Revolutionize Your Business Plan: How Ai is Making Entrepreneurship Easier

In today’s fast-paced business world, writing a comprehensive business plan can feel overwhelming for entrepreneurs. However, with the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), this process is becoming more efficient and accessible. This guide shows how to use AI tools to create a business plan for your idea.

Think of AI as your digital assistant, speeding up the first draft so you have more time to make it better. AI gives you a structure, but your own ideas and understanding of your business makes the plan unique.

Embrace AI in Business Planning – Before you begin, you should know what goes into a business plan: a summary of your business, details about your company and offerings, and information about your market and competitors. You may also consider creating plans for your business sales, management, operations, and finances.

Gather all your business details first. This makes it easier for AI to help you turn them into a plan.

Feeding Information to AI – Start by providing a general overview of your business, including its name, target market, products or services, and financial projections. GoDaddy is sharing a prompt template below that can be used to provide information:

“I’m developing a business plan for my company, [company name], a [industry] startup offering [product/service]. Please accept the information below about my company as a basis for developing a strong business plan.”

Creating Sections with AI Help – Breaking your business plan into sections and using specific prompts for each can streamline the process. AI can generate initial drafts for each part, which you can then review and edit. Here are some prompts to help guide you:

1. Summary and Company Description:
– “As a successful entrepreneur and seasoned strategist, draft an enticing executive summary and company description for [company name] in the [industry] sector.”
2. Products and Services:
– “As an innovative product developer, provide a comprehensive description of [product/service] offered by my company.”
3. Market Analysis:
– “As a market analyst, outline a detailed market analysis for [company name].”
4. Competitive Analysis:
– “Compile a concise competitive analysis for [company name], highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of key competitors.”
5. Marketing and Sales Plan:
– “Create a thorough sales and marketing plan for [company name], including a detailed growth strategy.”
6. Value Proposition:
– “Assume the perspective of a potential customer and identify the unique selling proposition of [company name].”
7. Ownership and Management Plan:
– “Outline the optimal structure, ownership, and management roles for [company name].”
8. Operating Plan:
“Craft an efficient operating plan for [company name], detailing infrastructure and risk management.”
9. Financial Plan:
“Develop a comprehensive financial overview and funding request for [company name], including income statements and sales forecasts.”
10. Extra Information:
This is where you can add any extra details like research or visuals.

Finalizing Your Plan – Once you have drafts for each part, it’s time to make it all fit together nicely. Your business plan should clearly show what your business is about and its path to success.

Getting Feedback from AI – After refining your draft, ask AI to check for any missing parts, mistakes or inconsistencies. This is a good time for AI to help create a summary, mission statement, vision, values, and value proposition to ensure alignment with your business goals.

Make a One-Page Plan – Lastly, create a simple one-page version of your business plan. It should include all the important points and be easy to understand. This step ensures clarity and focus, making it easier to communicate your business strategy to stakeholders. Remember, while AI helps a lot, it does not replace the ingenuity and oversight of human input to help ensure your unique business ideas are being reflected in your plan.

AI can be a helpful tool for creating and growing your business’ digital presence. With GoDaddy Airo, an AI powered experience, you can embrace AI to streamline your business planning and operations, allowing you more time to focus on turning your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Find out more how GoDaddy Airo can help your business idea get started online.

About GoDaddy   

GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services, and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo™, the company’s AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy’s expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

Issued on behalf of GoDaddy.
For more information, contact:
Fekra Communications
info@fekracomms.com

n-hop technologies Limited and OneAsia Network Limited Partner to Revolutionize Data Transfer and Networking Solutions

n-hop technologies Limited, a leader in telecommunications and computer networking innovations, and OneAsia Network Limited (OneAsia), the AI factory enabler with data centres across APAC, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on pioneering large data transfer solutions and AI Data Centre networking technologies.

This partnership establishes a strategic framework to integrate n-hop’s advanced BATS protocol technology into OneAsia’s operations. The collaboration aims to enhance data transmission reliability and optimize network performance across a wide range of applications. By leveraging the BATS technology, the two companies intend to develop robust solutions that boost data flow efficiency and responsiveness.

Invented by Professor Raymond Yeung of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and his collaborators, the BATS protocol is a groundbreaking & communication technology that has earned international recognition from IEEE and Exhibitions of Inventions (Geneva). It can greatly increase throughput and decrease latency of a communication network. Moreover, it can ensure smooth data transfer even under a high traffic environment.

Key Initiatives under the MOU:
1/Proof of Concept (POC) for Large Data Transfer:
A trial to prove the BATS protocol’s efficiency in transferring large data files between Hong Kong and other cities in Asia. This initiative will focus on improving reliability, performance, security, and bandwidth utilization. It will cover data-centre to data-centre, hybrid cloud set-up, edge datacentres to data-centre and many more.

2/SD-WAN Deployment Trials:
The integration of the BATS technology into OneAsia’s SD-WAN offerings will be explored to strengthen its market competitiveness and business value proposition.

3/High-Speed Networking for AI Data Centres:
n-hop will develop a BATS protocol chipset tailored for AI data centre networking. OneAsia will provide technical input to ensure that the solution can meet the ultra-high-speed requirements.

Both companies will also assess commercial models for integrating and licensing the BATS technology within OneAsia’s business framework.

