Welcome to

Scale through the Greater Bay Area!

2022 New Infrastructure Explorator

GreaterBayX is a multi-partner innovation program designed to support late-stage startups to scale through the Greater Bay Area locally and internationally. The program focuses primarily on business facilitation and investment in a bid to propel urban tech innovation into this US$1.7 trillion region.

Selected participants will join in a 6-week remote program focused on strategic alignment and preparation followed by a roadshow around key cities in the Greater Bay Area. The roadshow will comprise a series of events, workshops and facilitated business meetings. The program is organized by X Partnership and is supported by corporate partners seeking investment and collaboration opportunities with tech companies in the region: logistics warehousing giant Goodman, commercial and residential property developer ITC and a regional manufacturing leader TCL.

What is New Infrastructure?

GreaterBayX is looking for startups with both software and hardware technologies that can positively impact urbanization, ready to scale in the region and beyond. The theme of the program is New Infrastructure covering AI, robotics, cloud-computing, electrification, industrial internet, IOT and mobility solutions. The terminology follows the development concept of Mainland China dating back to 2020 and gaining momentum this year.

The specific application areas are driven by our corporate partners and their problem statements, including logistics warehouse automation, sporting and entertainment facilities, as well as consumer electronics.

The three problem statements to apply for…

Smart logistics & energy solutions for warehouses with Goodman

Download the challenge and the details here!

Smart Sports Technology management with ITC Properties

Download the challenge and the details here!

New manufacturing & industrial solutions with TCL

Download the challenge and the details here!

APPLY HERE!

What we are looking for

Are you eligible?

We are looking for eight of the best companies in the world to accept in our program and we have strict and serious criteria accordingly. We appreciate a big vision, but we are much more focused on execution. This is not an idea-stage accelerator, but a platform for serious business development for companies that are onto something big. The major characteristics of the businesses and teams that we are looking for are the following.

Growth-stage

Numbers are positive, ready to scale

Impact

Scores positively on SDG & ESG metrics

Investable

Company open to accept equity investment

Product / Service

Proven, sells, scales, lasts

Revenues

Ideally minimum USD 1m

Team

A rock-solid group of people

Program details

Timing – 2022

Application: March
Selection: April
Business Matching: May
Greater Bay Roadshow: June

Locations

The Greater Bay Area (GBA) is the biggest megacity in the building. It consists of 11 cities, 3 legal jurisdictions, 4 official languages and offers endless opportunities. These cities are rapidly integrating and growing with their combined GDP of USD 1.7 trillion expected to triple over the coming 15 years. It is also designed to be both the innovation center of China and the conduit with the rest of the world. Running a cross-border urban tech innovation and investment program is thus most appropriate in the GBA.

Shenzhen

Considered to be the innovation capital of China, this metropolis was just a village 30 years ago. Shenzhen now has a population of 15 million, a fully electric bus and taxi fleet, some of the largest tech companies in the world and a thriving ecosystem.

Guangzhou

The oldest and largest city in the region has been moving up the value chain and growing rapidly over the last decade. As a highlight, Guangzhou is adding 12 new metro lines to its current system of 19 in the next 3 years.

Macau-Hengqin

Macau is the gaming capital of the world, but the city is not only about hotels and casinos. It is seriously diversifying its economy by investing technology and new infrastructure. An important piece of the puzzle is the neighbouring island Hengqin, a special economic zone.

Huizhou

Huizhou is known for its beautiful shoreline in the region, but it is currently being developed into a national innovation city with a focus on automotive electronics, LED and new‑energy battery. This high-tech manufacturing upgrade require heavy investment in new infrastructure solutions.

We are a cross-border platform to help urbantech companies grow in China & beyond.

Why this program?

Cross-border access

Scaling across borders into China and out is a tough job; we’ve been there, done that. This program is designed to make this hard job easier, so we assembled a team and network that are experienced in facilitating investment and business between China and the rest of the world.

All costs covered

We are here to move as much friction out of the equation as possible and lower the barrier of entry for the startups to grow across borders. As a consequence, we decided to cover travel and accommodation costs to make sure the best founders can focus simply on business.

Efficient model

No time wasted and no equity taken. We are committed to business value and we are not here to run an innovation theatre. We believe in quick decisions and we offer great exposure via our multi-partner platform.

