Ahead of the next edition, we sat down with Minesh Pore the head of Startup Launchpad, to talk us through this April’s event at Asia World Expo.
Mishesh, tell us about yourself
Thanks StartupsHK. I’m a highly regarded global trade expert with more than 18 years experience leading multinational organisations in corporate transformation, Intra-prenuership, innovation, international business development and strategic planning. I would say I am a well-connected and respected globally for my experience, network and knowledge of the Greater Bay area startup ecosystem, mentoring startup founders, helping startups scale up and expand international.
What is Startup Launchpad?
Startup Launchpad is hosted in Hong Kong every April and October. The show focuses on helping hardware and retail solutions startups scale up by meeting buyers, retailers and wholesalers from more than 140 countries. We will also be hosting a one-day conference, with a focus on blockchain as a transparency tool for supply chain. We will have two-day workshops, the focus of which is to educate startup founders on every step from initiating a business plan to working with distributors globally. We will also have pitches from the top 10 startups that will be pitching for more than HK$500,000 in prizes.
Why should startups attend?
Startups who want to sell their products and solutions should attend the trade shows. Startup ecosystem players who want to connect with others in blockchain for supply-chain sector and learn what the latest trends are in this arena should attend. All those who have considered launching a startup or who are at any stage of their startup journey, should attend the workshops. Also: come and listen to the pitch-competition winners, who this time come from Hong Kong, China, India, Austria and Spain.
What are some of the standout events we should look out for?
The must sees at the show will be:
- AR/ VR game demos by Ubisoft and Ninebot will be on display, demonstrating the latest in eVehicle technology.
- 200 Startups from Austria, India, Spain, China, Taiwan, the US, Singapore and Hong Kong wll be showcasing various IOT products, connected devices, eVehicles, health-tech devices, edu tech, AR / VR products and retail solutions.
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- Conference: Future of Retail – SCM Innovation (April 19 in Hall 2 at Asia World Expo). This conference will be talking about potential in automating the complicated supply-chain management, using tech innovations such as blockchain. Insights will be shared by the industry’s top practitioners. Also, we will be discussing the investment outlook in the new retail sector.
- Workshop: Start. Make. Sell! Workshop Series for Startups. April 20-21 in Hall 2 at Asia World Expo). These workshops are designed for early-stage startups, entrepreneurs or anyone thinking about hardware projects. The workshop will guide participants through the right way to start their business in the Greater Bay area, including finding the right partners, incubation programs and leveraging free trade-zone advantages; tips and advice on prototyping products; and how to validate, market and sell the product.