Led by Legend Capital, ClinBrain Completes Nearly CNY200 million Series C Round

Recently, the healthcare big data leader ClinBrain completed the Series C round of financing of nearly CNY200 million, led by Legend Capital. This round of financing will facilitate ClinBrain to continuously deepen its expertise in the field of healthcare big data, explore the deep integration of big data and AI in the healthcare industry, promote the R&D of underlying technologies and scenario-based applications, and accelerate the promotion of industrial digital and intelligent upgrading.

As a high-tech enterprise focusing on the healthcare big data intelligence platform, digitalized and intelligent application services, ClinBrain was shortlisted as the SDRI (specialized, refined, differential and innovative) “little giant” enterprise by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology this year.

At the beginning of its establishment in 2013, ClinBrain realized that healthcare, as a data-intensive and knowledge-intensive industry, is inseparable from the support of data, no matter in clinical services, operations management or medical research. ClinBrain has been committed to the direction of data governance and intelligent application of hospitals. By leveraging years of its industry experience and technical capabilities, the company has made breakthroughs in many fields, such as collecting data from hospital business systems without an interface, effectively identifying the data structure of complex business systems, effectively cleaning the business data of different versions and different manufacturers, forming effective and practical data quality rules to improve the data quality of hospitals, and conducting structured processing of unstructured data such as medical records and pathology. Moreover, with its powerful natural language processing (NLP) capabilities and robust rule and knowledge base, including more than 3900 data cleaning and quality rules embedded and tens of millions of medical concept term relationships accumulated, ClinBrain is also capable of automatically identifying the data structure of each version of more than 500 business manufacturers and realizing high-quality data cleaning and structured processing of unstructured data.

LIU Huanchun, Chairman of ClinBrain, said, “Under the complex and volatile economic background and the ongoing pandemic situation, the recognition by many investors has reflected the market position, technological level and value of ClinBrain. After this round of financing, ClinBrain will promote the company’s development to a new level by making further efforts in scientific and technological innovation and talent introduction.”

Raymond CHEN, Co-chief Investment Officer of Legend Capital, said, “Healthcare big data is a key driver of the digital and intelligent transformation of the pharmaceutical industry, which is in line with the long-term megatrend of new healthcare infrastructure. As a leading healthcare big data enterprise in China, ClinBrain provides full-link solutions from data governance to medical scenario applications based on its rich industrial theoretical knowledge and practical experience. We are optimistic that ClinBrain will create a new development form in healthcare big data by continuously expanding more products and customer application scenarios.”

About Legend Capital
Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

Led by Legend Capital, Easy-Flow Raises Tens of Millions of CNY in Angel Round

Shanghai Easy-Flow (Easy-Flow) recently completed its Angel financing round by raising tens of millions of CNY, led by Legend Capital. The fresh capital will be used for the R&D of Easy-Flow’s peripheral intervention pipeline.

Data shows that there are a large number of patients with peripheral vascular disease, of which about 40 million patients with lower extremity arteries and about 100 million patients with varicose veins. Given the number of patients is increasing yearly, there is a huge clinical demand foreseeable, indicating that the peripheral vascular interventional device trajectory is likely to be the next market worth CNY10 billion.

Founded in November 2021, Easy-Flow is committed to efficiently creating a complete set of solutions in the field of peripheral interventional devices. The company develops products such as drug balloons, catheters, stents, and thrombus removal equipment for treating peripheral arteriovenous diseases. Since its establishment, Easy-Flow has been committed to creating peripheral interventional product packages, and developing Me-too, Me-better and Me-only products at the same time. It is expected that several products will be submitted for registration or initiated into clinical practice by 2030.

In addition to its independent R&D, Easy-Flow also simultaneously carries out external cooperation to further expand its product pipeline. Easy-Flow recently has reached a cooperation with Control Medical in the United States to introduce the FDA-approved Control(TM) mechanical thrombus removal system, which can be manually controlled by doctors to achieve efficient and controllable thrombus aspiration.

The founder of Easy-Flow, MIAO Zhenghua, who has more than 20 years of experience in the field of vascular intervention, said: “At present, the biggest challenge to many startups is how to rapidly commercialize their certified products. On the one hand, many founders have R&D backgrounds but lack experience in marketing their products quickly, and some companies only focus on one or two items, making them hard to cover marketing expenses with their revenue and profits. On the other hand, there are many product categories in the field of peripheral interventional devices. The treatment of disease often requires multiple products, and it is difficult to support the market with a single product. Therefore, the integrated package of peripheral interventional products is more suitable for commercial promotion.”

Regarding this financing round, Joe ZHOU, managing director of Legend Capital, said: ” Legend Capital has long focused on investment in medical devices. We have invested in a number of companies focusing on the unmet clinical needs of major diseases, especially chronic diseases. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular-related fields have always been the focus of systematic analysis and research of the Legend Capital team. Easy-Flow has a talent team with extensive experience, led by the founder MIAO Zhenghua. We are very pleased to cooperate with Easy-Flow and participate in the development of the company. In the future, Legend Capital will give full play to the advantages of the healthcare portfolio ecosystem to support Easy-Flow’s development and move forward hand in hand.”

