BEYOND Expo 2024 Kicks Off in Macao Under the Theme 'Embracing the Uncertainties'
BEYOND EXPO 2024 Grandly Opens on May 22The highly anticipated annual technology extravaganza officially kicked off that afternoon at the Cotai Expo of The Venetian Macao. Themed “Embrace the Unknown,” BEYOND Expo 2024 brought together cutting-edge ideas from the global tech community, offering participants profound insights and a unique international perspective.
The Opening Ceremony of BEYOND Expo 2024 Was Grandly Held at the Venetian Theatre in Macao, Exploring How Various Industries Can Leverage Technology for Empowerment in the Future.Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region; Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Zheng Xincong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region; Liu Xianfa, Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region; Leonel Alberto Alves, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government; Wang Jian, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chinese Medical Association；Lu Gang, Co-Founder of BEYOND Expo, attended the opening ceremony.
He Jiandong, Co-founder of BEYOND ExpoDeliver the Opening Remarks for the Opening Ceremony。HeEmphasisWe are currently facing uncertainties in politics, the economy, and artificial intelligence.. DespiteExistence heresome challenges,But heConfidence, as long as you have the right mindset, partnerships, and likeBEYOND Expo-styleStrategic Platform, WeRegardingEmbrace these uncertainties together.
Subsequently, centered on the opening ceremony theme—“What's Next?”, the BEYOND Expo 2024 Organizing Committee invitedDr. Zeng Yuqun, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL); Shen Nanpeng, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia China; Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun International; Liu Qingfeng, Chairman of iFlytek Co., Ltd.; SenseTimeCo-founder Xu Bing; Founder and Chairman of Biren TechnologyandCEO Zhang Wen; UN Resident Coordinator in China Siddharth Chatterjee; RMI CEO Jon CreytsAlongside other distinguished guests, these industry leaders engaged in fireside chats and roundtable forums to jointly invigorate the innovation value chain of technological advancement and chart a grand blueprint for global sci-tech innovation.
Highlights of the Opening Ceremony:
Fireside Chat：Zeng Yuqun, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL)Dr.
Dr. Zeng Yuqun, Founder, Chairman and CEO of CATL, Discusses the Transformative Potential of Energy Storage。He explained that with energy storage technology, we can store energy in the morning and use it in the afternoon and evening. This creates many new business opportunities, which is why we are keen to enter this field. You can even store energy for an entire year for future use. This is also why CATL has entered the energy storage technology sector.
Zeng Yuqun believes that innovation is the key to addressing the current challenges in the technology industry. He highlighted the challenges related to electric vehicles, including driving range, charging, and performance in low-temperature environments. “Therefore, we continuously innovate and roll out new technologies to genuinely address consumer concerns,” Zeng Yuqun concluded.
Fireside Chat：Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun International
Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun International, shared his insights on the development of the broader health sector, corporate globalization trends, and future prospects amid global uncertainty.He stated that Fosun also aims to engage more extensively in public welfare initiatives. Having started from scratch 31 years ago, Fosun is highly committed to supporting a greater number of startups. The Protechting Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition is a global accelerator program for young innovators and entrepreneurs, jointly launched by the Fosun Foundation and Fidelidade, Fosun’s Portuguese insurance subsidiary, in 2016. This initiative has also brought top-tier project teams to the Beyond platform, leveraging its advantages to connect them with broader experience and resources to support startup growth.
At the same time, Guo Guangchang also emphasized Fosun’s commitment to ESG issues. “One project I personally care deeply about is focused on rural village doctors. We have long held the vision of supporting these doctors in safeguarding left-behind elderly people and children who cannot access major cities.” Fosun is striving to make meaningful contributions toward building a better society.
Roundtable Discussion:Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, and Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI
At the panel discussion on climate and low-carbon technology, Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, and Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI, delivered remarks.Siddharth CHATTERJEE Emphasizes，First, we have already witnessed the fragility of human healthcare and health. The second is the climate crisis, which affects everyone.We must address climate changeDuring the processEstablish a multilateral partnership, weWe must adopt a holistic perspective, rather than focusing on individual regions.
Jon CREYTS addsDao, IthemNeedContinuously AcceleratingInnovativeGait,Especially in certain relativelyHard-to-Abate Industries。We need to broadly adopt excellent recommendations from around the world and ensure sufficient funding to support these innovative technologies and solutions. We must also continuously scale up existing solutions, drive transformation in these fields to further mitigate practical risks, and build a cleaner, more prosperous, zero-carbon shared future.
Roundtable Discussion:Liu Qingfeng, Chairman of iFlytek Co., Ltd.; Xu Bing, Co-founder of SenseTime; and the Founder and Chairman of Biren TechnologyandCEO Zhang Wen
Liu Qingfeng, Xu Bing, and Zhang Wen engaged in an in-depth discussion on the development opportunities and future prospects of the artificial intelligence industry at the crossroads of China-U.S. relations.
