China High-Tech Meets Switzerland
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Why China Will Lead — and How We Can Collaborate

Thursday, 12 November 2026 · 14:00–16:30 CET (Swiss time)
Online · Moderated by Ralf Haller and Van Long Tu
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China’s technological rise is reshaping competition. For Swiss and European companies, understanding its capabilities—and deciding whether to collaborate—is becoming a strategic business priority.
How China and Asia Are Reshaping Global Technology Competition—and What Swiss Leaders Need to Do Next

China combines engineering talent, industrial scale, deep supply chains and rapid commercialisation. These strengths position it to lead in more of the high-tech industries that will define the next decade. As AI moves into machines, factories and everyday products, that advantage could become even more significant.
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Can collaboration with Chinese technology companies help us innovate faster, build better products and remain competitive?
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This online executive forum has one purpose: to explore whether, where and how collaboration can work, with substantial time for detailed discussion and participants’ own questions.

Why China Is Positioned to Lead

• Speed: Short development cycles, rapid experimentation and continuous customer feedback.
• Industrial depth: Closely connected engineers, suppliers and manufacturers.
• Scale and competition: Large markets and intense pressure to improve performance and cost.
• AI meets industry: Bringing intelligence into robotics, mobility, manufacturing and infrastructure.

Where will these advantages translate into lasting leadership? Where do constraints remain? And what should Swiss and European companies do about it?

Online

Thursday,
12 November 2026

2:00 - 4:30 pm

Early-bird pricing available

Secure your seat

Speakers

Transition & Program Manager at HCLTech

Van Long Tu

With over two decades of experience in IT strategy, operations, and technology integration, I currently serve as a Transition & Program Manager at HCLTech. My mission is to drive impactful digital transformation initiatives that align with organizational goals and foster innovation. I am motivated by opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and empower teams to deliver business excellence. My expertise in managing transitions and programs allows me to bring a unique perspective to the table, ensuring seamless execution and alignment with organizational strategies. At HCLTech, I contribute to the seamless transition and implementation of key programs, leveraging my extensive background in IT operations and project management. I collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize processes and deliver results, focusing on technology integration and strategic planning. My ability to navigate complex IT landscapes and implement robust solutions has enabled me to support the organization's goals effectively.

Founding Partner @ WISER ASIA | Help European Tech Companies Enter & Scale in China

Kevin Chen

Kevin Chen is Founding Partner of WISER ASIA, where he helps European technology companies successfully enter the Chinese market through strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and commercialization. With more than 20 years of experience bridging Europe and China, he previously spent 12 years leading international business at China Electronics Technology Group (CETC) and has held senior leadership roles with Nordic technology companies. Kevin is a recognized expert in cross-border market entry, venture development, and China–Europe technology partnerships.

Co-Founder & President @ Arise AI | Enterprise AI & Sovereign AI

Nan Zhong

I build products and teams, grow businesses and people. Over the past 16 years, I've been a 2x founder and 2x early startup employee, and led AI/ML teams at ByteDance, Shopee, and Uber. We grew a $7B revenue business at double-digit rates for 4 consecutive years, shipped needle-moving AI/ML products to 1B+ users, and built international teams of 350+. Now I'm building Arise AI, an enterprise AI and sovereign AI startup. We serve businesses and the public sector in Southeast Asia. I co-founded the company and run it end-to-end. Beyond Arise, I spearhead strategic AI initiatives across the CP ecosystem. I'm also an investor, father, and lover of nature.

AI Strategist & Venture Partner at Zero2Launch

Alvin Foo

Alvin Foo is Venture Partner at Zero2Launch, where he helps founders and executives deploy practical AI solutions that deliver measurable business value. With more than 25 years of experience across technology, finance and digital strategy in Asia, he has worked as a lawyer, Google strategist and startup advisor, mentoring companies across AI, fintech and Web3. Today, Alvin focuses on helping organizations identify high-impact AI use cases, implement AI agents and automation, and build AI-powered products that create real competitive advantage. His approach combines hands-on execution with deep insights into Asia's fast-evolving technology ecosystem, making him a trusted advisor for companies navigating the next wave of AI innovation.

Founder and President High-Tech Connect

Ralf Haller

Ralf Haller advises Boards, CEOs and leadership teams on technology-driven global competitiveness. He brings almost 30 years of experience across Silicon Valley, China, Hong Kong and Europe, spanning product strategy, go-to-market, industrial AI and LLM-based applications. He is the Founder of High-Tech Connect, Co-Founder of Lawise.ai / Jurilo and author of The Decision Layer.

Program

China & Asia High-Tech meets Switzerland

Thursday, 12 November 2026 · 14:00–16:30 CET · Online

Moderated throughout by Ralf Haller and Van Long Tu.

