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‘Fund at First Pitch’ attracts Global Investors with Future Tech
MACAO, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The 5th BEYOND Expo 2025 wrapped up at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Expo after delivering a packed program of events that brought to life its vision of “Empowering Asia, Bridging the World”. Following four days of talks by tech leaders and visionaries, the Expo closed with the finals of Fund at First Pitch and a fireside chat with Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai, illustrating the Expo’s commitment to supporting tech innovation in Asia. This year’s BEYOND Expo attracted more than 800 companies, 800 investors and 25,000 visitors, across sectors from AI, HealthTech and Clean Energy to Robotics and SportsTech, making it the biggest BEYOND Expo yet and one of the largest annual pan-Asian technology gatherings.
Alibaba Chairperson Joe Tsai speaks at BEYOND Expo 2025. Source: BEYOND Expo
In a fireside chat with BEYOND Expo Co-Founder Jason Ho, Alibaba Group Chairperson Joe Tsai shared his views on Chinese companies going overseas, the challenges of doing business in the current business climate and the role of sport in global entertainment. He emphasized the importance of trust in business as part of a company’s mission. “Trust is built up over time. It’s very difficult to establish trust overnight. It’s all about people working together to achieve a goal. I think it’s easier if you have a common goal that you’re aiming for, then you can work on the details of establishing that trust. At Alibaba, from day one, we had a mission. The mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere because we wanted to help small businesses to use the internet platform to aspire globally. And that’s something that stayed true to us even today. So, our mission 26 years ago is the same mission today.”
He also highlighted how there are benefits to being a Chinese company but localization and cultural understanding remain key to success. “China today is recognized globally, especially in technology. People do look to China when it comes to AI, consumer internet, and cloud computing. China is definitely a heavyweight player in the global market, and for Alibaba being in the Chinese market because approximately 80%+ of our revenues still come from China. We do get recognized globally because China is a big country and a very important country in the whole global technology race.”
Talking about the future of technology he said “We’ve done very well with AI and large language models, AI is able to understand knowledge, and now able to reason. But spatial intelligence is where there still needs to be more advances in order for the robotics industry to move forward”.
BEYOND Expo included discussions about SportsTech. As Joe Tsai explained how the Brooklyn Nets can become a cultural concept and a global brand that extends beyond basketball. NIP Group CEO and the Macau E-Sports Federation Chairman Mario Ho shared his vision for the future of e-sports. Sports featured prominently throughout the Expo, with a popular demonstration arena set up the NBA, sports technology solutions from cycling to tennis, and exhibitor visits by former NBA stars Yao Ming and Metta World Peace.
NIP CEO Mario Ho speaks with Bloomberg’s Annabelle Droulers. Source: BEYOND Expo
BEYOND Expo’s Fund at First Pitch (FAFP) aims to encourage innovation and attract investment funding for winners. JumpStart Media Executive Chairman James Kwan chaired the 2025 Fund at First Pitch. Judges included Artest Management Group (AMG) Chairman, Metta World Peace; Gobi Partners Co-founder and Chairperson Thomas Tsao, and Lingotto Innovation Managing Partner & Co-Head Morgan Samet who quizzed five finalists and gave company valuations as they pitched their ideas. Gobi Partners is a leading Asia-focused venture capital firm with US$1.6 billion in assets under management (AUM) which has invested in over 380 startups. Lingotto Innovation is an investment company wholly owned by Exor which is owned by the Italian Agelli family. Innovative technology investments include Neura Robotics and Optalysys.
Former NBA star and Investor Meta World Peace judges ‘Fund at First Pitch’. Source: Beyond Expo
Finalists of ‘Fund at First Pitch’ were AI Green Limited, with a 100% bio-based polyurethane formulation for coatings that is bio-based, carbon-reducing, affordable, waterproof, recyclable, and durable. EcoLution is a Finnish-Chinese JV promoting low-carbon farming by upcycling by-products such as tofu. Healytec is a sports recovery tech company with a portable, lightweight hot and cold recovery device that reaches from +45 degrees to -10 creating a new standard in the market. AI4C is an AI agent that can connect to existing systems such as enterprise systems, including CRM, ERP, office automation to create greater efficiencies. 11Talk is an AI language-learning app tailored to the needs of Chinese learners. Past years of Fund at First Pitch have resulted in millions of dollars of funding.
The Finals of Fund at First Pitch Source: BEYOND Expo
BEYOND Expo Closing Ceremony @ The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Expo
BEYOND Expo 2025 was held at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Expo. Since opening, Cotai Expo has been a leading conference, meetings and exhibition venue in Macao, and is one of the largest MICE venues in Asia, with approximately 71,000 square metres of exhibition space. It is also part of Sands® Resorts Macao, which attracts top event planners from around the world due to its 150,000 square metres of MICE space, world-class entertainment venues, award-winning accommodation, spectacular recreation and leisure options, unrivalled shopping experiences, and dynamic dining options. Sands Resorts Macao’s newest hotel, located within The Londoner® Macao, is Londoner Grand, which marks a bold new chapter in luxury for discerning travellers and event planners.
About BEYOND Expo
The BEYOND International Technology Innovation Expo (BEYOND Expo) is Asia’s leading annual technology event. Serving as a dynamic platform since 2021, BEYOND Expo not only showcases global technological innovations but also provides a unique opportunity to foster innovation upgrades across diverse industries and regions.
BEYOND Expo has attracted participation from Asia’s Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, unicorn companies, and emerging startups. Through a multifaceted approach involving expos, summits, and various activities, BEYOND Expo has successfully cultivated an innovative ecosystem, propelling collective development in the Asia-Pacific region and the global technology innovation industry. www.beyondexpo.com