About Legend Capital
Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) to Present at the Singapore Fintech Festival on 02-04 November 2022

Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) (SoPa or the Company), Southeast Asia’s (SEA) leading data-driven loyalty and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces that SOPA management has been invited to present at the Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF), to be held on Wednesday, 02 November to Friday, 04 November 2022. The in-person venue for the event is Singapore Expo located at 1 Expo Drive, Singapore 486150.

SOPA management will present at the SFF at the following times:
Day 2 (Thursday, 03 November)
1645 – 1700 – Rokas Sidlauskas (SOPA Chief Marketing Officer)
1700 – 1715 – Raynauld Liang (SOPA’s Chief Financial Officer)

Day 3 (Friday, 04 November)
1545 – 1600 – Rokas Sidlauskas (SOPA Chief Marketing Officer)
1600 – 1615 – Loic Gautier (Leflair Inc Chief Executive Officer)

About Society Pass Inc
Founded in 2018 as a digitally-focused loyalty and data marketing ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused e-commerce holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its Society Pass loyalty platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa’s data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a leading online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines. For more information on Society Pass, please check out:

Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media contact
PRecious Communications for SoPa
sopa@preciouscomms.com

Co-Led by Legend Capital, Top Gene Delivery Enterprise VectorBuilder Secures CNY410mn in Series C Round

VectorBuilder Biotechnology (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as VectorBuilder), a top gene delivery enterprise, recently announced the completion of its Series C round with CNY410 million, co-led by Legend Capital. The proceeds will facilitate VectorBuilder in continuously promoting the upgrading and capacity expansion of the gene delivery R&D and production technology platform, further accelerate the global business presence, and boost the R&D of life sciences and genetic medicines.

VectorBuilder was founded by Dr. Bruce Lahn, a world-renowned molecular biologist who was a tenured professor at the University of Chicago and a researcher at Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). The company provides services such as scientific research and clinical carrier CRO, gene-drug CDMO and gene delivery IP out-licensing, covering the entire field of life science and gene medicine. VectorBuilder has provided more than 1.2 million gene delivery solutions to more than 4,000 scientific research institutes and pharmaceutical companies worldwide, and its gene-drug CRO and CDMO projects are spread all over North America, Europe, Japan and South Korea.

Dr. Bruce Lahn, Founder and Chief Scientist of VectorBuilder, said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to investors for the support and trust. Due to a robust technical accumulation and an excellent business model in the gene delivery industry, VectorBuilder enjoys the highest market share in the global gene carrier scientific research market, and we jointly launched the construction of a 45,000-square-meter gene delivery R&D and production base with Guangzhou Development District Investment Group in April 2022. We hope to take this financing round as an opportunity to further accelerate the comprehensive upgrade and optimization of the technology platform and promote the expansion of production capacity and global presence. VectorBuilder has become a pioneer in the entire gene delivery industry chain by empowering basic scientific research and accelerating the clinical application of gene drugs. We believe VectorBuilder will enter thousands of life science laboratories worldwide and become a well-known brand in the field of life science. We will empower the gene-drug industry through core technologies and help China to “overtake” on the genetic drug track. At the same time, we hope to overcome genetic diseases, improve human health, and provide irreplaceable value to the industry and the world.”

Jeff Wang, Managing Director of Legend Capital, said: “VectorBuilder is the world’s leading gene delivery company, providing full-chain solutions from basic scientific research to clinical application of gene delivery. It is an honor to participate in the future development of VectorBuilder. Dr. Bruce Lahn is an expert in the field of biotechnology innovation, and we are optimistic about VectorBuilder’s comprehensive ecological service platform for gene delivery in life science and biomedicine. VectorBuilder has developed the world’s first system providing online design, offline production carrier construction and downstream application service, serving thousands of top biopharmaceutical companies and research institutes. We believe VectorBuilder has a promising future as the genetic medicine industry develops.”

About Legend Capital
Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA)/Thoughtful Media Group’s Strategic Partnership with Onlive.Site Eyes the Surging Live Commerce Market across Southeast Asia

Partnership Revvs Up Consumer Journey, Connected Experiences and Loyalty Benefits through the SoPa Ecosystem

  • Society Pass Inc/Thoughtful Media Group Inc and Onlive.Site announce establishment of a strategic partnership, combining Society Pass Inc’s industry leading data-driven loyalty platform with Onlive.Site’s interactive live commerce technology tools
  • Onlive.Site powers up Thoughtful Media Group’s/Creator’s/Marketer’s platforms and websites, through its white labelling live shopping and streaming services

Thoughtful Media Group Inc (Thoughtful Media or TMG), the Thailand-based, digital advertising arm of Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) (SoPa or the Company), Southeast Asia’s (SEA) leading data-driven loyalty and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces the establishment of a strategic partnership with Onlive.Site, a premium live streaming and digital content channel platform based in Spain. This strategic partnership enables TMG to host interactive live streaming and live shopping shows on its websites and even on external platforms including those of Creator’s or Marketer’s landing pages. SoPa endeavours to offer enhanced value to its consumers through novel partnerships with technology-enabled companies located across the SEA countries of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, and complementary services that support the offerings of its entire ecosystem.