Stephen Ho, Co-Founder and CEO of n-hop technologies Limited, stated, “This partnership is a pivotal step toward enhancing data transfer capabilities, especially as AI-generated data volumes continue to grow. By combining our innovative BATS protocol with OneAsia’s extensive infrastructure, we aim to redefine data delivery standards and network efficiency.”

Charles Lee, Founder and CEO of OneAsia, added, “We are thrilled to join forces with n-hop technologies to enhance our AI connectivity offerings. OneAsia has demonstrated proven expertise in end-to-end AI infrastructure deployment, and we are confident that integrating the BATS technology into our portfolio will accelerate large data transfers and bolster the AI ecosystem within and beyond Hong Kong.”

For media inquiries or more information, please contact:
Ms. Venie Lo, n-hop representative, venie.lo@n-hop.com
Ms. Sharon Chiang, Head of Marketing, sharonchiang@legangroup.com

About n-hop technologies Limited
n-hop technologies is dedicated to designing, implementing, and selling cutting-edge software solutions for the telecommunications and computer networking industry.

About OneAsia Network Limited
Established in 2009, nowadays OneAsia is a leading AI factory enabler offering a full range of infrastructure & management, neutral network & storage, GPU cloud, AI applications and AIDC colocation. The Company operates top-tier rated AI-ready data centres across Asia, including Greater China, Thailand, Japan and South Korea. The company has been involved in projects like designing and building supercomputing centres, liquid cooling systems, AIOps & MLOps for AI deployment & training. For more information, please visit www.oneas1a.com

Accurate Background Appoints Mark Thompson Managing Director, Australia and APAC

Accurate Background, the world’s largest independent provider of compliant background checks and monitoring solutions, announced it has strengthened its global leadership team with the appointment of Mark Thompson, Managing Director, Australia and Asia Pacific region (APAC). In support of Accurate’s vision to make every hire the start of a success story, Mark will lead Accurate’s growth teams in the region. Mark’s experience in building high-performance teams, driving enterprise sales and client retention, and leveraging data-driven strategies aligns with Accurate’s goals to rapidly expand in the APAC region. Reporting to Dan Shoemaker, Chief Revenue Officer, Mark will spearhead the development and execution of sales strategies to drive market share, client growth, and regional innovation.

“I am thrilled to welcome Mark to the Accurate team and am confident he will make an immediate impact on our growth in the region,” said Dan Shoemaker. “Mark brings extensive experience not only growing businesses but also delivering a high standard of customer experience that is a hallmark of Accurate throughout the world.”

Mark joins Accurate with over two decades of strategic sales and marketing leadership in B2B markets. With a proven track record in revenue growth, team leadership, and market expansion, Mark successfully led sales and marketing initiatives across industries including background screening, financial services, and data solutions.

“I’m honored to join Accurate Background at such an exciting time in the region. Employment screening plays a vital role in building trust and ensuring workplace integrity, and I look forward to collaborating with our talented team to deliver exceptional service and innovative solutions to our clients,” said Mark Thompson. “With Accurate’s strong global foundation, I believe we are uniquely positioned to expand our impact and support government and businesses across the region in navigating an evolving employment landscape.”

Accurate’s recent launch of Accel, a next-generation platform that is 100% Australia-hosted, marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing market-leading capabilities for local organizations.

About Accurate Background
Our vision is to make every hire the start of a success story. As a trusted provider of employment background screening and workforce monitoring services, Accurate Background gives companies of all sizes the confidence to make smarter, unbiased hiring decisions at the speed of demand.

Experience a new standard of support with a dedicated team, comprehensive technology and insight, and the most extensive coverage and search options to advance your business while keeping your brand and people safe. To learn more, visit accurate.com.

Media Contact
Media@Accurate.com

SOURCE: Accurate Background LLC

Business of IP Asia Forum and Entrepreneur Day Unlock IP and Innovation Potential

  • The two events promote Hong Kong’s position as a leading regional IP trading centre and an international innovation and technology hub

– BIP Asia Forum welcomed over 3,000 participants
– E-Day attracted around 11,800 visits, facilitated over 230 business matching meetings and created business opportunities for participants
– IP financing as a growth engine should not be overlooked according to an IP valuation expert at BIP Asia Forum. IP valuers are subjected to professional scrutiny and need to do an inordinate amount of background research in order to put the information into a sensible IP context
– Connecting start-ups from across the globe, E-Day reflects Hong Kong’s growing role as a global innovation hub. Over the years, Hong Kong has introduced significant policies to support innovation and technology, especially with more proactive measures to drive university research translation and industry-academia collaboration

The two-day Business of IP Asia Forum (BIP Asia Forum), jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government) and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and held concurrently with Entrepreneur Day (E-Day), hosted by the HKTDC, concluded successfully on Friday 6 December. The two events brought together more than 160 intellectual property (IP) experts and business leaders from around the world to explore the potential of IP, promote business innovation and growth, and drive high-quality economic development. Taking place on 5 and 6 December, BIP Asia Forum and E-Day reinforced Hong Kong’s position as a leading regional IP trading centre and an international innovation and technology hub.

The two events featured a mix of forums, exhibitions, competitions, workshops, and business matching meetings. More than 400 exhibitors from various sectors, including IP and innovation and technology, participated in the two events to capture business opportunities and gain insights into the latest IP and innovation trends.

