https://www.scmp.com/rss/324341/feed Articles about early-stage companies; pre-IPO, including those still being funded by angel investors, private equity or venture capitalists. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jean Iau Jean Iau Perched on top of a shoe shelf at the entrance of Veriff’s headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia, is a sign of a cartoon unicorn that reads “Welcome to Unicorn Land!”, serving as a reminder of the identity verification company’s rise from a local start-up to a valuation of US$1.5 billion in seven years. Veriff, which boasts clients including PayPal, Bumble and Visa, was founded by Kaarel Kotkas in 2015. It is one of at least 10 unicorn companies – privately held start-ups valued at more than US$1... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348736/estonian-start-ups-eye-singapore-natural-gateway-build-digital-trust-asean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348736/estonian-start-ups-eye-singapore-natural-gateway-build-digital-trust-asean?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:13:35 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese artificial intelligence start-ups Zhipu AI and MiniMax have shown early signs of sustainable commercialisation of their AI models, analysts said, as investors continue to pump up their Hong Kong stocks despite widening losses. That assessment comes as the companies reported their first earnings since their respective initial public offerings in early January, providing a glimpse into the business models of an industry still in its infancy globally. The South China Morning Post takes a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3348699/what-zhipu-and-minimaxs-first-post-ipo-earnings-say-about-2-chinese-ai-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3348699/what-zhipu-and-minimaxs-first-post-ipo-earnings-say-about-2-chinese-ai-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren EnerVenue – a rechargeable battery start-up co-founded by Full Vision Capital, the family office of Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit – has raised US$300 million in its latest round of financing and appointed a new CEO to accelerate the large-scale industrial deployment of its cutting-edge energy storage technology. The California-based company – which also counts government-backed Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) as an investor – said it would set up a regional headquarters in the city... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348514/enervenue-plugs-us300-million-scale-next-gen-batteries-it-eyes-hong-kong-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348514/enervenue-plugs-us300-million-scale-next-gen-batteries-it-eyes-hong-kong-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:39:41 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Manycore Tech, a Hangzhou-based developer of spatial design software, has passed its listing hearing in Hong Kong, moving a step closer to an initial public offering (IPO) as it pushes deeper into what it calls “spatial intelligence” – the integration of artificial intelligence with the physical world. The company is one of Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” – a group of rising start-ups that includes AI developer DeepSeek, robotics firms Unitree Robotics and Deep Robotics, Black Myth creator Game... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348377/firing-manycore-first-hangzhous-six-little-dragons-near-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek suffered a prolonged outage overnight that extended into early Monday morning, disrupting service for hundreds of millions of users, according to a company notice and user feedback. The Hangzhou-based AI lab’s namesake chatbot website and app were offline from Sunday evening, with the company continuing to investigate while issuing fixes from between 1am and 9am on Monday, according to service maintenance records the company published online. The... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348345/deepseek-outage-leaves-millions-cut-and-sparks-complaints-rivals-gain-ground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3348345/deepseek-outage-leaves-millions-cut-and-sparks-complaints-rivals-gain-ground?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:41:43 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow A “ChatGPT moment” for China’s humanoid robots – the tipping point at which the technology becomes widely usable – remains years away as persistent challenges in adapting to new tasks and training efficiency continue to hold back the industry, leading experts said on Wednesday at the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan. Despite rapid advances in recent years, humanoid robots were still far from large-scale deployment, with both hardware and software limitations yet to be fully resolved, panellists... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347864/why-chinas-humanoid-robots-are-still-waiting-their-chatgpt-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:15:07 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), the government’s investment arm, has teamed up with venture capital firm Gobi Partners and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to launch a fund on Tuesday to invest in technology start-ups spun off from the university’s research breakthroughs, according to an HKIC statement. Gobi-HKU Fund I made two investments at its launch: Manifold Tech, which develops spatial intelligence for robotics, and AilsynBio, which focuses on artificial intelligence-driven drug... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:21:49 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin China’s strategy of promoting open artificial intelligence (AI) models and leveraging manufacturing dominance is “mutually reinforcing”, forming a feedback loop that could challenge US dominance in AI, according to a new report by a US congressional advisory body. “It is the intersection of these two loops – one digital, one physical – that gives China’s open strategy its compounding force and poses the most serious long-term challenge to US AI leadership,” the United States-China Economic and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347645/us-panel-credits-chinas-ai-edge-open-source-models-manufacturing-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347645/us-panel-credits-chinas-ai-edge-open-source-models-manufacturing-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:34:03 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Steven Li sells cosmetics to overseas customers from the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. This month, amid the popularity of the OpenClaw AI agent framework, he expanded the business by “hiring” four “AI employees”. On the front lines, the AI customer service manages real-time inquiries 24/7 on WhatsApp, while a “digital sales” agent provides price quotes. Behind the scenes, a third role ensures operational transparency by providing tracking status for every order, while an “operations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347416/openclaw-government-support-fuels-rise-one-person-companies-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347416/openclaw-government-support-fuels-rise-one-person-companies-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:26 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US artificial intelligence and robotics firms have urged lawmakers to take action against Chinese robot manufacturers – singling out Unitree Robotics – citing increased competition and national security risks, in a sign that humanoid robots may emerge as a new battleground in the widening US-China tech rivalry. China’s speed of advancement in humanoid robots is alarming, and the US government should formulate coordinated policies and strategies to counter Chinese firms’ dominance in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi SmartMore, the first company backed by the Hong Kong government’s investment fund, has applied for a listing, underscoring the city’s crowded pipeline of technology initial public offerings (IPOs). The unicorn, founded in 2019 and specialising in industrial artificial intelligence, submitted its application on Monday night, with Morgan Stanley, China International Capital Corporation and Deutsche Bank as joint sponsors. SmartMore provides intelligent manufacturing and digital innovation through... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346854/smartmore-first-firm-backed-hong-kong-wealth-fund-seeks-ipo-tech-pipeline-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346854/smartmore-first-firm-backed-hong-kong-wealth-fund-seeks-ipo-tech-pipeline-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 06:40:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Anthropic on Monday filed a lawsuit to block the Pentagon from placing it on a national security blacklist, escalating the artificial intelligence lab’s high-stakes battle with the US military over usage restrictions on its technology. Anthropic said in its lawsuit that the designation was unlawful and violated its free speech and due process rights. The filing in federal court in California asked a judge to undo the designation and block federal ‌agencies from enforcing it. “These actions are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346019/anthropic-sues-us-government-row-over-ai-use-military-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346019/anthropic-sues-us-government-row-over-ai-use-military-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:36:30 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s highest court says that while it handles AI-related cases with care it has allowed room for the country’s artificial intelligence industry to innovate and make mistakes, according to its annual report. Supreme People’s Court president Zhang Jun told the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative body, on Monday that the court had “promoted the orderly development of artificial intelligence” last year. Delivering the supreme court’s work report, Zhang said China’s courts... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345999/chinas-top-court-says-it-treats-ai-cases-care-without-stifling-growth-or-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345999/chinas-top-court-says-it-treats-ai-cases-care-without-stifling-growth-or-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:12:01 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has collaborated with researchers from Tencent Holdings and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on a new AI-based method that can improve the accuracy of three-dimensional design. The team proposed Pointer-CAD, a framework built on Alibaba Group Holding’s Qwen 2.5 model, which helps designers select edges or faces of a 3D object, increasing the accuracy and efficiency in computer-aided design (CAD), a tool widely used in engineering, manufacturing... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345687/chinese-start-deepseek-teams-tencent-hku-ai-tool-sharpen-3d-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345687/chinese-start-deepseek-teams-tencent-hku-ai-tool-sharpen-3d-design?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Ben Jiang,Wency Chen Ben Jiang,Wency Chen China has pledged to provide a range of supportive measures to promote the diffusion of advanced technology through all levels of the country’s economy, as Beijing seeks to strengthen frontier industries such as artificial intelligence amid an intensifying rivalry with the United States. In its annual work report, the government urged state-owned enterprises to take the lead in opening their vast industrial ecosystems to emerging technologies, and vowed to supply the necessary funding for all... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345595/china-put-state-owned-firms-capital-work-nurturing-tech-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345595/china-put-state-owned-firms-capital-work-nurturing-tech-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian The momentum in China’s venture-capital industry, which is recovering after years of decline, is likely to continue this year, mainly bolstered by government financing, but an expert warned that the lack of funding diversity poses a hidden risk. Fundraising picked up in 2025, with most of the gains coming from government sources, as central policymakers loosened rules to allow local governments to issue more bonds to finance government guidance funds, according to a report released on Tuesday by... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345502/chinas-venture-capital-revival-fuelled-state-cash-faces-risk-losing-momentum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345502/chinas-venture-capital-revival-fuelled-state-cash-faces-risk-losing-momentum?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:20:41 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi The capital market is likely to be a battleground between traditional businesses and artificial intelligence start-ups, as tech investors expect both to survive AI-driven disruption through mergers and acquisitions (M&As). The outlook follows the launch of new agentic products by start-ups like Anthropic, which pushed investors to view AI as a potential replacement for the business models of established industry leaders, triggering an “AI scare trade” in January in listed software, wealth... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345226/how-ai-scare-trade-sparking-ma-battles-traditional-firms-and-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345226/how-ai-scare-trade-sparking-ma-battles-traditional-firms-and-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:39:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Treasury Department said on Monday it is ending use of all Anthropic products, following US President Donald Trump’s government-wide ban on the AI start-up after it rejected the Pentagon’s demands. The US Treasury “is terminating all use of Anthropic products, including the use of its Claude platform, within our department”, said Secretary Scott Bessent in a social media statement. The decision comes at the direction of Trump, he added. “Under President Trump no private company will ever... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345184/us-treasury-says-it-stopping-use-anthropics-tech-including-its-claude-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345184/us-treasury-says-it-stopping-use-anthropics-tech-including-its-claude-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:15:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Donald Trump told the US government on Friday to “immediately” stop using Anthropic’s technology after the AI start-up rejected the Pentagon’s demand that it agree to unconditional military use of its Claude models. Anthropic insists its technology should not be used for the mass surveillance of US citizens or deployed in fully autonomous weapons systems, while the Pentagon says it operates within the law and that contracted suppliers cannot set terms on how their products are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344946/trump-tells-us-government-immediately-stop-using-anthropic-ai-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344946/trump-tells-us-government-immediately-stop-using-anthropic-ai-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 22:19:58 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Meta Platforms is moving forward with integrating the newly acquired artificial intelligence agent start-up Manus, according to two sources, despite Beijing’s probe into the US$2 billion deal. Some members of the Manus team in Singapore had moved into Facebook parent Meta’s offices and were granted Meta corporate accounts and other access, one of the sources said. Meta was also offering its employees the opportunity to transfer to Manus, preferring Chinese-speaking staff, a second source... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344755/facebook-owner-meta-presses-ahead-manus-merger-despite-beijing-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344755/facebook-owner-meta-presses-ahead-manus-merger-despite-beijing-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:30:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models, led by those from MiniMax AI and Moonshot AI, have topped global token usage, ending a year of market dominance for US developers, according to data from OpenRouter. Online AI hosting platform OpenRouter’s latest ranking reflected the increased international demand for Chinese open-source models on its site following a series of new releases. Launched around two weeks ago, the M2.5 from Shanghai-based MiniMax emerged as the most popular AI... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344587/chinas-minimax-moonshot-top-ai-token-use-ranking-ending-year-us-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344587/chinas-minimax-moonshot-top-ai-token-use-ranking-ending-year-us-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:30:07 +0000 Vincent Chow,Ben Jiang Vincent Chow,Ben Jiang US artificial intelligence lab Anthropic’s allegation that Chinese AI firms were “distilling” its Claude models has exposed a widely used AI training technique, sparking heated debate over its accepted boundaries, an analyst said. Anthropic said in a blog post on Monday that DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax AI used roughly 24,000 fraudulent accounts to generate more than 16 million exchanges with its Claude models. The US firm said the activity amounted to unauthorised “distillation” of its... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3344499/anthropics-distilling-charges-against-chinese-firms-expose-ai-training-grey-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3344499/anthropics-distilling-charges-against-chinese-firms-expose-ai-training-grey-area?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:05:35 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Last August, Beijing hosted the world’s first ever robotics competition, hailed as the Olympics for robotics, where human-shaped biped robots competed in sports events. Opening the grand show was a piano piece performed by a human pianist and a humanoid robot developed by Beijing-based start-up LinkerBot, which specialises in making dexterous hands for humanoids. The LinkerBot robot pianist was equipped with the company’s L6 mode of dexterous hands, designed for refined and delicate operations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3344242/doraemon-dexterous-hands-chinas-linkerbot-equips-robots-human-skills?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin They are young, intensely competitive, and unapologetic about 80-hour work weeks. Welcome to the United States’ new generation of tech founders. Gen Z’s start-up class is reframing “millennial hustle culture” by shifting from side gigs and personal branding to a more rigid office grind, while looking to China for inspiration. It’s for this reason that US artificial intelligence start-ups are openly embracing 996, the controversial 9am to 9pm, six-day-a-week schedule popularised by Chinese tech... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344052/996-goes-west-us-ai-start-ups-adopt-china-techs-controversial-work-schedule-get-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344052/996-goes-west-us-ai-start-ups-adopt-china-techs-controversial-work-schedule-get-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Artificial intelligence chip designer Enflame Technology on Wednesday entered the inquiry stage of its initial public offering, moving a step closer to joining a string of high-profile semiconductor sector listings on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s technology-focused Star Market. The listing of the Shanghai-based unicorn is the next closely watched chip offering, as investor appetite for domestic AI chipmakers remains strong. In this explainer, the South China Morning Post examines the next steps... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343336/will-chinese-ai-chip-designer-enflames-shanghai-ipo-be-another-blockbuster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343336/will-chinese-ai-chip-designer-enflames-shanghai-ipo-be-another-blockbuster?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek has updated its flagship AI model, adding support for a large context window with more up-to-date knowledge and fuelling further anticipation over its next major release. When asked, DeepSeek’s namesake chatbot confirmed in multiple responses that from Wednesday it had expanded its context window from 128,000 tokens to over 1 million – a nearly tenfold increase expected to improve AI systems’ handling of human queries. A larger context window... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343225/deepseek-boosts-ai-model-10-fold-token-addition-zhipu-ai-gears-glm-5-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343225/deepseek-boosts-ai-model-10-fold-token-addition-zhipu-ai-gears-glm-5-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:52:17 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese robotics firms continue to secure fresh financing, including from state-backed funds, as investors shift focus from hardware to the “brains” of humanoids – the software and operating systems that underpin their intelligence. Alongside hardware-centric companies like Unitree Robotics, a new wave of firms is emerging with capital directed towards robotic software and operating systems. Shenzhen-based humanoid robot maker LimX Dynamics announced on Monday the completion of its US$200... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342246/funding-surge-powers-chinese-robotics-firms-focus-shifts-humanoid-brains?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:00:38 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence start-up StepFun has unveiled a lightweight AI model that it says punches above its weight, rivalling larger systems from domestic competitors including DeepSeek and Moonshot AI as competition intensifies in the country’s AI sector. The Shanghai-based AI lab said on Monday its latest Step 3.5 Flash model was designed to deliver advanced reasoning and agentic capabilities while maintaining efficiency. Despite its relatively modest size of about 196 billion... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342222/punches-above-its-weight-compact-ai-model-chinas-stepfun-outshines-larger-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342222/punches-above-its-weight-compact-ai-model-chinas-stepfun-outshines-larger-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:30:37 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China’s frontier artificial intelligence labs are ending the lunar year on a high note, racing to release a series of new AI models in the last few weeks of the Year of the Snake as the country gears up to celebrate the start of the Year of the Horse. Beijing-based Zhipu AI and Shanghai-quartered MiniMax, which just made their stock exchange debuts in Hong Kong, would be the next to update their flagship AI systems with across-the-board enhancements, according to sources familiar with their... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3342051/chinas-ai-labs-race-debut-latest-models-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3342051/chinas-ai-labs-race-debut-latest-models-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press As the new robot called Sprout walks around a Manhattan office, nodding its rectangular head, lifting its windscreen-wiper-like “eyebrows” and offering to shake your hand with its grippers, it looks nothing like the sleek and intimidating humanoids built by companies like Tesla. Sprout’s charm is the point. A five-year-old child could comfortably talk at eye level with this humanoid, which stands one metre (three feet) tall and wears a soft, padded exterior of sage-green foam. Forged by stealth... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3341774/forget-soulless-humanoid-robots-teslas-optimus-ones-more-wall-e?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3341774/forget-soulless-humanoid-robots-teslas-optimus-ones-more-wall-e?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Back in 2014, high-profile female executives like Sheryl Sandberg were leaning in to rebrand feminism for a new generation, everybody wanted to be a #girlboss, and hustle culture was at its peak. Meanwhile, 16-year-old menstrual care activist Nadya Okamoto was just getting started. “I started a non-profit [and] there were a lot of exciting things happening – awards and a lot of praise,” Okamoto tells me on the phone from New York. In the decade since launching that organisation to combat period... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3341372/menstrual-care-activist-nadya-okamoto-founding-august-and-challenging-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3341372/menstrual-care-activist-nadya-okamoto-founding-august-and-challenging-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Moonshot AI’s newest release, Kimi K2.5, has narrowed the gap between the US and China to the closest it has ever been in the development of artificial intelligence models, according to third-party evaluations. That feat by the Beijing-based start-up, founded in March 2023, has raised questions about the efficacy of US policies – most notably, export controls on advanced semiconductors – to constrain China’s AI development efforts, said Kyle Chan, a fellow of the John L Thornton China Centre at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341580/moonshots-newest-release-narrows-us-china-ai-model-development-gap-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341580/moonshots-newest-release-narrows-us-china-ai-model-development-gap-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang The Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) is eyeing investments in fintech, aerospace and artificial intelligence, tapping the city’s strengths and a wave of incoming talent and enterprises as geopolitical shifts create new opportunities, according to its CEO. The city’s wholly owned investment vehicle, which manages HK$62 billion (US$8 billion) in funds, would look at these new sectors in addition to its other focus areas, “playing to Hong Kong’s advantages in the context of the global... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3341515/hong-kongs-us8-billion-wealth-fund-eyes-fintech-aerospace-and-ai-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3341515/hong-kongs-us8-billion-wealth-fund-eyes-fintech-aerospace-and-ai-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:48:09 +0000 Ni Tao Ni Tao Hangzhou’s space industry got off to a flying start in 2026. On January 7, China’s leading private rocket firm Space Epoch broke ground on a medium-to-large liquid rocket assembly, testing and reuse facility in Hangzhou’s Qiantang district. Basing this in the port city allows the rockets to be transported by sea to launch areas in the East China Sea and recovered the same way. Logistics alone do not explain the decision. Space Epoch is plugging into an industrial ecosystem Hangzhou has been... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341303/how-hangzhous-tech-ecosystem-nurtures-dragons-and-rockets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen-3 became one of the world’s first general-purpose artificial intelligence models to be uploaded and operated in orbit, marking a milestone in China’s bid to lead the nascent space-based computing sector. Chinese aerospace start-up Adaspace Technology successfully deployed Qwen-3 to a space computing centre in orbit where it executed multiple inference tasks in November, according to company executive vice-president Wang Yabo, who spoke at a conference on Monday, as reported... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341388/alibabas-qwen-3-becomes-worlds-first-ai-model-operate-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341388/alibabas-qwen-3-becomes-worlds-first-ai-model-operate-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:25 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese artificial intelligence start-up StepFun has appointed Yin Qi, the co-founder and former CEO of Megvii, as its chairman, as the company wraps up a 5 billion yuan (US$690 million) Series B+ funding round and sharpens its focus on so-called “physical AI” – artificial intelligence designed to power real-world machines such as cars and robots. Yin, a prominent figure from China’s first wave of computer-vision start-ups, is also chairman of Qianli Technology, a Geely-backed smart-driving... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341257/geely-linked-tech-veteran-yin-qi-joins-chinese-ai-start-stepfun-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341257/geely-linked-tech-veteran-yin-qi-joins-chinese-ai-start-stepfun-chairman?