Founded in 2020, Onlive.Site is a technology software company develops livestreaming, live video shopping, interactive video and online TV channel platform tools for global e-commerce companies. Onlive.Site’s technology tools allow partners to create and curate live streaming and live shopping shows for consumers to shop for e-commerce goods and services with specific placement and effect. Research from Accenture shows that the social commerce market is poised to grow to US$1.2 trillion by 2025, representing a CAGR of 26%. Live streaming as a medium of sales on social commerce platforms is expected to show a CAGR of 11.77%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$45.07 billion by 2027.

The TMG digital advertising platform amplifies the reach and engagement of its +200 influencer network throughout SEA to market and sell advertising inventory on behalf of international and regional brands. Onlive.Site’s partnership further supports SoPa’s plans to expand TMG’s database of KOLs and influencers across SEA. The growing impact of social media on influencing consumers’ purchase decisions is driving more and more brands to shift their advertising focus to this emerging marketing outlet. “Live commerce” emerges as live streaming and e-commerce converge so that consumers and brands experience real-time engagement and an instantaneous feedback loop. SoPa increases customer engagement while also focusing on the quality of relationships through a campaign-based approach enabled by this latest partnership.

Alfredo Ouro, Co-founder & CEO @ Onlive.Site, emphatically explains, “We are delighted to enter into this win-win partnership with SOPA and TMG to bring our cutting-edge live commerce technology to one of the fastest growing digital areas in the world. With its large base of users, associated brands and content creators in SEA, TMG is ideally positioned as the perfect partner for Onlive.Site in a region that brings together everything necessary for live shopping to be a success: pervasive shopping culture, internet tech-savvy population and favourable social demographic profile”.

Dennis Nguyen, TMG Chairman, comments, “We are thrilled to partner with Onlive.Site as we onboard meaningful partnerships with brands and e-stores in Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. This partnership allows TMG to bundle Onlive.Site subscription model with influencer marketing services to swiftly engage brands and create live streaming sales campaigns. New revenue models are being developed with this innovative partnership. Our mission is to provide media owners with dedicated technology services that build and monetise their brands’ audience on social video platforms”.

Alfredo Ouro adds, “With video accounting for more than 80% of all consumed internet traffic this year, no single company should ignore this audio-visual format as the most engaging and effective way to sell and communicate with their customers and stakeholders through live shopping, video- shoppable, and exclusive branded video-channels. Our one-stop live commerce studio possibilities for integrating all forms of interactive video on any website or digital platform are now endless and we want to make them available to every brand in SEA, thanks to our partnership with TMG and SOPA”.

About Thoughtful Media Group Inc
Founded in 2010 and acquired by SoPa in 2022 as a wholly-owned subsidiary, TMG is a Bangkok-headquartered social commerce-focused, premium digital video Multi-Platform Network (“MPN”)/social media influencer advertising platform servicing the SEA countries of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

About Society Pass Inc
Founded in 2018 as a digitally-focused loyalty and data marketing ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, SoPa is an acquisition-focused e-commerce holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its Society Pass loyalty platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa’s data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a leading online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines. For more information, please check out: http://thesocietypass.com/.

About Onlive.Site
Headquartered in Barcelona, ONLIVE.SITE is the fastest growing SAAS for live commerce and video-sales enablement in Europe & LATAM. In less than 1 year since launching Onlive.Site already works with +150 all-size brands operating from 25 countries and making live commerce available to customers from 95 countries worldwide. Thanks to this partnership with SOPA, Onlive.Site is extending its presence to South East Asia that together with LATAM are two of the three fastest growing e-commerce markets in the world according to Insider Intelligence.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media contact
PRecious Communications for SoPa
sopa@preciouscomms.com

Think Equity: Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) – Initiating Coverage on Digital Commerce Platform for Southeast Asia with Upside Potential

Think Equity, LLC (Think Equity) initiates coverage on Society Pass Inc. (Nasdaq: SOPA) (SoPa).