This year, BIP Asia Forum welcomed over 3,000 participants, while E-Day attracted around 11,800 visits and facilitated over 230 business matching meetings, creating business opportunities and fostering expansion for participants.

This year’s BIP Asia Forum, themed “Reimagining IP for Impact and Growth”, featured a Policy Dialogue on the opening day, where international IP experts and representatives from multinational organisations shared insights on the flourishing and newest developments in the IP world.

Cultural and creative IP unleashes huge potential
The HKSAR’s 2024 Policy Address emphasised strengthening Hong Kong’s position as an IP trading centre, promoting cross-sectoral exchange, and encouraging more local and international cultural and creative products to be registered on the Asia IP Exchange Portal. The HKSAR Government also recently published the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development, highlighting the significant potential of cultural and creative IP.

The HKTDC continues to be active in promoting cultural and creative IP resources from Hong Kong and overseas to facilitate industry exchange and collaboration. In addition to the annual BIP Asia Forum, the HKTDC leverages physical trading platforms such as the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market to actively promote the development and trading of cultural and creative products, inviting various IP experts to share practical case studies and opportunities.

Cultural and creative industries encompass various sectors, including film and television entertainment and music and arts. Jake Hwang, Chief Manager, Story IP Business at Kakao Entertainment Corp, renowned for his experience with popular web novels and comics IP projects such as What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Business Proposal, and Run On, shared insights on IP related to popular Korean dramas, webcomics, and web novels at the forum. He said: “In terms of creating original IPs and where we invest our money, we don’t see things in short-term income.  We are trying to see things on a more long-term basis, because we don’t know which IPs will be successful. But we keep trying to produce new IPs every day. We also try to meet with global partners as much as possible. It could be physical productions, over-the-top platforms, or independent producers, just to open potential and discuss freely.”

In today’s competitive business landscape, leveraging IP has become essential for driving innovation, building brand value, and creating new revenue streams. Many international brand leaders agree that IP plays a crucial role in developing strategies for sustainable growth and expanding into new areas.  Dr Na Wei, Senior Director of IP Licensing at Xiaomi, believes in the importance of collaboration between different IP owners. “One smartphone may contain more than 200,000 patents. It’s not something that one company can do on its own, so that’s why collaboration is very necessary. We need to work with many other patent owners on acquiring or securing their licenses, and we also license our own patents to them. It’s in that way that these kind of high-density patent products can be made possible.

Among the various areas of IP, one area with growth potential is IP financing, where businesses can use their intangible assets as collateral to secure funding without diluting equity. This means that an IP portfolio facilitates access to capital but also enhances a company’s valuation significantly. Martin Brassell, Co-founder and CEO at Inngot Limited said: “As valuers, we have to exercise our professional judgement, subject the inputs that we’re given to professional scrutiny, and do an inordinate amount of background research in order to put the information we’re being given into a sensible, commercial, and, if necessary, IP landscape context. That’s really where the hard yards are.”

This year’s Innovation & IP Market, themed “Smart City Innovation”, showcased over 20 innovative projects in areas such as smart city technology, digital business, smart living, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, and transportation. Xu Song, Deputy Director, Science & Technology Innovation Division of the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen said: “The Business of IP Asia Forum provided an excellent platform for exploring business opportunities and networking. The Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen gathered enterprises and institutions in the field of intellectual property and joined the forum. They received enquiries from over 40 renowned IP organisation and technology companies from various countries and regions regarding policies and measures for establishing operations in Qianhai. This helps enterprises in both ‘going global’ and ‘attracting foreign investment’.”

E-Day promotes exchange and uncovers new opportunities
The HKTDC E-Day also concluded on Friday. Themed “Where Start-up Dreams Take Flight”, this year’s E-Day showcased over 340 start-ups, invention projects, and support services from 13 countries and regions, and invited more than 60 industry leaders to participate in business matching meetings and networking events.

Hong Kong start-up Lacess Limited participated in E-Day for the first-time, showcasing sustainable footwear made from upcycled farm waste, factory waste, recycled plastic, and other innovative materials. Natalie Chow, CEO & Co-founder of Lacess Limited said: “As a start-up, we know the power of making connections to drive growth. Entrepreneur Day was an incredible opportunity to meet like-minded innovators, exchange ideas, and explore collaborations that could help us expand into new markets. It’s been inspiring to see how global businesses can come together to create meaningful change.

The Thailand pavilion, organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, participated in E-Day for the first time, showcasing 10 key start-ups from Thailand. Pannakarn Jiamsuchon, Thai Trade Commissioner & Consul (Commercial) said: “HKTDC’s E-Day provided a perfect platform for Thailand to shine. Our participation at E-day not only promoted the Thai start-up sector but also drew global investors into the market, creating a win-win situation for the international business community.”

The Australian pavilion, led by Investment New South Wales (NSW), took part in E-Day for the second consecutive year, and showcased nine start-ups specialising in health tech, green tech, smart city solutions and other related technologies. A representative from the Australian pavilion said they wanted to take advantage of E-Day to introduce New South Wales’ start-ups to overseas markets.

Start-up Express International leads top start-ups to explore Greater Bay Area opportunities
Now in its third edition, Start-up Express International continues to support global start-ups in establishing a presence in Hong Kong and expanding into regional markets. The programme is supported by global partners worldwide, and 10 winning global start-ups were selected last month. The winning start-ups attended the “Start-up Express International – Meet the Global Winners” session during E-Day to share their entrepreneurial experiences and network with each other.

