December Workshops Recap: Doing Business in China

What an amazing month at HIBC! Throughout December, we hosted a series of workshops to help international startups tackle the hurdles of starting or expanding their businesses in China. From IP protection to team building and product commercialization, each session offered actionable insights from seasoned professionals.

We were honored to collaborate with our partners—AndunIP, WZIP, Brighttoo, Draco Capital, and Oriental Fortune Capital—as well as our esteemed speakers: Luis Felipe Borja, Edward Zeng, Tracy Fan, Nicolas Zhu, Kuan Chen, Sergio Del Rio, Johnny Chen, and Shawn Li. Their combined expertise made for an engaging, content‐rich lineup.

In a dynamic and interactive session, our speakers first addressed the risks and concerns that often deter foreign startups from seeking IP protection in China, spotlighting how the country’s “first‐to‐file” principle can quickly undermine brands that don’t register promptly. They also clarified whether a European‐registered patent retains its legal power locally (spoiler: you still need to file in China), before demonstrating how those global distinctions affect real‐world cases. By walking through the general IP protection process with a practical example, attendees saw precisely why prompt trademark and patent applications are critical—especially when each patent law category (invention, utility, or design) has its own procedures. Ultimately, the workshop helped participants grasp both the challenges and the improving pathways of safeguarding their innovations in China’s ever‐expanding tech arena.

Our hardware startup event was designed to provide actionable insights for hardware entrepreneurs looking to take their products from prototype to market. The panel featured two hardware founders who shared their personal journeys and the lessons they learned while building and scaling their startups in China. Jhonny Chen, co-founder of Draco Capital, and Shawn Li, VP of investment at Oriental Fortune Capital, also joined us to give a deeper dive into the investment side of hardware startups.

The event was structured to discuss a variety of topics, from raising money in China and understanding what Chinese VCs are looking for, to the practical challenges hardware startups face when commercializing their products. Key moments included discussions about how to navigate the Chinese market and secure investments while managing the complexities of product development and scaling in a competitive environment.

We were grateful to have such knowledgeable speakers share their perspectives with the startup community. The event was a great success in fostering connections between hardware founders, investors, and industry experts.

We were excited to partner with Brighttoo—an HR firm known for helping entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of managing a team in China—to host a workshop on HR challenges for foreign startups in China. The workshop was led by Tracy Fan and Nicolas Zhu, co-founders of Brighttoo, who brought years of experience in recruitment, HR management, and outsourcing.

During the session, we delved into crucial topics like attracting good candidates as a startup, managing millennial employees, and how to deal with the costs of hiring in China. One key takeaway was the importance of creating a work culture that resonates with millennial workers, who are increasingly shaping the labor market. We also learned how companies can maintain effective communication with their teams, even when working remotely, which is particularly crucial for international startups.

The speakers shared their valuable insights and strategies for overcoming these common HR obstacles, offering practical advice for startups looking to expand and grow their teams in China. We are thankful to our speakers, Tracy and Nicolas, and our partners at Brighttoo for making this event a success.

We can’t wait to organize more events and meetups—stay tuned for upcoming workshops and networking sessions where you can continue to gain invaluable knowledge and expand your professional circle. If you’d like more information on any of the topics covered, or want to connect with the speakers, feel free to reach out to us at HIBC anytime!