Click Here (on Society Pass website) to view the full Think Equity research report. https://thesocietypass.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ThinkEquity_SocietyPass_Initiation_ResearchReport_26Sep2022.pdf

Summary Points:

  • ECommerce Holding Company. Society Pass is an acquisition-focused eCommerce holding company operating six interconnected verticals in loyalty, lifestyle, food and beverage, telecoms, digital media, and travel, connecting millions of registered consumers and thousands of registered merchants in Southeast Asia. The company has on-boarded more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 200K registered merchants and brands. The company generated $520K of sales in 2021, with a revenue forecast of $9.5 million for 2022 and $42.7 million for 2023.
  • Seasoned and Diverse Executive Team. The company is led by a team of seasoned Asia-based executives who have spent a total of over 150 years on the ground in Asia with operating, marketing, technology and financial experience there. Society Pass is the sixth company that Dennis Nguyen, Group Founder, Chairman and CEO, has taken public. Over half the executives and employees are female. The company’s board of directors brings diverse experiences from technology to finance, to legal, to investment banking/private equity. The company has built a sophisticated technology platform in four years and on-boarded over 3.3 million registered consumers and over 200k registered merchants/brands.
  • Integrated Ecosystem. Society Pass acquires companies in targeted verticals, which include lifestyle, food and beverage delivery, travel, digital media, telecommunications, and loyalty. In the lifestyle vertical, the company acquired Leflair in February 2021 and relaunched in the Vietnamese marketplace in September 2021. In food and beverage delivery, the company acquired Pushkart and Handycart in February 2022 and Mangan in July 2022. In July 2022, the company acquired Thoughtful Media, a Thailand-based digital media company. In August 2022, the company acquired NusaTrip, an Indonesia-based leading Southeast Asia OTA. The business model is to acquire companies in targeted verticals and integrate them into the platform.
  • Society Points. A Virtuous Cycle of Revenue Generation and Loyalty Creation in SEA. The company opportunistically acquires attractively valued companies to synergistically generate additional revenue streams, optimize efficiencies for merchants, and more cost-effectively aggregate consumers and merchants through synchronized marketing campaigns. The company’s loyalty platform, Society Points, drives this revenue generation and loyalty creation processes. The company has launched a beta version of the Society Pass app in June 2022 and expects to fully launch the app in 1Q 2023.
  • Strategies for Digital Commerce in Asia/Pacific. Southeast Asia’s digital commerce revenue is expected to reach a 10-year CAGR of 32% by 2025. Business unit leaders, like Society Pass, carefully select their markets. Based on industry estimates, the expected growth of consumer spending on digital commerce for the Southeast Asian region will exceed $88 billion by 2025. This comes from a low penetration of the total retail market. Southeast Asia presents attractive growth opportunities and challenges for SoPa.
  • Growth Strategies. As the company continues to acquire e-commerce platforms and apps in Southeast Asia, it should dramatically increase its revenue base, registered customer base, and registered merchant base. The company beta-launched its Society Pass loyalty platform in the second quarter 2022. The company is constantly upgrading its HR talent, especially identifying and mentoring female executives. It has built a powerful and integrated technology ecosystem targeting Southeast Asia, and operates in three of the world’s most attractive and fast-growing economies. Its senior executives have spent most of their lives in Southeast Asia running companies.
  • Valuation. Think Equity’s 12-month price target is $6, based on 3.9x FY23 sales per share estimate.
  • Solid Financials. As of June 30, 2022, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $28 million. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the company’s stockholders’ equity was $35 million.

About Society Pass Inc
Founded in 2018 as a digitally-focused loyalty and data marketing ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, SoPa is an acquisition-focused e-commerce holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its Society Pass loyalty platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa’s data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a leading online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines. For more information, please check out: http://thesocietypass.com/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

HKTDC launches GoGBA Day for the International Business Community

  • HKTDC’s Transformation Sandbox (T-box), Digital Academy and E-Tailing Academy help “go GBA” via Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office co-organised the inaugural GoGBA Day on Thursday (22 Sept). This support event aims to engage members of the international business community in Hong Kong that are currently underserved in terms of up-to-date business information on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The physical part of the hybrid on-site/online event was held at the HKTDC SME Centre at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The event featured a series of seminars offering practical business tips and updates on the latest developments in the GBA to prepare international enterprises to “go GBA” via Hong Kong. The event received an overwhelming response with more than 160 participants attending the seminars at the venue while 260 participants joined the online webinar. At the same time, 65 business advisory sessions and one-on-one consultation meetings were arranged for 47 companies at the venue to facilitate business partnerships and opportunities.

The joint seminars welcomed officials from various authorities in the GBA, along with industry leaders and market experts from banking and other sectors, to share their insights and business know-how with international medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, helping them get equipped to set up business and succeed in the GBA via the Hong Kong platform. A wide range of topics was discussed, including the business landscape in the GBA and key incentives and subsidies for start-ups and businesses in the areas of tax, banking and investment.

Welcoming participants to the event, HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong said: “The GBA plan attracts attention not only because the GBA has China’s highest GDP at US$1.96 trillion, but it offers basically everything a business needs to grow, from the international financial hub of Hong Kong and the world-class manufacturing centres across Guangdong to the advanced innovation and tech clusters across the region – not to mention a huge market of 86 million people and a stepping stone to the vast Mainland China market.”