Jimmy Ng, Investment Director at Gobi Partners, said: “It’s amazing to see Start-up Express International connecting top start-ups from across the globe further reflecting Hong Kong’s growing role as a global innovation hub. Over the years, Hong Kong has introduced significant policies to support innovation and technology, especially with more proactive measures to drive university research translation and industry-academia collaboration.  These efforts, combined with initiatives to boost start-up funding and private investment, are creating a strong ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into impactful businesses.”

[Replay of BIP Asia Forum event, including highlights of the exhibition and forums, will be available from 7 December 2024 to 6 January 2025. Replay of E-Day event will be uploaded after 7 January 2025.]

BIP Asia Forum website: https://bipasia.hktdc.com/en/
E-Day website: https://eday.hktdc.com/en
Start-up Express International website: https://portal.hktdc.com/startupexpress/en/s/start-up-express-international

Photo Download: https://bit.ly/3ZDjnnz

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Media enquiries
For enquiries, please contact:
Burson:

Wing Chan             Tel: (852) 9518 4326   Email: wing.chan@hillandknowlton.com
Rachel Zhu             Tel: (852) 6816 5846   Email: rachel.zhu@hillandknowlton.com

HKTDC’s Communication & Public Affairs Department:

Katy Wong            Tel: (852) 2584 4524   Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Jane Cheung          Tel: (852) 2584 4137    Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.org

HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

About the HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong ’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitionsconferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly SMEs, in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publicationsresearch reports and digital news channels.

HKTDC and Hang Seng Bank’s InnoClub Recognises and Supports Outstanding GBA Start-ups

  • Promoting Innovation in GreenTech, Smart Catering, and Digital Marketing

InnoClub, a platform co-created by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Hang Seng Bank supporting start-ups and SMEs in Hong Kong and the wider Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), today announced the winners of its second annual InnoClub Awards.

Green technology company Zence Object Technology, smart catering solutions provider Wada FoodTech, and digital marketing firm GoGoChart have been recognised for their ground-breaking achievements in sustainability, digital transformation of traditional industries, and innovative marketing strategies, respectively, with the awards given yesterday on the first day  of HKTDC’s Entrepreneur Day 2024.

Established in 2021, InnoClub has supported more than 1,400 start-ups and SMEs in Hong Kong and the GBA with their digital transformation and competitiveness, while promoting Hong Kong’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovation and technology (I&T) development. Aside from business matching, InnoClub organises gatherings, seminars and GBA delegations to facilitate the exchange of ideas and collaboration among its members. Coinciding with the platform’s third anniversary, the Awards recognise the achievements of InnoClub members.

Stephen Liang, Assistant Executive Director of HKTDC, said: “I am pleased to see InnoClub membership continuing to grow to some 1,400 corporate members in just three years. Like any good association, the more members InnoClub has, the more value it can provide by bringing together like-minded entrepreneurs to share insights and experiences on the common challenges and opportunities they face. We will continue to organise gatherings, such as our Solution Days and GBA missions, to help SMEs and start-ups grow and prosper.”

Alex Wong, Managing Director, Head of Business Banking of Hang Seng Bank, said: “Hang Seng Bank with its deep local roots and strong network in the Greater Bay Area, offers market expertise and best-in-class banking services to support start-ups and SMEs. I look forward to continuing our strategic partnership with HKTDC to ensure InnoClub grows from strength to strength, creating more opportunities for everyone.”

Greater Bay Area Innovating the Future
Taking home the InnoClub GBA Innovator Award was start-up Zence Object Technology in recognition of its significant contributions to I&T in the GBA, developing new and innovative products, services or technologies and positively impacting the region.

Founded in 2020, Zence Object Technology tackles agricultural waste and carbon emissions by converting waste into commercially viable and innovative eco-friendly bio-based materials, advancing global sustainability goals. Given the immense volume of global organic waste, enhanced waste processing plays a crucial role in carbon reduction, creating a rapidly expanding market.

In a process that fully utilising used tea leaves, Zence Object Technology transformed this waste organic material into a completely biodegradable tea-based paper, boards, and plastics suitable for consumer product packaging and construction with a focus on the Greater Bay Area due to its substantial market and mature supply chain, primarily serving chain restaurants and hotels. Through continuous innovation, Zence Object Technology has expanded beyond tea waste, achieving mass production in 2023 and completing construction of its own R&D and production facility this year.

Calvin Sio, Founder and CEO of Zence Object Technology, said: “Thanks to InnoClub’s network, we have been able to promote our business and connect with various stakeholders. Through continuous innovation, we are gradually expanding into other industries, providing eco-friendly solutions for a diverse customer base. We hope that with InnoClub’s continued support, we can broaden our reach within the GBA and expand to other regions, meeting global sustainability needs.”

Wada FoodTech is the recipient of the InnoClub Industry Impact Award, which recognises a start-up for its significant contributions to an industry through their innovations, demonstrating leadership, creativity and expertise in their field.

Wada FoodTech provides smart catering solutions and a logistics technology platform that optimises operational management for businesses across the entire supply chain, from central processing and warehousing to end-point retail stores. This digitised approach strengthens food safety controls and boosts efficiency. Focusing on Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan, Wada FoodTech leverages patented Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) cold-chain technology to build a decentralised food service platform, disrupting the traditional restaurant-centric model.

