Organised by the Macau Technology General Association, the three-day BEYOND Expo held its formal opening ceremony at The Venetian Macao yesterday afternoon.
More than 1,000 exhibitors, including multinational enterprises, unicorns and startups, are participating in the event.
A unicorn is a startup whose valuation has exceeded US$1 billion, which is solely backed by venture capitalists, and which has yet to have an IPO.
A number of guests, including Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Vice Chairman Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, and Director Zheng Xincong from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), attended the opening ceremony.
The BEYOND Expo has been held annually since 2021.
During yesterday’s kick-off ceremony, Jason Ho Kin Tung, the expo’s co-founder, pointed out in his opening speech that this year’s theme is “embracing the uncertainties.” He specifically pointed out that due to “meaningless sanctions,” economic downturns, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the technological business landscape worldwide will be affected.
In response to these challenges, Ho emphasised that this year’s expo will foster more conversations with professionals through forums and panel discussions, aiming to collectively embrace these uncertainties.
Lu Gang, the other co-founder of the expo, spoke to reporters before the opening ceremony about his insights about this year’s event. He noted that with the COVID-19 pandemic finally having come to an end, the expo has included more entertainment activities for the participants.
This week’s expo includes a pool party, a charity poker night, and a food market to enhance the overall experience, he said, adding that such services leave a lasting impression on the participants. “These activities provide an opportunity for people to engage in casual conversations about business following the extensive discussions during the panels, creating a change of environment,” he noted.
In addition to being an entertainment hub, Lu underlined, Macau has become a sought-after destination for Chinese tech firms looking for cooperation opportunities and international media exposure. He said that he believed that Macau can offer a conducive environment for these firms.
Lu, who is from Shanghai, also pointed out that this year’s expo will feature the inaugural SheTech Summit, which aims to promote discussions, highlight female leaders, showcase groundbreaking tech innovations, and address gender diversity in the tech industry. Lu pointed out that while he has met many female tech professionals during his travels around the world, the majority of participants in expos tend to be male. With the inauguration of the SheTech Summit, Lu said he hoped to foster a more inclusive environment and encourage the greater participation of women in the tech industry.
According to its website, BEYOND Expo, whose exhibitors include big names such as Huawei, Tesla, NVIDIA and Sinovac, focuses on three themes – Healthcare, ClimateTech, and ConsumerTech.
Saturday, the last day of the expo, is open to the general public. Admission is free.
Fairgoers visit the Tesla stand at BEYOND Expo at The Venetian Convention and Exhibition Centre in Cotai yesterday. – Photo: William Chan
