Hangzhou
E-commerce Hub
China's digital economy capital · centre of e-commerce innovation · a city where "paradise on earth" meets the technological future.
Traditional culture and future technology, at the same time
A city with a thousand years of history that created China's digital economy miracle.
Drink tea by West Lake.
Visit a world-leading internet company.
Experience a digitalised commercial district.
"What attracts me most about Hangzhou is the startup atmosphere — and West Lake. This place doesn't only hold the story of the White Snake and Xu Xian; it holds the stories of a great many entrepreneurs too."
— Hank, Founder of China Business Travel
Where does Hangzhou's charm really lie?
Many foreign clients arriving in Hangzhou for the first time have a very particular feeling.
Not like Shenzhen
Not high-rise technology companies everywhere you look.
Not like Shanghai
Not filled with the atmosphere of international finance.
More like a future city
Hangzhou is more like a future city where technology and life are fused together.
Hangzhou was once a historic, cultural city famous for West Lake. But over the past twenty-odd years it has completed an enormous transformation: from traditional tourism city, to internet innovation city, to digital economy centre. Today Hangzhou has not only West Lake, Jiangnan culture and tea culture — it also has Alibaba, artificial intelligence companies, cross-border e-commerce companies, cloud computing companies, new-energy-vehicle companies, and a great many innovative start-ups.
Shenzhen founders vs Hangzhou founders
- Products
- Markets
- Financing
- Manufacturing
- The internet
- Users
- Traffic
- Business models
- Digitalisation
This city has produced a huge number of internet entrepreneurs, e-commerce founders and digital economy companies. Many young people have changed their lives through Taobao, Tmall, cross-border e-commerce and livestream e-commerce.
Extremely friendly to entrepreneurs — and government that moves fast
Hangzhou's government is highly efficient: registering a company and getting a business licence can be completed the same day, and many procedures don't require you to show up in person at all — they can be handled online. Social welfare is good and the social insurance base is high. The government provides support in many areas. Because of this, Hangzhou has attracted a very large number of outstanding talents. It is especially suited to entrepreneurs.
If you are looking for investment opportunities, Hangzhou is very much worth visiting: the city has outstanding companies in AI and humanoid robotics.
In short, these are companies full of energy — much like the city of Shenzhen: full of vitality, and an absolute leader in the internet field.
What Hangzhou leads in
Companies below are ones we can arrange visits to, subject to fit and advance arrangement.
Digital economy & internet industry 数字经济与互联网产业
Hangzhou's biggest industrial advantage. This is an important city for China's internet business innovation.
Alibaba 阿里巴巴
Hangzhou's most representative global technology company.
Alibaba changed China's business model. It is also an important case study for global companies researching China's digital economy.
Artificial intelligence 人工智能 AI产业
Hangzhou is an important city for China's AI industry.
Cloud computing 云计算产业
Hangzhou is an important cloud computing base in China.
New consumption & brand innovation 新消费与品牌创新
Hangzhou has created a great many new business models.
Smart manufacturing 智能制造产业
Hangzhou is not only an internet city. It also has:
New energy vehicles 新能源汽车产业
Hangzhou's new energy vehicle sector is developing rapidly.
Biomedicine 生物医药产业
Hangzhou has biotechnology companies, innovative pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies.
If you want to understand China's digital economy
We can arrange the following.
Internet companies
Alibaba · NetEase
AI companies
Hikvision · AI innovation companies
E-commerce ecosystem
E-commerce companies · livestream bases · cross-border e-commerce parks
Startup ecosystem & universities
Future Sci-Tech City · Dream Town · Zhejiang University exchanges
A must-visit for these teams
Hangzhou's exhibition calendar
China International E-commerce Expo (Yiwu / Hangzhou region)
Industries: e-commerce, trade.
Hangzhou international expo-related digital economy events
Industries: AI, internet, digital economy.
Apsara Conference (Alibaba Cloud) 云栖大会
One of China's most important technology conferences. On show: cloud computing, AI, big data, digital economy.
Professional exhibitions at Hangzhou International Expo Centre
Industries: technology, manufacturing, consumer.
Where to go in Hangzhou
West Lake 西湖 ★★★★★
Hangzhou's most representative place — a combination of traditional Chinese culture and natural beauty.
Lingyin Temple 灵隐寺
Experience Chinese Buddhist culture.
Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal 京杭大运河
A World Cultural Heritage site.
Qianjiang New City 钱江新城
Representative of modern Hangzhou. The lights at night are very beautiful.
Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins 良渚古城遗址
Understand more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation.
Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City 杭州未来科技城
Experience the development of China's industries of the future.
Jiangnan cuisine — refined, light, ingredient-led
Hangzhou food belongs to the Jiangnan culinary tradition. Its character: refined, light, and focused on the ingredients.
"Hangzhou showed me how China uses digital technology to change business and life."
Hangzhou's greatest value is not only Alibaba. It is that the city represents a new Chinese development model: the internet, the digital economy, innovation and entrepreneurship, new consumption, globalised business. Many overseas companies only discover after arriving in Hangzhou that China is not only the world's factory — China is also redefining business models, the digital economy and the consumer experience.
— A note from our founder
"I have been to Hangzhou many times, and every time I get to talk and share with a lot of entrepreneurs. It gives me the same feeling as going to Shenzhen — I really like that open, welcoming, sharing environment. It's a very modern city, and its modernity isn't only in the buildings; it's in the culture and atmosphere of the city as a whole. It will give you a different feeling from Shenzhen, but with Shenzhen's youth and energy. This city has a cultural character all of its own."
— Hank, Founder of China Business Travel
China Business Travel — a one-stop solution provider for inbound business travel to China
As a China-based business service company, we arrange the following according to your industry.
Coming to Hangzhou is not only travel
It's really understanding why China's digital economy is able to lead the world. If you want to learn China's e-commerce, AI and internet business models, Hangzhou is a city you cannot miss on a China business trip.
Plan a Hangzhou Trip →See What We Do