Jason Chen, Founder and CEO of Wada FoodTech, said: “We are grateful for InnoClub’s recognition of our innovative model, which we believe will become a new trend in the food and beverage industry. The sector currently faces challenges such as high inflation and low unit prices, necessitating cost structure optimisation. To help businesses navigate these difficulties, we have launched a subscription-based catering service platform that only charges platform fees, empowering businesses to expand. Thanks to InnoClub’s support, we plan to pursue other markets overseas.”

The prestigious InnoClub Rising Star Award recognises an up-and-coming start-up that has shown exceptional promise and the makings of a future leader in their field by demonstrating creativity, leadership and a commitment to innovation.

This was awarded to GoGoChart which specialises in mobile and digital marketing technologies, offering services such as paid advertising and App Store Optimisation (ASO) to enhance app rankings and visibility. Since its founding in 2016, GoGoChart has provided solutions for over 2,000 mobile apps and brands, serving businesses of all sizes across more than 60 countries and regions.

Initially focused on mobile gaming apps, GoGoChart has expanded into brand promotion and building long term partnerships with clients. The company has also developed its own Campaign Management Platform (CMP) and Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings, providing comprehensive mobile marketing solutions that allow clients to self-select services and reduce promotional costs.

Daniel Lo, Founder and CEO of GoGoChart, stated: “Our clients primarily come from four main sectors, namely finance, consumer brands, e-commerce, and gaming. Currently, in addition to actively assisting Hong Kong SMEs with their digital transformation, we intend to leverage the advantages of the GBA to expand globally, connecting with more potential clients through the extensive member and client networks of InnoClub and Hang Seng Bank.”

Photo Download: https://bit.ly/3VsKnDN

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Media Enquiries

Hill & Knowlton:

Wing ChanTel: (852) 9518 4326Email: wing.chan@hillandknowlton.com
Rachel Zhu            Tel: (852) 6816 5846Email: rachel.zhu@hillandknowlton.com   

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Katy WongTel: (852) 2584 4524Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Jane CheungTel: (852) 2584 4137 Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.org

Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitionsconferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publicationsresearch reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

About Hang Seng Bank
Founded in 1933, Hang Seng has continually innovated to provide best-in-class, customer-centric banking, investment and wealth management services for individuals and businesses. It is widely recognised as the leading domestic bank in Hong Kong, currently serving close to 4 million customers.

Combining its award-winning mobile app and strong digital capabilities with a vast network of 260 service outlets in Hong Kong, Hang Seng offers a seamless omni-channel experience for customers to take care of their banking and financial needs anytime, anywhere.

Its wholly owned subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited, operates a strategic network of outlets in almost 20 major cities in mainland China to serve a growing base of mainland customers locally and those with cross-boundary banking needs. The Bank also operates branches in Macau and Singapore, and a representative office in Taipei.

As a homegrown financial institution, Hang Seng is closely tied to the Hong Kong community. It supports the community with a dedicated programme of social and environmental initiatives focused on future skills for the younger generation, sustainable finance, and financial literacy, addressing climate change and caring for the community.

Hang Seng is a principal member of the HSBC Group, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. More information on Hang Seng is available at www.hangseng.com.

CleverTap Report: 46% of Product Managers Cite Resource Limitations as Top Barrier to App and Web Experimentation

CleverTap, the all-in-one engagement platform, has released its market research report on “The State of App and Web User Experience Optimization”. The report sheds light on how digital-first brands are leveraging experimentation and personalization on their apps and websites to drive customer engagement and business growth. It also highlights roadblocks faced by marketers and product managers while experimenting with the UI, workflows, and functionality across apps and websites.

For a thorough understanding of the current landscape, this report draws insights from a diverse group of respondents – with data gathered through structured surveys and in-depth interviews – representing organizations with over two million customers across 50+ countries. This includes VPs, CMOs, and product managers ranging from startups to large enterprises across various industries. – Together, they offer valuable insights into how businesses optimize app and web experiences to drive customer engagement and business growth.

While 95% of surveyed product managers and 88% of marketers believe that the right user experience is essential for driving customer engagement and retention — many report significant challenges to effectively experimenting with app and web user experiences. Despite recognizing its importance, they reported difficulties such as limited resources, data gaps, and technical constraints that hinder their ability to innovate and deliver impactful user experiences.

Other notable findings from the report include –

  • 81.9% of product managers rarely experiment with their app and web experiences before making changes to them. The top challenges quoted include lack of resources (46%), inadequate data and analytics (31%), and technical issues (19%)
  • 54% of product managers are unable to support marketers in experimenting with onboarding flows, banner placement, homepage content and other similar app and web experiences.
  • 81% of marketers believe it would make a significant impact if they could independently experiment with multiple variations of web and app experiences within a no-code framework provided by their product management function.

Commenting on the report, Jacob Joseph, Vice President – Data Science, CleverTap said, “With consumer expectations constantly rising, brands need to go beyond perfecting their channel strategies and also focus on enhancing the in-app and web experiences to drive results from their marketing efforts. Since all channels ultimately lead users to the app or website, an unsatisfactory experience there can render all your efforts ineffective and become a missed opportunity. Personalization and experimentation on apps and websites are critical to reducing churn and driving growth, yet resource constraints and data gaps hinder marketers and product managers. We are committed to helping businesses navigate these challenges with CleverTap’s Product Experiences, which offers effortless ways to personalize and experiment with app and web experiences driving stronger engagement and lasting brand loyalty.”