Ms Fong continued: “We launched our GoGBA support programme last year to help businesses navigate the GBA through Hong Kong by offering information, advisory support and networking and marketing platforms. The GoGBA Day is a highlight of our programme, bringing together the Hong Kong family of organisations under one roof to introduce their GBA support programmes and services, enabling us to hold a GBA event specifically for the international business community for the first time. We hope to give them not only an overview of the latest GBA developments but also offer practical information to help them make decisions and take action.”

Background to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) promotes Hong Kong’s integration into Mainland China’s national development by accelerating the socio-economic integration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Hong Kong has been designated as an international financial, shipping, trade and aviation hub, a global offshore renminbi business hub and an international centre for asset management and risk management. As a value-added financial, trading, logistics and professional services centre, supporting technology and innovation, Hong Kong is also a centre for international legal and dispute resolution in Asia-Pacific.

HKTDC’s array of services support enterprises entering the GBA
Over the years, the HKTDC has worked hard to facilitate cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. To support companies in doing business in the GBA, the HKTDC shares useful official information on regulations, procedures and networks through its GoGBA website ( https://www.go-gba.com/en/ ) and WeChat mini-programme, the latter also offering tools such as public health updates, maps, transportation guides and a day counter for individual income tax purposes. As of mid-September 2022, more than 506,700 views of the HKTDC’s GoGBA digital platforms had been recorded.

GoGBA WeChat mini programme (QR Code).
GoGBA WeChat mini programme (QR Code).

On the ground, the HKTDC has established the HKTDC GBA Service Centre in Shenzhen to provide local and international enterprises from Hong Kong with consultation services, industry-related updates and business matching. The Service Centre has so far organised more than 70 activities, with about 3,000 Hong Kong enterprises using its services. Working together with mainland partners, the HKTDC has also set up GoGBA Business Support Centres in Qianhai (Shenzhen), Nansha (Guangzhou), Hengqin (Zhuhai), Dongguan and Zhongshan, with Foshan being added later this year, to provide Hong Kong enterprises with policy and market consultation services.

In addition, the HKTDC’s Transformation Sandbox (T-box) programme will extend its services from Hong Kong to Shenzhen and other cities in the GBA. Together with its Digital Academy and E-Tailing Academy, the HKTDC will provide advisory workshops related to e-commerce and digital business as well as marketing solutions and other digital platforms.

Officials explain GBA business landscape, supporting initiatives and keys to success:

Tommy Yuen, Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, said: “The GBA is more than a key national development strategy under China’s reform and opening up. It is also marked a further step towards enriching One Country, Two Systems and promoting coordinated economic development that can turn the region into a world-class area for living, working and travelling. New measures are continually being implemented, including steps to encourage the development of private equity and venture capital funds in Qianhai and improving land boundary crossing facilities to enhance talent mobility between Hong Kong and GBA cities. In the coming decade, the GBA is set to become the world’s most vibrant and rapidly growing economic region.”

Jimmy Chiang, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion (Business Development) of Invest Hong Kong, said: “President Xi Jinping has emphasised the importance of leveraging and strengthening Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, as well as its convenient links to international markets. The 14th Five-Year Plan also highlighted the country’s support for Hong Kong in traditional industries as well as four emerging areas, including aviation, innovation and technology, intellectual property trading and international cultural exchange. These specific sectors will see more development opportunities in Hong Kong, and the GBA’s growth will create many attractive opportunities for international companies.”

Kenneth Wong, General Manager, MICE & Cruise, Europe, Hong Kong Tourism Board, said: “The Hong Kong Tourism Board has developed a tourism recovery framework to aid in the recovery, reopening and rebranding of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. We devised a number of publicity and promotion campaigns to maintain Hong Kong’s visibility during the pandemic and to facilitate tourism as well as MICE recovery. This includes bringing back large-scale international events and establishing a dedicated team to provide MICE organisers with one-stop support. Hong Kong can connect international visitors to the GBA’s tremendous business opportunities, generate attendance for organisers, facilitate professional visits and excursions to other GBA cities.”

Raymond Yip, Chief Liaison Officer of the Guangzhou Nansha Service Centre in Hong Kong, said: “The Central Government hopes that Nansha, with its strategic location at the heart of 10 GBA cities, will become a cooperation and collaboration hub for the GBA. Nansha has a broad and diverse industry base with advanced manufacturing, as well as a state-level science and technology forum. With no fewer than 20 policy measures for Hong Kong and Macao, including allowing people from Hong Kong, including foreigners, to pay Hong Kong taxes, Nansha is set to open up a larger hinterland for Hong Kong.”

Witman Hung, Principal Liaison Officer for the Hong Kong, Shenzhen Qianhai Authority, said: “Qianhai has always been a pilot zone to help China open up and deepen its reforms. Promoting and facilitating collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen is high on our priority list. For example, we have incubated 335 Hong Kong start-ups and assisted the city’s professionals such as lawyers, engineers and architects in entering the mainland market. Recently, the Qianhai Authority and the Hong Kong government announced 18 new measures aimed at encouraging venture capital and private equity to enter China via Qianhai and Hong Kong. Hong Kong-based companies will be able to use Qianhai as a shopfront to provide professional services to the rest of the GBA and Mainland China.”

