Alibaba launches ‘A100’ initiative to drive its evolution into a global enterprise tech provider
- The programme will initially involve companies, such as major brands and merchants, that are partners in Alibaba’s ecosystem
Alibaba Group Holding on Friday launched a new strategic partnership programme that aims to accelerate the Chinese e-commerce giant’s transformation into an integrated technology provider to companies around the world.
New York-traded Alibaba’s “A100” initiative will offer enterprises of all sizes a one-stop solution to accelerate their digital transformation, which involves implementation of advanced technologies, processes and practices to fundamentally change and improve how traditional businesses operate.
“We see a much bigger world beyond ‘new retail’, a completely new world brought by the digital economy era in which all companies will need a brand-new way to operate,” said Daniel Zhang Yong, chief executive at Alibaba, referring to the business model pioneered by the firm that integrates online and offline retail activities.
Zhang said the A100 programme, which was named after the e-commerce company’s goal to provide “digitised solutions” to a large number of companies, is powered by the Alibaba Operating System – representing the hi-tech infrastructure behind all its businesses. Alibaba is the parent company of the South China Morning Post.
“With over 600 million monthly active users and nearly 30 business units specialising in enterprise services from digital retail to mobile payment to digital marketing to IT infrastructure and more, Alibaba is the leading partner for businesses within China and around the world to capitalise on the growing consumption by China’s middle class,” he said at the firm’s inaugural Alibaba One Business Conference held on Friday at its headquarters in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province.