For more information and insights download the report here.

About CleverTap
CleverTap is the leading all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps brands unlock limitless customer lifetime value. CleverTap is trusted by over 2000 brands like Decathlon, Domino’s, Levis, Jio, Emirates NBD, Puma, Croma (A Tata Enterprise), Swiggy, SonyLIV, Axis Bank, AirAsia, TD Bank, Ooredoo, and Tesco to help build personalized experiences for all their customers. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ – the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering speed and cost efficiency at scale.

Backed by top-tier investors such as Accel, Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global, CDPQ and 360 One, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, with presence across Seattle, London, São Paulo, Bogota, Mexico, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Singapore, Vietnam, and Jakarta.

For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow us on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clevertap/
X: https://twitter.com/CleverTap

Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap’s belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release.

Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction.

For more information:
SONY SHETTY
Director, Communications, CleverTap
+91 9820900036
sony@clevertap.com

ASHMIT CHAUDHARY
Associate Consultant, Archetype
+91 8850752121
ashmit.chaudhary@archetype.co

Dmall Inc. Announces Proposed Listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange

  • Offer Price is HK$30.21 per Share
  • To Raise Proceeds Up to HK$ 779 Million

China’s largest retail digitalization solution provider– Dmall Inc. (Dmall or the Company, HKG: 2586), today announced the proposed listing of its shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Hong Kong Stock Exchange).

Dmall plans to offer 25,774,000 Shares (subject to the over-allotment option), of which 23,196,600 Shares will be International Offer Shares (subject to reallocation and the over-allotment option), representing approximately 90% of the initial offer shares; the remaining 2,577,400 Shares will be Hong Kong Offer Shares (subject to reallocation), representing approximately 10% of the initial offer shares. The Offer Price is HK$30.21 per Share, plus brokerage of 1.0%, SFC transaction levy of 0.0027%, Hong Kong Stock Exchange trading fee of 0.00565% and Accounting and Financial Reporting Council transaction levy of 0.00015% (payable in full on application in Hong Kong dollars and subject to refund).

Dmall will open for Hong Kong Public Offering in Hong Kong at 9 a.m., November 28, 2024 (Thursday), and close at 11:30 a.m., December 3, 2024 (Tuesday). Dealings in shares of Dmall on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is expected to commence on December 6, 2024 (Friday). The shares will be traded in board lot of 100 shares each. The Company’s stock code will be 02586.HK.

UBS Securities Hong Kong Limited, CMB International Capital Limited and China Merchants Securities (HK) Co., Limited are the Joint Sponsors. UBS AG Hong Kong Branch, CMB International Capital Limited, China Merchants Securities (HK) Co., Limited, CLSA Limited and China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited are the Joint Global Coordinators, Overall Coordinators, Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers.

After deducting the underwriting commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, with an Offer Price of HK$30.21 per Offer Share, the Company estimates that it will receive net proceeds of approximately HK$623.7 million from the Global Offering after deducting the underwriting commissions and fees, and other estimated expenses in connection with the Global Offering and assuming that the Over-allotment Option is not exercised. In line with Dmall’s strategies, the proceeds from the Global Offering are intended to be used for the following purposes and in the following amounts – approximately 42.1%, or HK$262.6 million, to develop new applications and new service modules; approximately 30.0%, or HK$187.1 million, for talent acquisition associated with the expansion of Dmall’s operations; approximately 10.0%, or HK$62.4 million, to selectively pursue strategic cooperation, investments and acquisitions that are complementary to its organic growth strategies, particularly those that can complement Dmall’s product offerings, strengthen its technology capabilities, and solidify its market position; approximately 7.9%, or HK$49.3 million, to expand its sales network and further strengthen its brand reputation; and approximately 10.0%, or HK$62.4 million, for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Dmall was founded in 2015, which provides retail digitalization solutions to retailers in the local retail industry. According to Frost & Sullivan, Dmall is the largest retail cloud solution provider in China by GMV, with a market share of 13.3% in 2023. The expansion has allowed the Company to become the largest retail cloud solution provider in Asia by GMV in 2023, occupied a market share of 10.9%, according to Frost & Sullivan.

As a leading retail digitalization solution provider in Asia, the broadest operational modules coverage enables Dmall to cover diverse customer base in the retail industry and thus obtain deep retail know-how, meet the needs of all major aspects of the retailer’s operations. Dmall served 444 customers in the six months ended June 30, 2024, such as Pangdonglai, Luosen (China), Dennis and Maidelong Entities, as well as well-known brands such as Wellcome, Mannings, Guardian, Giant and 7-Eleven (Hong Kong), which operate under the DFI Retail Group, demonstrating a widely validated operating model. The dollar-based net retention ratio was 184% in 2021, 158% in 2022, 117% in 2023 and 123% in the twelve months ended June 30, 2024, remaining robust at above 100%, which underscores Dmall’s ability to further increase customer spending.

Dmall has always attached importance to the value created for customers, “customer success” is the starting point of everything the Company does. Dmall has provided services to leading companies in different retail formats, and has successfully expanded its businesses markets outside of the Chinese mainland, comprising Hong Kong SAR, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Poland, Macau SAR, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei. In terms of income, the overseas income of the Company in 2023 has exceeded RMB100 million.

