Between 12th - 16th December last year, 5 ELITE companies travelled to China to take part in two ELITE Investor Roadshow events, held in Shenzhen and Beijing. The event in Beijing also saw the signing of an agreement between ELITE and Shenzhen Securities and Information Company (SSIC), a subsidiary of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, as well as a number of other high profile UK and Chinese business leaders, taking part in the UK-China Economic Financial Dialogue.

The will see the ELITE community expand to China in 2018, as well as open possibilities for the whole ELITE community to explore business opportunities in the country through the ELITE network.

 

The first Investor pitching event in Shenzhen, in the South of China, saw over 140 investors corporates (80 in person  and 60 online) watch 5 ELITE companies give short 15 minute presentations on their businesses and their plans in the region. This was then followed by a series of private 1-on-1 meetings with potential investors and interested parties.

 

The next few days saw a number of follow up meetings for the companies as well as a visit to the Qianhai New District, a new special economic zone that will see further links between Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Qianhai. The area will also be a testing ground for new financial policies aimed at encouraging international cross border transactions and fostering the development of new innovative industries. For companies coming to China, there are preferential tax and business friendly policies, allowing more control for a foreign enterprise than traditionally available in mainland China. Although the plan to develop the area was announced only 5 years ago, there are already many of China’s largest investors, banks and other companies present, with plans to move some relevant government offices there in the future. The international presence is also growing, and a number of initiatives have been set up to encourage this, including a youth entrepreneur programme, for new business owners between the ages of 21 and 45.

 

Towards the end of the week, the group travelled to Beijing, for further investor meetings, a drinks reception for the launch of the City Club’s Beijing chapter, hosted by the British Embassy, and the final pitching event. Speakers including Wu Lijun, Chairman, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Andrew Bailey, Chief Executive of Financial Conduct Authority, and the Chancellor himself, all emphasised how important SMEs are to supporting economic growth and innovation in the UK and China, and showed great support for the signing between ELITE and SSIC.

 

The ELITE Companies in China

The companies joining the roadshow: video gaming developer, Dovetail Games; biotechnology company, Celixir; makers of beauty supplements GOLD COLLAGEN, Minerva Research Labs; recruitment technology platform, Volcanic and AI powered data analysis business, Zirra.

 

For the companies themselves the trip was an interesting learning and networking experience, and also provided great exposure as they develop their plans for the region. We do already have one success story from the trip, and we hope to be able to follow up this piece with further details of outcomes and experiences in China from the companies themselves.

 

On the Chinese side, there was a great deal of interest shown by not only some large investment firms such as Fosun, IDG Capital and others, but also the corporate community, excited to see the synergies between their operations in China and how ELITE companies could fit into these.

 

As the ELITE programme expands across the globe, we hope to be able to run further initiatives such as this through our ELITE partners, not only in China, but Brazil, North Africa, the Middle East, and North America in the future.