The 5th China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair (CSITF, aka Shanghai Tech Fair) was launched on 20th April at the Shanghai Expo Exhibition Centre. The Australian Landing Pad and its first cohort of participants have showcased Australian innovation capabilities at numerous activities during the exhibition.

The Landing Pad booth is at the centre of the Innovation Ecosystem Exhibition Area, showcasing many renowned innovation facilitators and investors. The Landing Pad programme and its four participating teams have attracted wide attention from government agencies, incubators, investors, and large corporations across multiple Chinese provinces including Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, and Hebei, and from a number of foreign countries including Israel, Netherlands, Spain, and USA.

The Former Minister of Commerce, now President of ARATS (Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits) Mr. Deming Chen visited the Australian Landing Pad booth and met with the representatives from the incumbent participants.

In the morning, Austrade Trade Commissioner and Commercial Consul at the Australian Consulate-General in Shanghai.  Ms.Karen Surmon presented on the main stage of CSITF to demonstrate the Australian Government’s commitment to facilitating the commercialisation of Australian innovation in China.

Landing Pad participants (Mr. Brent Pearce, Trendwise, Mr. Pawan Lalwani, Mr. Daniel Zhan, Euclideon, and Ms. Zia Word, chozun) also pitched their capabilities and showcased the Landing Pad initiative.

Landing Pad participants were given VIP access to a VC Meetup, where they spoke with a dozen top-tier early stage investors from around China. Later, TechNode conducted one-on-one media interviews with all four teams.

The CSITF, organised by the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Science of Technology, State Intellectual Property Office, and Shanghai Municipal Government, with special support from the UNDP, UNIDO, and WIPO, is a national level major technology fair in China.