Dmall achieved strong revenue growth as its revenue grew by 56.6% from RMB848.2 million in 2021 to RMB1,328.3 million in 2022, and further increased by 19.4% to RMB1,585.4 million in 2023. Dmall’s revenue increased by 22.9% from RMB764.0 million in the six months ended June 30, 2023 to RMB939.2 million in the six months ended June 30, 2024. Dmall has also improved its gross margin during the Track Record Period. Dmall’s gross margins were 20.4%, 38.0%, 35.0%, 36.3% and 38.3% in the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022, 2023 and the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Mr. Zhang Feng, co-founder, executive Director and president of Dmall said, “We empower retailers to thrive in the digital era and are committed to becoming the world’s leading omnichannel retail digital solutions provider. We will uphold the values of “continuous innovation”, always strive, constantly strengthen and uphold our own technical barriers and optimize products and services, maintain core competitiveness, continue to provide customers with high-value services, and help customers’ business. We look forward to taking the listing as an opportunity to fully leverage our competitive advantages and utilize Hong Kong’s unique financing platform to further enhance our strengths and continue to create greater value for our shareholders and investors.”

Issued by Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group for and on behalf of Dmall Inc. For further information, please contact:

Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group

MS.Fung Kelly(852) 3150 6763kelly.fung@h-advisors.global
MS.Wang Evie(86) 135 2006 8960evie.wang@h-advisors.global

Niyo Doubles Click-Through Rates and Improves Customer Retention with CleverTap

Niyo, India’s leading fintech startup, teamed up with CleverTap, the all-in-one engagement platform, to improve customer experiences through personalized engagement and real-time interactions. Since its founding in 2015, Niyo has been revolutionizing financial services in India, particularly with its international travel cards and app-based financial services, catering to the evolving needs of its users.

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In its almost decade-long journey, Niyo recognized the challenges that modern Indian travellers face at every touchpoint while venturing abroad. It sought a feature-rich user engagement platform that would effectively deliver the right solutions to its customers and found the ideal partner in CleverTap. By leveraging CleverTap’s advanced automation tools, Niyo enhanced its onboarding processes, while ensuring compliance with regulations, and streamlining customer experiences. This collaboration empowered Niyo to reduce drop-offs during the customer journey, automate personalized messages, and re-engage dormant users.

By deploying CleverTap’s integrated platform, Niyo achieved:

・2x increase in click through rates, leveraging Clever.AI for emotionally intelligent content.
・40% optimized conversion rate through pinpoint targeting, ensuring personalized and relevant communication at every step.
・12% re-engagement of dormant users through targeted campaigns, highlighting Niyo’s success in winning back inactive customers.

Sushanth Ravikumar, SVP – Head of Marketing,  Niyo, said – “At Niyo, delivering a seamless and personalized experience for our customers is a top priority. CleverTap has been instrumental in elevating this experience. Its robust automation and communication tools have streamlined our onboarding process while maintaining compliance in the highly regulated sector. What started as a tool to streamline everyday operations has become a key force in helping us preserve customer trust, even during challenging times. Its ability to adapt to real-time shifts in customer engagement offers us a definitive edge in an ever-changing dynamic, solidifying our long-term confidence in the platform.”

Sidharth Pisharoti, Chief Revenue Officer, CleverTap, said – “We are excited to collaborate with Niyo as they continue to innovate in the travel fintech space. Through our partnership, we’ve been able to enhance Niyo’s customer engagement by focusing on delivering personalized and timely experiences. This has not only streamlined their processes but also improved customer satisfaction, particularly in key areas like onboarding and transaction management. We look forward to supporting Niyo as they scale and evolve their offerings in this dynamic market.”

About Niyo 
Niyo is India’s leading banking fintech that has revolutionized “travel banking” for Indians. The company was co-founded by banking veteran Vinay Bagri (currently, CEO) and technology veteran Virender Bisht (currently, CTO) in 2015. Niyo offers zero forex debit and credit cards, which provides the best banking experience and value for international travellers. This unique solution was invented by Niyo in 2015 and has helped over 2 million Indians by saving more up to 5% on their international transactions with Zero Forex offering.  In this last Series-C round in 2022, Niyo raised $130 million, which was led by global VC and PE firms, Accel, Lightrock, and Multiples. Its other investors include Prime Venture Partners, Horizons Ventures, Tencent, JS Capital, Social Capital, and Beams Fintech Fund. Niyo operates out of a corporate office in Bengaluru and has a sales presence in more than 20 states and union territories.

Visit: GoNiyo.com

About CleverTap
CleverTap is the leading all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps brands unlock limitless customer lifetime value. CleverTap is trusted by over 2000 brands like Decathlon, Domino’s, Levis, Jio, Emirates NBD, Puma, Croma (A Tata Enterprise), Swiggy, SonyLIV, Axis Bank, AirAsia, TD Bank, Ooredoo, and Tesco, to help build personalized experiences for all their customers. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ – the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering speed and cost efficiency at scale.

Backed by top-tier investors such as Accel, Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global, CDPQ and 360 One, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, with presence across Seattle, London, São Paulo, Bogota, Mexico, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Singapore, Vietnam, and Jakarta.

For more information, visit CleverTap.com or follow us on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clevertap/  
X: https://twitter.com/CleverTap  

Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap’s belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release.

Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction.

