Asia Start: AI + Digital China Expedition is a 4-day immersive executive program designed to give business leaders and entrepreneurs a first-hand look at the AI revolution and digital transformation in China. This edition focuses on China’s digital ecosystem, taking participants on a strategic learning journey through Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen— three of the country’s most advanced smart cities and tech innovation hubs.
China is home to some of the leading AI companies in the world and is driving the artificial intelligence industry in Asia. With its digital economy projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025, Asia offers unparalleled opportunities for those looking to scale their business, tap into AI for business leaders, and understand China’s AI strategy and digital innovation ecosystem.
Throughout the program, you’ll gain exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to some of China’s most influential technology-driven companies, including Alibaba, Unitree Robotics, Tencent, and BYD. You will explore how these organizations apply AI, data, and advanced digital technologies within their core businesses, from platforms and robotics to mobility and manufacturing, and examine the distinct business models and innovation strategies shaping the future of Asia’s technology and industrial landscape.
Alibaba is a global e-commerce giant with significant investments in AI, operating over 10 proprietary large language models and deploying AI to support more than 1 billion users across its platforms.
Unitree Robotics is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer-grade quadruped robots. The company is especially known for its agile dog-like robots and has recently expanded into humanoid robots, combining dynamic motion control with affordability.
Tencent is Technology conglomerate known for its innovative digital services, including social media, gaming, and financial technology. The company operates popular platforms like WeChat, which boasts over 1.2 billion monthly active users.
BYD is a global leader in electric vehicles and batteries, producing over 1 million EVs annually and driving innovation in sustainable transportation and energy solutions.
On Sunday, May 10, you can to take part in an optional cultural immersion experience in Shanghai, offering a rich introduction to the city’s heritage and vibrant atmosphere. We will meet at 2:00 PM at the iconic Yu Garden, where classical architecture and tranquil landscapes set the tone, followed by a traditional tea experience that reveals the depth and elegance of Chinese tea culture.
The journey continues with a leisurely walk through the historic Old City, bringing Shanghai’s past to life, before gathering for a welcome dinner on East Nanjing Road. The evening concludes with a stroll along the Bund, where illuminated colonial façades face the futuristic skyline of Pudong—an unforgettable panorama capturing the striking contrast between historic and modern Shanghai.
Understand how China is pioneering new models of innovation through artificial intelligence, digital business innovation, and corporate digital transformation strategies that are reshaping global industries. Learn from a team of experienced faculty members with deep industry expertise.
Learn from behind-the-scenes dialogues with China’s top tech giants, including Alibaba, Unitree Robotics, Tencent and BYD, learning first-hand how they are shaping the future of the creator and shared economy, global e-commerce, supply chain, healthcare and electric vehicles, etc.
Identify and establish key partnerships with leading companies, customers, suppliers, manufacturers and digital ecosystems across China and Asia to expand your global footprint.
Build valuable relationships with China’s disruptive innovators, gaining insights into their strategies for scaling businesses in a rapidly changing digital economy. Join China’s influential and increasingly globally connected business community.
This program is ideal for C-suite executives, decision-makers, innovation leaders, and founders looking to explore China’s business ecosystem, especially those interested in investing in China, expanding their business in Asia, or learning strategies to expand businesses through digital transformation. Join a diverse group of like-minded peers in engaging cross-cultural dialogues, fostering collaborative relationships, and uniting in a shared commitment to driving digital growth.
Typical profiles include:
Founder/Co-founder, CEO, Investors, Digital Transformation Leader, CTO, CDO, VP, Head of Strategy, BD Director, Director of Sales, General Manager, Advisor & Chief AI Officer
All fees quoted are exclusive of any valued-added or other indirect taxes that may occur. The program fee includes tuition, teaching materials, lunch, one networking dinner, one cultural show (subject to the weather), Taichi & bus transfers. The cost of intercity transfers (train from Shanghai to Hangzhou & flight from Hangzhou to Shenzhen), hotel accommodations, international travels to and from China are not covered by the program fee.
*Please contact the program manager for scholarship opportunities, alumni and group rates.
In the unlikely event that a program is cancelled, participants will receive a full refund of any tuition paid, or may choose to transfer their enrollment to a future session or another CKGSB open-enrollment program, based on availability.
Founding Dean and Dean's Distinguished Chair Professor of China Business and Globalization, CKGSB
Dean’s Distinguished Chair Professor of Information Systems, Executive Academic Director for Business Scholars Program and Director of the Center for Digital Transformation, CKGSB
Professor of Accounting, Executive Academic Director for Executive Education Programs and Executive Academic Director for MBA Program, CKGSB
It’s one thing to read about China, another to watch it on television — but it’s a completely different thing to experience it. The Asia Start program gives you not just the feeling, but the real-life experience. You also have the opportunity to meet CEOs from around the world, discuss different topics, and reflect on the lectures. I call it a true learning journey, especially through the meetings with companies. We discussed everything from different angles, economies, views, and experiences. It’s a powerful process where you learn a lot from top CEOs and entrepreneurs, and it truly inspires you — what to do in your business, how to work, and how to develop your company.
The connections with the companies here were, truly enlightening — the company visits were the best part of the experience. Coming from Brazil, we are geographically far away, and it had always seemed to me that it would be hard to enter the market and build good partnerships here. But now that I’m here, I realize we are more similar than I thought. I feel much more comfortable about building bridges between Asia, China, and Brazil.
I am leaving Asia Start inspired, full of ideas for our business, and with lots of thoughts in my mind. I definitely recommend everyone to be here. When you are a senior leader, it’s about what you get from the program — how it will help you be future-ready, how it will help you transform. And Asia Start is the one. I’m leaving the program satisfied, happy, inspired — but most of all, with one important message in my head: I have to come here every year to stay future-ready.
It’s a great opportunity to delve into Chinese culture and the Chinese way of doing business. I believe Asia Start is the best platform to truly understand both the culture and the entire ecosystem. Comparing it with all the other universities where I have attended executive education programs, I can say this is excellent — one of the best.
I believe in continuous learning, and I believe that in order to do good deals and make progress, you always need to better understand the other side. That’s why I decided to join the program and take the maximum value from it. It’s very fast-paced — I don’t see many better ways to extract information and gain a real feeling for the Asian markets in just one week than Asia Start. The professors are extremely professional and experienced. They are not only academic; you can feel they come from the business world and show you how things work in practice, which is incredibly valuable. There is also a very good cohort — you make friends for life. I think this is very important, because business and life are about people before anything else.
It was a very eye-opening experience because of what’s going on in China — how modern it is, how innovative, and how you can really feel the entrepreneurial spirit everywhere. You can see that the professors have enormous experience gained abroad, and they are bringing this experience back to China. It’s a wonderful combination of knowledge, experience, and the way they deliver the messages — in a very simple, easy-to-understand way. At the same time, the ideas are fresh and new. What I enjoyed the most was the combination: having lectures that make you think, and then seeing it all in practice during the company visits. We also had the opportunity to meet representatives of respected companies at dinners in a more informal setting. All of this made the program very valuable to me.
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