Vivian Cheung, Executive Director, Airport Operations, Hong Kong International Airport, said: “We have been expanding the capacity and functionality of Hong Kong International Airport in preparation for the resumption of international travel and business. The SKYCITY development is at the heart of this, featuring a new 3.8 million sq ft complex, with recreational facilities and three new office towers. New hotels will also be built and we are revamping services to provide better travel and transit experiences for passengers. Furthermore, we are transforming AsiaWorld-Expo into a 20,000-seat arena, adding new passenger and cargo handling facilities and constructing new infrastructure to make it easier for Hong Kong to connect with the GBA.”

HKTDC SME Centre
Tel: +852 1830 668
Fax: +852 3693 4938
E-mail: smecentre@hktdc.org

HKTDC GBA Centre
Tel: 0755-82280112
Fax: 0755-82280114
E-mail: shenzhen.office@hktdc.org

GoGBA Day website: https://go-gba.com/en/gogbaday.html
“Greater Bay Area, Great Future” promotional video: https://www.bayarea.gov.hk/en/stories/videos.html
(provided by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office).
More about the GBA: https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/guangdong-hongkong-macao-greater-bay-area
Photo download: https://bit.ly/3UyJSpU

Media enquiries:
HKTDC Communications & Public Affairs Department
Kate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.org

GalaxySpace Completes a New Financing Round with Legend Capital Re-upped

GalaxySpace, a Chinese commercial aerospace company, recently completed its latest financing round with a post-investment valuation of approximately RMB11 billion. As an existing shareholder, Legend Capital continued to support the company by following up on this financing round.

Legend Capital first invested in GalaxySpace in 2018 and continued to follow up on the company’s subsequent financing rounds in 2019, 2020 and 2022, increasing its investment layout of cutting-edge technology and supporting the development of GalaxySpace.

Founded in 2018, GalaxySpace is the first unicorn enterprise in the field of commercial aerospace and satellite internet in China. Xu Ming, founder, chairman and CEO of GalaxySpace, said: “This round of financing will be mainly used for the R&D of satellite Internet-related technologies and the development of commercial applications. GalaxySpace will accelerate the R&D of core technologies such as stackable flat panel satellites, flexible multi-beam phased array technology, flexible solar wings, digital processing payloads, etc., and also the construction of mass-producing low-cost satellites. Step by step, we will move forward to the 6G era of the Internet of Everything.”

Nowadays, global space infrastructure construction has been developing rapidly, and commercial aerospace is becoming one of the new driving forces of the world’s economic development. According to a Morgan Stanley report, the global space economy is expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2040, and the satellite Internet is expected to account for 50% or even 70% of the market growth.

At present, GalaxySpace’s new-generation stackable flat-panel satellite has entered the prototype development stage, which is also the first flat-panel satellite in China and will be launched early next year. It is believed that the development of stackable flat-panel satellites will promote the mass production of satellites and the rapid deployment of large-scale constellations. In the future, GalaxySpace will seize the development opportunities and fully utilize the advantages of small wins and rapid iteration of commercial aerospace to make a continuous innovative contribution to China’s satellite Internet construction.

About Legend Capital
Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

Leadrive Technology Completes Series C Financing, Legend Capital Re-upped

Leadrive Technology, a leading supplier of power semiconductor and motor control solutions for new energy vehicles, recently announced its completion of the series C financing. As the existing shareholder, Legend Capital continued to support this round of financing.

This round of financing will be mainly used for the construction of the IGBT/SiC power module packaging production line, the operation of the rapid production of motor control products, and the R&D of the latest generation of silicon carbide power modules and motor control products.

Founded in 2017, Leadrive Technology has been committed to the forward development and production of power semiconductor modules and high-performance motor control units, bringing high-quality electric power to global automotive enterprise customers and consumers. After five years of rapid development, Leadrive Technology is equipped with mature technology and product solutions in the power modules and motor control units. A variety of high-performance IGBT power modules and main-drive dual-motor controller products developed by Leadrive have been installed in several hybrid models of many OEMs, achieving mass shipments and fully entering the passenger car market. With many test indicators at the industry-leading level in vehicle testing, the silicon carbide motor controller independently developed by Leadrive has also been designated and recognized by many downstream customers in the global market.

In the future, Leadrive will center on the two core electrification foundations of power semiconductor modules and motor control units, and continue to invest in advanced technology development, product platform iteration, capacity expansion, and other fields. By leveraging its technological advantages, Leadrive works with industry chain partners to empower the electrification trend of the automotive industry and make outstanding contributions to promoting the technological progress of the industry.

Dr. Jie Shen, the CEO of Leadrive, said: “Currently, the company is in a critical stage of rapidly developing large-scale delivery. This round of financing will mainly be used for the construction and implementation of the company’s power module packaging production line and the replenishment of working capital for multiple mass production projects. For the smooth delivery of this round of financing, I would like to thank all the new and existing shareholders for their trust and strong support. With pursuing excellence in our mind, we take it as our duty to promote the technological progress of the industry as well as to make a continuous innovative contribution to the development of the new energy vehicle industry in China.”