For more information:
SONY SHETTY
Director, Communications and CSR, CleverTap
+91 9820900036
sony@clevertap.com  

ASHMIT CHAUDHARY
Associate Consultant, Archetype
+91 8850752121
ashmit.chaudhary@archetype.co 

GoKardz Launches Enterprise Module to Revolutionize Digital Business Card Management Empowering Businesses with Comprehensive Digital Networking Solutions

GoKardz, a trailblazing platform in digital business networking, proudly announces the launch of its Enterprise Module, an innovative solution designed to empower companies to create their company pages, onboard employees seamlessly, and maximize the potential of digital business cards. This addition merges traditional networking with advanced digital solutions to enhance connectivity and maintain brand identity, all while giving companies full control over their organizational presence.

Enterprise Solutions for Modern Businesses

With GoKardz’s Enterprise Module, companies can create customized company profiles and onboard employees effortlessly, equipping them with unique and customizable digital business cards that reinforce their brand identity. Employers gain full control over onboarding, ensuring a smooth, centralized process that guarantees all employees are equipped and up-to-date.

Beyond individual digital business cards, businesses can now:

  • Promote Products and Services: Increase brand exposure and engagement through GoKardz’s marketplace, showcasing offerings for maximum visibility.
  • Advertise Open Positions: Post full-time, contractual, or freelance job opportunities, attracting top talent to meet business needs.
  • Leverage Analytics: Gain actionable insights into visitor interactions, such as views of employee cards and clicks on links (e.g., website, email, phone), analytics that were previously impossible with traditional paper business cards.
  • Reallocate Cards: Seamlessly transfer cards to new employees during transitions, maintaining continuity without any gaps in information.

Seamless Digital Experience

The platform’s intuitive interface ensures companies can manage their digital assets and branding consistently across the organization. Employees can easily share their digital business cards through QR codes, NFC technology, Apple Wallets, and other methods, facilitating instant, scalable sharing while reducing environmental impact from traditional business cards.

A Sustainable and Data-Driven Approach to Networking

As businesses increasingly turn to digital solutions, GoKardz leads the way in aligning technological innovation with environmental responsibility. By embracing digital business cards, companies not only improve their networking efficiency but also take a step towards sustainability. The analytics tools further support data-driven decision-making, empowering businesses to refine their outreach strategies based on real-time engagement metrics.

A Word from Our Leaders

Amaresh, Co-Founder of GoKardz, shared his vision:“At GoKardz, we’re committed to redefining professional networking with sustainable, data-driven solutions. Our enterprise tools help businesses modernize, reduce their environmental footprint, and optimize outreach strategies for greater impact.”

Kuber Ventures, the venture studio that invested in GoKardz, emphasized:“Our investment in GoKardz stems from its ability to address a key gap in digital networking. The new Enterprise Module amplifies this vision by providing companies with innovative and efficient solutions that foster sustainable business growth.”

With GoKardz, companies can confidently modernize their approach to networking, reduce their environmental impact, and gain valuable insights previously lost with traditional methods.

GoKardz is available on iOS and Android, ready to transform the way professionals and businesses network and grow.

For more information, visit www.gokardz.com
Media Contact: komal@mianext.com 

GoDaddy’s Airo solution is helping Asian entrepreneurs save time

For small businesses, every second saved and money spent can be the difference between surviving and thriving. GoDaddy recently found that 92% of small business owners surveyed globally view implementing AI in their businesses would yield in a positive impact to their bottom line.

However, they have challenges when it comes to getting started. The top three reasons reported globally for not implementing AI are a lack of awareness of available solutions (49%), potential costs (48%), lack of understanding of the benefits (43%), and lack of time to implement these tools (29%). To make using generative AI fast and easy, GoDaddy launched GoDaddy Airo™, an AI-powered experience designed to save small business owners precious time in establishing their online presence and attract new customers.

The Right Solution for Any Small Business

GoDaddy Airo™, available in English language, makes leveraging the power of AI easy for anyone wanting to start a business or take their existing one to the next level.

GoDaddy Airo™, using GoDaddy’s AI Domain Search tool, can recommend catchy domain names with just a description of their business. Within minutes of purchasing a domain from GoDaddy, GoDaddy Airo™ can instantly generate content for the business, including:

Unique, eye-catching logo designs that can be easily customized to fit the business.A fully built website, using GoDaddy’s Websites + Marketing, with a paid subscription, including imagery and content designed to help the business engage and attract customers.A professional email account, with a paid subscription, that strengthens the credibility and prestige of the business.By simply uploading a product photo, an auto-generated custom product description is created for an online store.Social media calendar with recommendations of when to ideally post.

GoDaddy Airo™ Is Always Evolving

GoDaddy Airo™ is live now for small businesses to take advantage of, and even more capabilities are coming.

“GoDaddy Airo™, as an AI powered experience, continuously evolves and improves ensuring that small businesses stay at the forefront of the latest technology,” said Selina Bieber, Vice President for International Markets at GoDaddy. ”GoDaddy empowers entrepreneurs with online tools and solutions that combines the latest AI technology with the ease of use we’re known for, helping small businesses drive growth and stay connected with their customers.”

For more information on how GoDaddy Airo can help your business visit GoDaddy’s website.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services, and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo™, the company’s AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy’s expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

Issued on behalf of GoDaddy. 

For more information, contact:
Fekra Communications
info@fekracomms.com