant unveils AI-powered camera tool aimed at detecting ocular disease // read it here
China: Scientists discovered to be losing track of gene-edited CRISPR patients // read it here
China: Finger music education platform lands $14M for offline market move // read it here
China: VIP Peilian online music education platform secures $150M // read it here
The comparative strengths and weaknesses of China’s Tencent Music and Sweden’s Spotify // read it here
China: A look at Qutoutiao news app, using a pay-the-user-to-read strategy which has so far drawn 20M daily readers // read it here
China: An intro to Makeblock, HAX accelerator graduate startup with robotics kits used by 6M users worldwide // read it here
China’s WeChat Pay to be payment option at 600 outlets in Singapore from November // read it here
China: A look at the ‘water army’ phenomenon – paid internet trolls who flood negative online reviews away for clients // read it here
China: An intro to Spacety microsatellites startup // read it here
China: 36kr tech media platform launches $144M VC fund aiming for integrated entrepreneur service ecosystem // read it here
Infographic: One minute in China’s tech scene // read it here
Changemakers For China launched by StartupBlink and Taovation, aiming for startup-enterprise relationships in China // read it here
China’s Gobi Partners VC firm commits to invest $50M in women-founded startups // read it here
China: New trading venue set for Shanghai to make it easier for high-tech companies to access funding // read it here
China: An intro to the 15 startups selected for the 2nd Ping An Cloud Accelerator program // read it here
China: Self-service ‘mini-gyms’ of 5 square metres emerging in major cities // read it here
Taiwan’s Foxconn planning $9BN China chip project in trade war adjustment // read it here
China: 656.88M search engine users as of June 2018, 637.4M via mobile devices – market expected to hit US$20BN // read it here
A list of the Fortune 500 companies currently doing business in China’s Xinjiang region // read it here
China: Shanghainese man sentenced to 3 years in prision for selling VPN service // read it here
China: In Q3 2018 Tencent platforms hit 7BN daily short-and-mini content video views // read it here
An overview of concerns around China’s tech moves in Africa – AI, facial recognition, surveillance // read it here
China: Alibaba speech recognition algorithm can now isolate voices within crowd noise // read it here
Is 2019 the year in which China buys its partners and expands into the West via ownership? // read it here
China: Baidu ‘mini programs’ reach 100M monthly active users since July launch in move following WeChat // read it here
A look at the frightening levels of citizen classification in China’s police databases // read it here
International Financial Corporation and China’s Ant Financial announce 10×1000 Tech for Inclusion program // read it here
China: Shenzhen government takes control of leading chip maker Tsinghua Unigroup // read it here
China: Royole rollable display maker hits $5BN valuation // read it here
China: Huawei to partner Audi for self-driving tech in cars made in China // read it here
China: WeChat had 61M elderly users (between 55 and 70) as at September 2018, near 20% of China’s elderly population // read it here
China: Royole display maker unveils first foldable smartphone, the FlexPai // read it here
China: Royole FlexPai foldable smartphone set to reach market in December, beating Samsung // read it here
Airbus China Innovation Centre and Royole flexible display startup partner around flexible electronic tech in aircraft development // read it here
China: Weibo monthly active user numbers grew to 446M in Q3 2018, 93% of traffic from mobile devices // read it here
China: Xiaomi’s smart speaker now has over 34M monthly active users // read it here
China: Zhejiang province to invest near $14BN in tech and medical innovation, with gov’t pushing financial institutions for additional $42BN // read it here
China: WeChat messaging giant adds Snap-like ‘Stories’ clone // read it here
China: An intro to Shiji, enterprize software firm already serving more than 47K hotels outside of China // read it here
China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen emerging as challengers to Silicon Valley // read it here
Huawei to invest $23M in OpenLab branches in India and Thailand over 3 years // read it here
China looks to private capital, open source tech for global tech advantages in low-profile adjustment to trade war woes // read it here
International cooperation on China’s state-run hacking likely to shape 2019 // read it here
China’s ZTE telecoms giant helping Venezuela build citizen monitoring system via ‘fatherland card’ ID // read it here
China: Tencent internet giant reportedly raising new VC fund of over $650M // read it here
China: Beijing’s Zhongguancun district unveils plan for $2.2BN support for early-stage tech projects // read it here
Matrix Partners China raises additional $77.9M for broad-focus 5th fund // read it here
Chinese VC’s search for ways to profit from foreign startups // read it here
China: An overview of ‘venture capital with Chinese characteristics’ // read it here
China: YunDing smart lock startup lands US$87M backing, in part from Baidu internet search giant // read it here
China: An intro to the country’s short video, gaming and e-commerce live streaming platforms // read it here
China: WeChat now hosts over 1M mini-apps, with 200M daily active users // read it here
The ultimate guide to WeChat Articles, provided by 31Ten (pdf) // read it here
India: China’s Xiaomi smartphone maker moves into money lending after dominating handset market // read it here
India: An overview of Huawei’s goals in IoT and smart cities tech with the OpenLabs initiative // read it here
India: Venture Catalysts early-stage investment firm launches incubation centre in partnership with ChinAccelerator // read it here
China’s Shunwei Capital raises $1.21BN fund, focusing on Indian investments from seed to C series // read it here
India: China’s Xiaomi launches Mi Pay beta with bank partnerships to take on Google Pay et al // read it here
India: China’s Xiaomi opens 500 bricks-and-mortar Mi Stores in one go // read it here
Indonesia: CashCash, Chinese fintech firm, gains funding while website and app await license to operate // read it here
Fintech MOUs form part of Singapore-China (Chongqing) Financial Summit aiming at financial connectivity along the Belt and Road // read it here
South Korea’s Hyundai to launch innovation centers in Silicon Valley and Shenzhen for startups in autonomous driving, AI and future tech // read it here