About Legend Capital
Founded in 2001, Legend Capital is a leading VC&PE investor focusing on the early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in China, with offices across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea.

It currently manages USD and RMB funds of over US$10 billion in commitments, and has invested in around 600 companies, covering technology, healthcare, consumer, enterprise service and intelligent manufacturing sectors. Rooted in China, Legend Capital participated in the rise of many world-leading companies by solid investment coverage and systematic post-investment value-add. Over the years, Legend Capital has also become a widely recognized name in bridging key resources in China and overseas through cross-border activities, and a valuable partner to Chinese and overseas investors.

Legend Capital values long-term sustainable investment and incorporates ESG into its long-term development strategy. As a UNPRI signatory since November 2019, Legend Capital is among the first group of top VC/PE firms in China to join the initiative.

For more information, please visit www.legendcapital.com.cn/index_en.aspx and follow us on LinkedIn @Legend Capital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/legend-capital).

HKTDC launches GoGBA Day

  • Strengthening support to help the international business community in Hong Kong access Greater Bay Area opportunities

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office co-organised the inaugural GoGBA Day on Thursday (22 Sept). This business support event aims to engage members of the international business community in Hong Kong that are currently underserved in terms of up-to-date business information on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The physical part of the hybrid on-site/online event was held at the HKTDC SME Centre at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

GoGBA Day was launched yesterday (22 Sept) at the HKTDC SME Centre. The event began with welcome remarks from HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong (fourth from left, front row), followed by speeches delivered by the honourable speakers.
GoGBA WeChat mini programme (QR Code).

The half-day event featured a series of seminars offering practical business tips and updates on the latest developments in the GBA to prepare international enterprises to “go GBA” via Hong Kong. The event received an overwhelming response with more than 160 participants attending the seminars at the venue while 260 participants joined the online webinar. At the same time, 65 business advisory sessions and one-on-one consultation meetings were arranged for 47 companies at the venue to facilitate business partnerships and opportunities.

The joint seminars welcomed officials from various authorities in the GBA, along with industry leaders and market experts from banking and other sectors, to share their insights and business know-how with international medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, helping them get equipped to set up business and succeed in the GBA via the Hong Kong platform. A wide range of topics was discussed, including the business landscape in the GBA and key incentives and subsidies for start-ups and businesses in the areas of tax, banking and investment.

Welcoming participants to the event, HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong said: “The GBA plan attracts attention not only because the GBA has China’s highest GDP at US$1.96 trillion, but it offers basically everything a business needs to grow, from the international financial hub of Hong Kong and the world-class manufacturing centres across Guangdong, to the advanced innovation and tech clusters across the region – not to mention a huge market of 86 million people and a stepping stone to the vast Mainland China market.”

Ms Fong continued: “We launched our GoGBA support programme last year to help businesses navigate the GBA through Hong Kong by offering information, advisory support and networking and marketing platforms. The GoGBA Day is a highlight of our programme, bringing together the Hong Kong family of organisations under one roof to introduce their GBA support programmes and services, enabling us to hold a GBA event specifically for the international business community for the first time. We hope to give them not only an overview of the latest GBA developments, but also offer practical information to help them make decisions and take action.”

Officials explain GBA business landscape, supporting initiatives and keys to success:
Tommy Yuen, Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, said: “The GBA is more than a key national development strategy under China’s reform and opening up. It is also marked a further step towards enriching One Country, Two Systems and promoting coordinated economic development that can turn the region into a world-class area for living, working and travelling. New measures are continually being implemented, including steps to encourage the development of private equity and venture capital funds in Qianhai and improving land boundary crossing facilities to enhance talent mobility between Hong Kong and GBA cities. In the coming decade, the GBA is set to become the world’s most vibrant and rapidly growing economic region.”

Jimmy Chiang, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion (Business Development) of Invest Hong Kong, said: “President Xi Jinping has emphasised the importance of leveraging and strengthening Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, as well as its convenient links to international markets. The 14th Five-Year Plan also highlighted the country’s support for Hong Kong in traditional industries as well as four emerging areas, including aviation, innovation and technology, intellectual property trading and international cultural exchange. These specific sectors will see more development opportunities in Hong Kong, and the GBA’s growth will create many attractive opportunities for international companies.”

Kenneth Wong, General Manager, MICE & Cruise, Europe, Hong Kong Tourism Board, said: “The Hong Kong Tourism Board has developed a tourism recovery framework to aid in the recovery, reopening and rebranding of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. We devised a number of publicity and promotion campaigns to maintain Hong Kong’s visibility during the pandemic and to facilitate tourism as well as MICE recovery. This includes bringing back large-scale international events and establishing a dedicated team to provide MICE organisers with one-stop support. Hong Kong can connect international visitors to the GBA’s tremendous business opportunities, generate attendance for organisers, facilitate professional visits and excursions to other GBA cities.”