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s Spring Festival has emerged as a high-stakes arena for artificial intelligence and robotics companies, with tech giants Tencent Holdings and Baidu committing a combined 1.5 billion yuan (US$215 million) to their digital red packet campaigns. Chinese social media and gaming giant Tencent announced on Sunday that its AI chatbot app Yuanbao would give away 1 billion yuan in hong bao – the traditional red envelopes containing cash gifts. Users could win up to 10,000 yuan through lucky draws... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341262/chinese-tech-giants-tencent-and-baidu-join-fight-spring-festival-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341262/chinese-tech-giants-tencent-and-baidu-join-fight-spring-festival-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:00:29 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s Eyou Robot Technology has launched the world’s first automated production line for robot joints, positioning itself to capture growth ahead of a projected surge in humanoid robot shipments. The plant, based in Pudong, Shanghai, opened last Wednesday with an annual capacity of 100,000 units, with scope to triple output. Founded in 2018, Eyou supplies domestic humanoid robot makers, including industry leader AgiBot. The company achieved mass production of its products in 2023, with annual... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341229/chinas-eyou-opens-worlds-first-automated-line-humanoid-robot-joints?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Ben Jiang,Coco Feng Ben Jiang,Coco Feng The new year kicked off with the blockbuster public market debuts of two Chinese artificial intelligence high-flyers – Zhipu AI and MiniMax – making them the world’s first publicly listed large language model (LLM) start-ups. The listings put them ahead of US rivals including Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Amazon.com-supported Anthropic, which have yet to reach public markets. Both Chinese companies have been backed by heavyweight investors, including state-linked funds and big tech groups such as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341063/next-level-why-chinas-game-makers-are-quietly-bankrolling-generative-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341063/next-level-why-chinas-game-makers-are-quietly-bankrolling-generative-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong The US-China tech rivalry is no longer confined to the laboratories, fabs and boardrooms of the industry’s biggest names – the artificial intelligence battlefield has now expanded into the capital markets, where ambition is priced in real time. As Washington and Beijing push rival technology ecosystems, initial public offerings and listings are becoming a high-stakes referendum on who gets funding, credibility and, most of all, the runway to scale. Across the Pacific, the contest has been... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340999/labs-listings-us-china-ai-race-makes-capital-markets-new-battleground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340999/labs-listings-us-china-ai-race-makes-capital-markets-new-battleground?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s “infrastructure first” approach to developing its artificial intelligence industry will help unlock frontier innovation in the fast-moving technology, according to the president of Kimi model developer Moonshot AI. The country’s energy buildout had made the supply of electricity “very cheap”, which was essential for fundamental research and innovation, said Moonshot’s Zhang Yutong in Wednesday’s panel discussion on China’s “AI Plus” strategy at the World Economic Forum in Davos,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340842/chinas-infrastructure-first-approach-major-advantage-ai-arms-race-davos-panel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340842/chinas-infrastructure-first-approach-major-advantage-ai-arms-race-davos-panel?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:45:11 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Frontier research lab MiroMind, a subsidiary of the China-founded multinational firm Shanda Group, has asked some of its staff in Shanghai to relocate to Singapore, according to people with knowledge of the matter, raising comparisons to artificial intelligence start-up Manus’ pull-out from China last year. Those actions came amid Sunday’s reorganisation announcement by Shanda and Singapore-based MiroMind, which said its research on artificial general intelligence (AGI) and fundamental... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340721/china-founded-shandas-ai-lab-boosts-singapore-operation-pulling-research-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340721/china-founded-shandas-ai-lab-boosts-singapore-operation-pulling-research-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:30:09 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China aims to make breakthroughs in artificial intelligence chips, accelerate 6G development and establish key benchmarks for humanoid robotics, as the country kicks off its new five-year plan prioritising innovation as a key driver of economic growth. To promote the development of the AI industry, the government was targeting breakthroughs in core technologies such as training chips and heterogeneous computing, officials from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said at a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3340692/beijing-outlines-tech-push-focus-ai-6g-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3340692/beijing-outlines-tech-push-focus-ai-6g-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:08:14 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu New energy, artificial intelligence, electric vehicle (EV) and biotechnology companies will remain the driving force behind Hong Kong’s initial public offering (IPO) market in the coming years, according to the head of bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX). “In the past year, dozens of new companies in green energy, automation and other sectors have listed in Hong Kong, enabling them to scale their research and global impact,” wrote Bonnie Chan Yiting, CEO of HKEX, in an... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3340575/new-energy-ai-ev-and-biotech-drive-hong-kong-ipo-growth-hkex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3340575/new-energy-ai-ev-and-biotech-drive-hong-kong-ipo-growth-hkex?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:15:06 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s pursuit of commercial nuclear fusion technology has intensified this year, fuelled by a fresh round of financing for start-ups and state-backed initiatives. Startorus Fusion last week raised 1 billion yuan (US$143 million) from its series A round, a record for a single financing round by a private nuclear fusion company on the mainland, according to a report by the Securities Times. The deal, announced on January 12, was led by state-owned funds in Shanghai, which contributed around 400... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340430/chinas-nuclear-fusion-start-ups-power-record-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340430/chinas-nuclear-fusion-start-ups-power-record-funding-round?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang One year ago, a little-known Chinese start-up called DeepSeek burst onto the scene with a new artificial intelligence model that challenged assumptions about China’s ability to innovate under US technology curbs. In what became known as the “DeepSeek moment”, the Hangzhou-based firm kicked off what some likened as a modern-day “Sputnik moment” for China’s AI ambitions. Just as the Soviet Union’s 1957 launch of Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite, shocked the US and triggered the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3340422/deepseek-year-how-little-known-chinese-start-sparked-global-ai-arms-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3340422/deepseek-year-how-little-known-chinese-start-sparked-global-ai-arms-race?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Iris Deng,Coco Feng,Wency Chen Iris Deng,Coco Feng,Wency Chen China’s Unitree Robotics shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, as the Hangzhou-based company ramped up production ahead of its planned listing on the mainland. That number – covering “pure” full-body, bipedal humanoid models – exceeded those of its American peers such as Tesla, Figure AI and Agility Robotics, which shipped 150 humanoid robots each last year, according to market research firm Omdia. Unitree saw its annual output... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340446/chinas-unitree-ships-more-5500-humanoid-robots-2025-surpassing-us-peers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340446/chinas-unitree-ships-more-5500-humanoid-robots-2025-surpassing-us-peers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:15:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China accounted for more than four out of five humanoid robot installations globally in 2025, driven by domestic start-ups AgiBot and Unitree Robotics, as mass production and commercialisation accelerated, according to a report by Counterpoint Research. A total of 16,000 humanoid robots were installed globally in 2025, mainly for data collection and research, as well as in the logistics, manufacturing, and automotive sectors, according to Counterpoint data released on Wednesday. The market was... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3340142/china-dominates-global-humanoid-robot-market-over-80-installations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3340142/china-dominates-global-humanoid-robot-market-over-80-installations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong China’s move to raise margin requirements for leveraged stock trading signalled regulators’ push to steer clear of boom-and-bust cycles, while strengthening the stock market’s role in funding the country’s tech self-sufficiency efforts, according to analysts. “The signal from regulators was crystal-clear: guide the market towards a stable transition to a slow bull run,” said Wang Jun, a strategist at BOC International in Shanghai. “Investors should reduce their leverage levels to guard against... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340000/china-pushes-slow-bull-run-tightened-margin-financing-rules-fight-overheating?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340000/china-pushes-slow-bull-run-tightened-margin-financing-rules-fight-overheating?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese semiconductor start-up SpacemiT, fresh off an over US$86 million funding round, is gearing up for mass production of its new RISC-V chips, using an architecture rivalling Intel’s and Arm’s, which is seen as Beijing’s hope for achieving chip self-sufficiency. The Hangzhou-based company recently completed a series B funding round raising more than 600 million yuan from investors, including fellow Hangzhou firm Huaxia Hengtian, the Beijing Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339953/chinas-spacemit-launch-server-class-risc-v-processor-after-raising-us86-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3339953/chinas-spacemit-launch-server-class-risc-v-processor-after-raising-us86-million?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:00:14 +0000