hangzhou's rising tech stars shine at summer davos
zhu qiuguo, founder of deep robotics. [photo/tidenews.com.cn]
the 16th summer davos forum concluded on june 26 in tianjin, with over 1,800 participants from more than 90 countries.
this year, young tech firms from hangzhou — including unitree robotics, brainco, deep robotics, bota bio, and deep principle — drew global attention for their innovations in robotics, brain-computer interfaces, and ai-driven science.
it marked hangzhou's largest-ever presence at davos, spotlighting a new model of chinese innovation combining digital economy, deep tech, and global reach. these startups, led by entrepreneurs often under the age of 40 and backed by strong academic and r&d credentials, represent a shift from traditional manufacturing to high-tech leadership.
two hangzhou companies made it to the forum's technology pioneers 2025 list, underscoring the city's focused strategy in narrow but globally impactful tech tracks. with r&d spending often exceeding 20 percent of revenue, these firms exemplify hangzhou-style breakthroughs in emerging fields.
ai dominated the forum's agenda — mirroring hangzhou's own push in the ai era. the city is fostering top-tier models like deepseek and alibaba's qwen, and recently launched a comprehensive ai strategy with 20 policies supporting talent, infrastructure, and application ecosystems.
hangzhou's visible role at davos illustrates how mid-sized cities can compete globally by specializing in ai-powered innovation, transforming from a digital economy pioneer into a high-impact, future-ready hub.
jia haojun (third from right), founder of deep principle. [photo/tidenews.com.cn]
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