14:00–14:15 | Opening — Why China Is Positioned to Lead

Ralf Haller & Van Long Tu

The forces behind China’s high-tech momentum—and why Swiss and European companies need to discuss whether and how to collaborate.

14:15–14:40 | China’s AI Champions — Where Collaboration Creates Value

China Speed : Why Do They Move So Fast?

Which developments in China’s AI ecosystem matter for European businesses? We explore relevant capabilities, practical applications and opportunities for cooperation.

4:40–15:05 | China Speed — What European Companies Can Learn

Alvin Foo · Venture Partner, Zero2Launch

How Chinese technology companies develop, test and scale products. What can European businesses adopt—and how could partnerships accelerate innovation?

15:05–15:30 | How to Build a Successful China–Europe Partnership

Kevin Chen · Founding Partner, WISER ASIA

Finding suitable partners, creating value for both sides and moving towards a first project. A practical discussion of commercial interests, cultural differences, trust and intellectual property.

15:30–15:40 | Break

15:40–16:20 | Joint Discussion — Can We Collaborate and How

Kevin Chen, Nan Zhong & Alvin Foo

An extended discussion moderated by Ralf Haller and Van Long Tu, with audience questions throughout. Where does collaboration make business sense? What are the barriers? What can European companies contribute—and what should a first pilot look like?

16:20–16:30 | Conclusions — What Should We Do Next

Ralf Haller & Van Long Tu

Key takeaways and practical actions participants can pursue in the next 90 days.

What We Will Explore

The event is built around three central questions.

Can meaningful collaboration be achieved?

How has China's innovation ecosystem evolved over the past three decades?
Where are the biggest technological strengths today?
What has changed in the relationship between Europe and China?
Which barriers and opportunities exist?

Where could collaboration create real value?

We will discuss opportunities across areas including :

Artificial Intelligence
Industrial AI
Robotics & Physical AI
Advanced Manufacturing
Electric Mobility
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Cloud Infrastructure
Supply Chains
Research & Innovation
Deep Technology Startups

How should collaboration be structured?

Successful collaboration requires trust, transparency and clear governance.

Topics include :

Intellectual Property protection
Technology partnerships
Joint innovation
Research collaboration
Regulatory considerations
Supply chain resilience
Building long-term win-win relationships

AI is leaving the screen. And entering the real world.
Factories. Robots. Energy systems. Infrastructure.
Asia is deploying AI at scale. Europe is still evaluating.
➤ This event brings both sides together.

China–Asia High-Tech meets Switzerland

Focus: Physical & Industrial AI

Secure your seat Request agenda

An AV mastering China’s dense and complex traffic with precision, confidence, and remarkable control. 🚗

Zürich

Wednesday,
Sept. 30, 2026

1 :30 - 5:30 pm
followed by an apéro

Early-bird pricing available

With contributions from leaders in:

Industrial AI & manufacturing
Robotics & automation
Energy & infrastructure systems
AI platforms & deployment

From Asia and Switzerland / Europe

AI is no longer just software. It’s entering the physical world.

➤ AI is becoming an industrial capability.

Most AI discussions focus on software.
But the real transformation is happening elsewhere.

It is:

controlling machines
optimizing production in real time
managing energy systems
running physical operations

This is where value is created.
And where competition is accelerating.

See Video

This is not a chatbot event.

This is about:

AI in factories
AI in robotics
AI in infrastructure
AI in real-world operations

Real deployment. Real constraints. Real results.

You will see:

What is already working at scale
Where Europe is behind
Where opportunities still exist

Each session brings two perspectives

One leader from Asia
One leader from Switzerland / Europe

Direct comparison:

Speed of deployment
Technology choices
Business impact

No theory.
Only what actually works.

Robotics & Autonomous Systems

Smart factories and production systems
Industrial robots
Autonomous logistics

AI + Hardware

Sensors + edge AI
Embedded intelligence
Real-time decision systems

Energy & Infrastructure AI

Smart grids
Energy optimization
Infrastructure resilience

Deployment Reality

Integration challenges
ROI vs hype
What fails — and why

This is where most AI projects break.

Who Should Attend

This event is designed for:

Heads of Operations
Heads of Manufacturing
CTOs / CIOs (industrial companies)
Robotics & automation leaders
Energy & infrastructure executives

➤ Not a generic AI audience

WHAT YOU TAKE AWAY

A clear view of how AI is used in real-world systems
Understanding of Asia’s deployment speed and approach
Practical insights into implementation challenges
Concrete ideas for your own organization

➤ No hype. Only execution.

Event Format

High-level keynotes
Asia × Europe comparison sessions
Moderated discussions
Networking with senior peers

➤ Focus: clarity, not volume

Top Industrial AI Companies to Watch

A curated selection of:

High-impact startups
Real deployment cases
Proven industrial AI solutions

➤ No pitching. Only relevance.

Who Should Attend?