Liu Qingfeng emphasized a fundamental principle required for the development of AI:“AI is meant to build a better world, not merely to change it; therefore, we believe the future belongs to a new generation of humans who have mastered AI, rather than to AI itself.” He proposed that the development of AI requires the synergistic advancement of legal, ethical, and humanistic frameworks.
Xu Bing stated that although China’s market currently lags somewhat in the field of artificial intelligence, this intensely competitive environment is actually conducive to the long-term development of AI innovation in China.Just as the electric vehicle industry has caught up with Tesla, China’s EV market is now more robust and dynamic, with the capacity to export overseas. “I believe that in the next five to ten years, artificial intelligence will achieve a similar leap.”
Zhang Wen also expressed agreement with the aforementioned views.He pointed out that, in the long run, the AI gap between China and the United States will continue to narrow. Looking ahead, Zhang Wen further emphasized, “Regarding whether AI is developing too quickly, I actually believe AI is developing too slowly. Mobile internet has had a far greater impact on us than AI has, but I am confident that AI will exert a tremendous influence over the next five to ten years, even though its significant impact is not yet evident in the short term.”
Fireside Chat：Shen Nanpeng,Founding and Managing Partner, Sequoia China
Finally, Shen Nanpeng shared his insights on embracing uncertainty, which was also the theme of the 2024 BEYOND Expo.“As investors, particularly in the venture capital space, navigating uncertainty is a constant reality. These uncertainties stem from multiple sources. Our portfolio companies face inherent business uncertainties as well as broader challenges. Volatility in financial markets can even impact early-stage companies, affecting their access to capital and ability to secure risk financing.”
Shen Nanpeng further elaborated, “Disruptive technologies add another layer of uncertainty. For our CEOs, the key lies in anticipating these uncertainties and making strategic preparations accordingly. Much like adjusting speed on a highway to respond to potential hazards, taking proactive measures, staying ahead of emerging trends, and engaging in strategic planning are crucial.”
He emphasized, “For companies seeking to establish differentiation, it is crucial to develop deep expertise in a specific domain. The primary step is to become a world leader in that particular field before considering expansion.”
The opening ceremony of BEYOND Expo 2024 has successfully paved the way for an exciting technological extravaganza, offering profound dialogue and reflection on the future direction of technology and innovation.
This conference has welcomed over800Exhibiting Companies, including Fortune 500 companies, large international multinational corporations, innovative unicorn enterprises, and dynamic new startups.Three Core Exhibition Zones: Consumer Technology, Climate and Low-Carbon Technology, and Life Sciences Have All Welcomed Leading Enterprises in Their Respective Fields, Showcasing Cutting-Edge Industry Trends.
The exhibition area is not only a showcase for the latest technological achievements but also a platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas and share insights.May 22Day, among the seven majorSTAGE has hosted multiple forums and networking events,Including the 2024 China State Construction International Holdings Partner Technology Exchange Conference, the Forum on New Construction Technology and Sustainable Development, the Launch Ceremony of the e-Go Cross-Border Engineering E-commerce Platform, the BEWG Forum Special Session, the International Investment and Financing Summit, the Consumer Technology Summit, the Japan Forum, the Life Sciences Summit, the Founders’ Forum, and the SheTech Women in Technology Summit, it delivered a spectacular feast of technology and innovation for attendees.
Notably, this year, we are going beyond the traditional DEMO DAY model to bring entrepreneurs and investors a new way of connecting—Fund at First Pitch！Call or Fold! The top 10 most popular entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to take the stage at the grand closing ceremony pitch session of BEYOND, held at The Venetian Theatre. FUND AT FIRST PITCH “Extreme Speed Pitch,” in strategic partnership with CICC Capital, jointly creates a platform that enables startups to efficiently connect with the capital market in a short period, injecting innovative vitality into the entrepreneurial ecosystem!
BEYOND Expo 2024 has evolved into a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive international technology summit, fostering an open, diverse, and interactive exhibition atmosphere. It attracts industry leaders, innovators, investors, and professionals from various sectors to explore and discuss the latest technological trends, helping industry practitioners stay attuned to the pulse of industrial development and facilitating exchange and collaboration.
BEYOND Expo 2024 was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in The Venetian Macao. Since its opening in 2007, the Sands Expo and Convention Centre has become Macao’s leading convention and exhibition venue and one of the largest in Asia, offering approximately 71,000 square meters of exhibition space. The facility spans two levels and comprises six independent halls, capable of accommodating 5,000 exhibitors simultaneously. With flexible and diverse space options, an international team of professional planners, and one-stop convention and exhibition solutions complemented by a wide range of facilities and services, the Sands Expo and Convention Centre is an ideal venue for hosting MICE events.