The China-Australia Startup Bridge - 创业桥梁

"Chinese cash is coming here like a tsunami!", Aaron Mankovski, Pitango VC (Israel), but it's no different in Australia.

Yes, Chinese investors are coming here but there's more... startups selling to China, AU investors in China, R&D joint projects and those helping to make it all happen...

We will explore how startups & investors do business in China, why there is still distrust and the awesome opportunities through bi-lateral collaboration.

Guiding us on our journey for the evening are our AMAZING facilitator and panellists:

The Facilitator:
Sarah Tritsch (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmtritsch/), Star Jasmine (https://starjasmine.com.au)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/2/e/600_464223118.jpeg

Sarah Tritsch 戚思雅 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmtritsch/) is the Principal of Star Jasmine (https://starjasmine.com.au) and a startup mentor.

Sarah has experience as a startup mentor at Stone and Chalk, muru-D and with UNSW Entrepreneurs. She is also a strategy and corporate advisor at Lakeba and has advised clean energy, resource and biotechnology companies. Sarah advised the Australia-China Business Council on innovation and agritech for the 2014 and 2016 Agritech and Food Summits and has been both a judge and mentor for the UNSW China Startup Pitching event.

Sarah is an Advisory Board member for the China Australia Millennial Project and ReadyFundGo.

In 2013 & 2014 she identified and advised innovative Israeli companies across the IT, medtech and cleantech sectors about entering the Australian market. In 2012, Sarah was part of the team which won a competitive tender to deliver the Australia-China Science and Research Knowledge Exchange Symposium on behalf of the federal Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.
Sarah is a member of the NSW Australia-China Business Council’s Agri-business subcommittee, the Asia Society and the Export Council of Australia. She is also a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (http://aicd.companydirectors.com.au) and an Export Market Development Grant consultant.

The Exporter:
Ken Taggart (https://www.linkedin.com/in/taggartken/), Chatty Kids (https://www.chattykids.com)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/b/0/d/600_462747405.jpeg

Ken Taggart is a successful Internet entrepreneur & EdTech trailblazer. Ken sold his first company in 2007 and started Chatty Kids (https://www.chattykids.com) when his own children were learning to read.

Ken wanted affordable, instant access to the content & professional advice needed by parents with children learning to read. The global business has quickly grown to focus on China, in addition to English speaking countries, because of the huge demand for learning to read & speak English.

Chatty Kids is looking for distribution partners to accelerate growth through B2B and B2C channels.

In early 2018 Chatty Kids will raise a Series A investment, any interested parties please get in touch to explore global opportunities. SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS ONLY

The Investor:
Terry Hilsberg (https://www.linkedin.com/in/terryhilsberg/), Innohub Capital (http://www.innohub.io/eng/index.html)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/0/3/2/600_462949202.jpeg

Terry Hilsberg is the Australian-based partner of a Shenzhen-based venture capital firm Innohub Capital (http://www.innohub.io/eng/index.html). He has been founding companies in and investing in China, since 1995. Currently, he is focused on investing in early stage Australian companies that wish to enter global markets, including China.

Terry's insights into China (e.g. InnovationAus article) (http://www.innovationaus.com/2017/07/Hilsberg-on-scale-China-is-calling) will help frame the questions of what value is being left on the table because bi-lateral work & investment is hampered by mis-trust, language and cultural differences.

The Chinese Govt Specialist:
Emily Hung (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hung-27b48253/), General Manager of Winglong

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/2/7/600_464223623.jpeg

Winglong has gained recognition from the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs of the PR of China to bring Chinese government and large corporation delegations to Australia and New Zealand for training, visits and study tours.

Winglong has developed a strong relationship with the Suzhou government in China and has run 5 years of pitch competitions, winners of which are invited to 'Elite Week' in Suzhou. Suzhou is an officially designated Economic and Technology Development Zone created through a collaboration between the Singapore and Chinese governments, with more than 200 venture capital firms working in the area, with an estimated $5.5 billion to invest.

Elite Week in Suzhou attracts more than 3000 entrepreneurs and 1500 projects from over 20 countries. More than 10 teams entering the Win-in-Suzhou competition in Australia and New Zealand this year have been invited to visit the Elite Week ... those setting up in Suzhou are entitled to government support including working space, seed funding, and settlement allowances.

******************
Star studded line-up - come with your questions ready!
******************

Details...

WHEN: Wednesday 6th September
TIME: 6pm - 8:30pm-ish
WHERE: Bay 10, Middlemiss Street, Lavender Bay NSW 2060

AGENDA for the evening:

• 6:00pm: Please arrive on time to meet other entrepreneurs / startups and check out the coworking space.

• 6:20pm ish: Panel discussion along with Q&A

• 8:00pm ish: Chat with the speakers and other entrepreneurs

• 8:30pm ish: We try to kick you out! (But there's often a bunch around 'til 9pm)

This is a free event. Please take time to thank someone from Work inc who are sponsoring this event.

We want to keep building the community of startups and innovation ecosystem people on the North Shore.

If you have a friend who is working on a startup, you may like to send them the link to this event. You never know what spark might be created as a result!

The venue

Work inc (http://workinc.com.au/bay-9/) (but we'll actually be in the Bay 10 Cafe (http://baytenespresso.com.au/)) is an awesome heritage space with self-contained work pods, shared offices and an open co-working space for startup and innovation-focused businesses and freelancers in Sydney’s North Shore.

It's for people who actually want to get work done and are committed to achieving their business goals.

See you there!