The rest of the 100 (in alphabetical order by company): Blair Zhang, Comb-plus
Blair Zhang, global partnership director of Comb-plus, an international accelerator developed by Hong Kong-listed Skyocean Holdings, has had a busy few months.
In November, while at the Slush conference in Finland, Comb-plus and the Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) set up an Artificial Intelligence Fund with a target size of €65m. The fund will focus on international technology startups entering the Chinese market.
Leo Zhu, CEO of Comb-plus, said: “We see Helsinki, Beijing’s sister city, as the best place in the world to launch our fund. Our ambitions are global and we are today opening the Sino Track program to all exceptional technology and cultural startup aspiring to enter the Chinese market.”
The fund is part of the Comb-plus Sino Track accelerator program, which was launched a year ago by Zhang. Already 19 Nordic startups have participated in the program, which is now expanding globally.
The Sino Track program connected Flexound with over 20 relevant Chinese investors and institutions, including media company Xinhuanet, and Gome, which operates over 2000 retail and online stores. Through the introductions, Flexound was able to open a sales channel in China in only three weeks.
Before joining Comb-plus, Zhang worked at the New York City Council and United Nations, negotiating experience that has proved useful is setting up Compass Innovation Alliance* in Hong Kong, which is a non-government organisation (NGO) to connect international entrepreneurs, investors and mentors to boost global innovation.
Zhang said: “Additionally, Compass will help HK local entrepreneurs realise their innovation dreams.
“For Compass, my goal is to attract more global startups and Chinese investors to Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau Greater Bay Area.”
*Disclosure: James Mawson, founder of Mawsonia, is UK chairman of Compass.