Raymond Yip, Chief Liaison Officer of the Guangzhou Nansha Service Centre in Hong Kong, said: “The Central Government hopes that Nansha, with its strategic location at the heart of 10 GBA cities, will become a cooperation and collaboration hub for the GBA. Nansha has a broad and diverse industry base with advanced manufacturing, as well as a state-level science and technology forum. With no fewer than 20 policy measures for Hong Kong and Macao, including allowing people from Hong Kong, including foreigners, to pay Hong Kong taxes, Nansha is set to open up a larger hinterland for Hong Kong.”

Witman Hung, Principal Liaison Officer for the Hong Kong, Shenzhen Qianhai Authority, said: “Qianhai has always been a pilot zone to help China open up and deepen its reforms. Promoting and facilitating collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen is high on our priority list. For example, we have incubated 335 Hong Kong start-ups and assisted the city’s professionals such as lawyers, engineers and architects in entering the mainland market. Recently, the Qianhai Authority and the Hong Kong government announced 18 new measures aimed at encouraging venture capital and private equity to enter China via Qianhai and Hong Kong. Hong Kong-based companies will be able to use Qianhai as a shopfront to provide professional services to the rest of the GBA and Mainland China.”

Vivian Cheung, Executive Director, Airport Operations, Hong Kong International Airport, said: “We have been expanding the capacity and functionality of Hong Kong International Airport in preparation for the resumption of international travel and business. The SKYCITY development is at the heart of this, featuring a new 3.8 million sq ft complex, with recreational facilities and three new office towers. New hotels will also be built and we are revamping services to provide better travel and transit experiences for passengers. Furthermore, we are transforming AsiaWorld-Expo into a 20,000-seat arena, adding new passenger and cargo handling facilities and constructing new infrastructure to make it easier for Hong Kong to connect with the GBA.”

Background to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) promotes Hong Kong’s integration into Mainland China’s national development by accelerating the socio-economic integration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Hong Kong has been designated as an international financial, shipping, trade and aviation hub, a global offshore renminbi business hub and an international centre for asset management and risk management. As a value-added financial, trading, logistics and professional services centre, supporting technology and innovation, Hong Kong is also a centre for international legal and dispute resolution in Asia-Pacific.

HKTDC’s array of services support enterprises entering the GBA
Over the years, the HKTDC has worked hard to facilitate cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. To support companies in doing business in the GBA, the HKTDC shares useful official information on regulations, procedures and networks through its GoGBA website ( https://www.go-gba.com/en/ ) and WeChat mini-programme, the latter also offering tools such as public health updates, maps, transportation guides and a day counter for individual income tax purposes. As of mid-September 2022, more than 506,700 views of the HKTDC’s GoGBA digital platforms had been recorded.

On the ground, the HKTDC has established the HKTDC GBA Service Centre in Shenzhen to provide local and international enterprises from Hong Kong with consultation services, industry-related updates and business matching. The Service Centre has so far organised more than 70 activities, with about 3,000 Hong Kong enterprises using its services. Working together with mainland partners, the HKTDC has also set up GoGBA Business Support Centres in Qianhai (Shenzhen), Nansha (Guangzhou), Hengqin (Zhuhai), Dongguan and Zhongshan, with Foshan being added later this year, to provide Hong Kong enterprises with policy and market consultation services.

In addition, the HKTDC’s Transformation Sandbox (T-box) programme will extend its services from Hong Kong to Shenzhen and other cities in the GBA. Together with its Digital Academy and E-Tailing Academy, the HKTDC will provide advisory workshops related to e-commerce and digital business as well as marketing solutions and other digital platforms.

The GBA presents enormous opportunities for businesses from Hong Kong and around the world and the HKTDC will continue to devote efforts to support local and international enterprises in the city, helping them seize business opportunities in the GBA and other mainland markets through its network of 13 offices in the mainland. It also plans to organise the Hong Kong-Guangdong Co-operation Week this year, including the annual SmartHK and Chic HK flagship events in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, along with a series of roadshows related to financial management, legal services, infrastructure development and real estate, as well as participating in key trade fairs in the mainland.

HKTDC SME Centre
Tel: +852 1830 668
Fax: +852 3693 4938
E-mail: smecentre@hktdc.org

HKTDC GBA Centre
Tel: 0755-82280112
Fax: 0755-82280114
E-mail: shenzhen.office@hktdc.org

GoGBA Day Website: https://go-gba.com/en/gogbaday.html
“Greater Bay Area, Great Future” promotional video
(provided by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office):
– https://www.bayarea.gov.hk/en/stories/videos.html
About Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area:
– https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/guangdong-hongkong-macao-greater-bay-area
Photo download: https://bit.ly/3UyJSpU

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 exhibitions, conferences and business missions, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

Media enquiries:
HKTDC Communications & Public Affairs Department
Kate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.org