Unparalleled network

This is a trustworthy environment where you can scale your business with leading enterprises, investment funds with deep local expertise, city governments and the #1 university in China.

No equity taken. Just value added.

We are not asking for equity in exchange of participation in the program. We run an efficient and streamlined operation to create business, investment and growth opportunities for all stakeholders involved. We have funds that are committed to this program and we are determined to invest when there is collective interest. We are here to add value for the participating startups and we mean it.

Efficiency & business focus

We have built an efficient innovation program. No time wasted, no BS, maximum value. We believe in quick decisions, we offer great exposure and an unparalleled network to support your expansion across borders.

Tsinghua connection

Tsinghua, often dubbed as the MIT of China, is the #1 university in the country and TOP20 in the world. Our program is associated with the investment, technology and innovation arm of the institution, TusHolding that runs science and technology parks and investment funds. It has also launched thousands of enterprises successfully, with dozens listed and merged or acquired.

Our why

Opportunities

The opportunities of China and the Greater Bay Area are obvious for everyone, but they are hard to grasp. Whom to trust? Where to start? What are the legal implications? What about IP? Our platform is designed to make business easier for overseas entrepreneurs. This is a safe environment with simple answers to hard questions thanks to a group of amazing partners.

Urbanisation

By 2050, there will be 2.5 billion more people living in cities than today. How we build and operate urban environments today is not going to be efficient, sufficient or sustainable with those numbers. We want to facilitate the growth and proliferation of technologies and innvoation that can positively contribute to this process.

Impact

We are looking for startups with technology and innovation that can positively impact the process of urbanisation. We use ESG metrics in our selection process, because we believe this is the right thing to do and we also believe this makes a good business.

Who we are

We are a group of investors, entrepreneurs and innovators that have joined forces to help startups with exceptional potential do business across borders. We have run mobility and smart city accelerator programs globally and in China. This unique set of experience enables us to create exceptional value. We have been there, done that and we are now here to help you do it right. Our collective intelligence rocks.

Organising partners

This program is organized by X Partnership, an international investment, advisory and property development consortium focusing on cross-border urban innovation. The Partnership has multiple members across various geographies, but on this occasion GreaterBay Ventures & TGN are managing the project.

GreaterBay Ventures & Advisors specialises in technology and innovation that can positively impact urbanisation. Based in the Greater Bay Area, we excel in cross-border venture development.

TusMaker Global Network is an international innovation and investment service platform, associated with Tsinghua University, China’s MIT and one of the TOP 20 university in the world.

Our team

Joanna Cheung

Co-Founder & Director

Joanna, a Brown graduate, is founder of TusMaker Global Network and Managing Director of Tus- International (00872.HK), GP of HBCC Investment, a Nomura alum. Her focus and expertise is cross-border investments and facilitating growth in China.

Tony Á. Verb

Co-Founder & Director

Tony – originally from Hungary – has lived between Asia and Europe for 12 years. He is a serial entrepreneur & venture capitalist with a focus on urbantech, a Greater Bay Area expert and a WEF Global Shaper. He also produces films with social impact.

Harry Xia

General Manager

Harry is the General Manager of the program with over 10 years of management experience in operations, marketing and cross-border business. He was previously the Southern District Manager for Yachang Art Web specialized in publishing, art and digital solutions.

Maureen Ng

Investment

Maureen has more than 20 years of management and equity investment experience in the TMT field. She has invested in more than 40 projects over the years to help local and international companies become a success in China.

Emily Zhang

Coordination

Emily – originally from Chengdu – is specialized in cross-culture communication and cross-border innovation management. As a Hong Kong PolyU graduate, she has lived and worked both in China and Hong Kong.

Leading enterprise partners

We are very proud to work with a world-class, diverse and complementary group of companies that are committed to the success of the program. As we work with not one – as most corporate innovation programs -, but three enterprise partners, we manage to multiply the potential for the participating startup companies to find an ideal partner or investor. Our partners are also synergistic in their focus areas, strengths, geographical expertise and capabilities. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to access a group of senior executives and unique set of resources that are so specific to a sector and a geography.

World class advisors & mentors

We have a strong network of experts, partners and mentors across the spectrum of tech, cross-border business and investments. We work closely with them to bring relevant insights, identify the best companies locally and find the best opportunities in the Greater Bay.