‘Silicon Lane breakfast meeting’ bridges tech startups and financial support

Changning District recently launched its first “Silicon Lane breakfast meeting” at the popular Yuyuan Road café “artist la pie,” bringing together representatives from companies in robotics, digital culture and tourism, coffee chains, and luggage trade with leaders from financial institutions including China Construction Bank, China Everbright Bank, and China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation. 

Companies presented their financing needs on the spot, while government departments and financial institutions provided targeted support, making the event an efficient platform for addressing business challenges.

“Our robotic coffee kiosks are already deployed at nearly 100 locations in Shanghai and exported to over 40 countries. Now we urgently need funding to support overseas expansion,” said Pang Lixin, deputy general manager of Shanghai Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology Co Ltd. 

The co-founder of CUBIC3 Coffee also shared the brand’s expansion plans: “We are in a rapid growth phase and plan to open 50 new stores next year. We need financing to build our franchise system and optimize our supply chain.”

The overseas expansion head of Shanghai ElloWorld Digital Technology described how the company specializes in using 3D scanning and mixed reality (MR) glasses to digitize cultural relics. He noted: “We have secured free space in Dubai’s Chinatown and hope to bring China’s digital heritage to the world. But the initial investment is substantial, so we urgently need financial support and government endorsement.”

Xu Xiuqun, operations director of Shanghai Ubag Information Technology Co Ltd, revealed that the company is shifting from foreign trade to domestic sales and plans to launch a multi-brand retail store. “We want our first flagship store to be in Changning and hope the government and banks can help us coordinate resources.”

In response to these pressing needs, financial institutions offered on-the-spot solutions.

“Financial support is crucial for sci-tech innovation companies, and their growth also creates opportunities for financial institutions. This is the underlying logic behind Changning’s efforts to build a tech-finance ecosystem,” said Yang Qing, deputy director of the Changning Investment Promotion Office. “The government’s role is to build a ‘rainbow bridge’ that connects both sides.”

Companies in attendance praised the format: “These breakfast meetings are more efficient than traditional roadshows. With government, banks, and businesses all at the same table, issues can be directly addressed and quickly resolved.”

Changning celebrates reading with diverse events at Shanghai Book Fair

Changning District hosted a variety of events including celebrity lectures, book crossing, reading-sharing sessions, and parent-child activities during the recently concluded 2025 Shanghai Book Fair.

On August 13, the first day of the book fair, Orient Publishing Center donated books to seven institutions in Changning, including the Changning District Library, to support the national reading initiative.

During the event, the "Book Drift Bottle" activity made its debut at the Xianyu Recycle Shop located on LG2 of Livat Shanghai, giving pre-owned books a new life with interested readers. Meanwhile, Poplar Kid’s Republic curated 200 picture books for visitors and book lovers to enjoy for free.

This year’s book fair featured for the first time a "Yangtze River Delta Brand Physical Bookstore Zone." Among the 20 participating bookstores was Banana Fish, an independent bookstore from Changning. With the theme "Traveling with bookstores," and decorated with travel-inspired scenery, the booth attracted numerous readers. Magazines such as “PAPERSKY” recommended by Banana Fish were particularly popular.

As a key venue for Changning’s activities during the book fair, the Changning District Library held several engaging reading-sharing events. At the same time, Tsutaya Bookstore hosted daily thematic events, allowing readers to experience the convergence of Eastern and Western cultures.

On August 17, the second "Fragrance of Books • Oriental Reading Ceremony" Changning sub-venue event took place at the Changning District Library. The event launched the "Happy Reading in Changning • Oriental Book Club" brand, marking a new level of cultural collaboration between Changning District and Orient Publishing Center.

On August 19, a sharing session for “Thirty Years in Review: Three Decades of the Shanghai Yan Huang Culture Research Association” was held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, attracting numerous cultural scholars and readers to discuss the preservation and innovation of Haipai culture.

Millennium Oktoberfest returns with beer, pork knuckles and live music

The eighth Millennium Beer Fest will be held at the Grand Millennium Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel this weekend from August 28 to 30.

This European-style celebration is filled with authentic Bavarian elements. A riverside outdoor BBQ enhances the atmosphere, making attendees feel as if they’ve been transported to Munich.

The hotel’s culinary team has carefully prepared traditional Bavarian delicacies, including crispy roasted pork knuckles, flavorful German sausages, and fragrant apple strudels.

The event will also feature HB royal beer, directly sourced from Munich, known for its fine foam, rich malt aroma, and refreshing taste.

Live performances by the German band "BeerKings" will energize the venue, alongside classic beer festival games and lucky draws.

Date: August 28–30 (Note: Tickets for August 29 are sold out)

Location: Grand Millennium Shanghai Hongqiao (2588 Yan’an Road W.)

Ticket Details:

August 28 (Thursday): 388 RMB/person; 2,888 RMB/table (8 seats)

August 30 (Saturday): 488 RMB/person; 3,688 RMB/table (8 seats)

Each ticket includes three glasses of German beer and unlimited soft drinks. Tables of five or more enjoy unlimited German beer.

Reservations: 021-62085888 ext. 71229

‘European Partnership Initiative’ launched in Changning to boost China-EU supply chain cooperation

To help businesses seize new procurement opportunities and build a "bridge" to the European market, the "European Partnership Initiative" was officially launched on August 20. Its inaugural event, the European Major Buyers Matchmaking Conference, was held in Changning District.

The initiative was jointly launched by the Shanghai Enterprise Global Expansion Integrated Service Platform (Changning Sub-Platform) and Alibaba.com. It aims to connect European buyers with Chinese suppliers through a series of online and offline cross-border procurement matchmaking events.

The first session invited leading manufacturers and traders from key European countries to meet with pre-screened, high-quality suppliers.

Hou Ye, general manager of Alibaba.com's East China Region, noted that merchants in eastern China are accelerating their expansion into the European market. Currently, more than 17,000 merchants in the region offer flexible customization capabilities, and trade volume with Europe reached US$330 million in the past six months alone, reflecting strong growth potential in China-EU cooperation.

Leveraging the Hongqiao International Open Hub, Changning continues to develop an integrated corporate global expansion headquarters cluster. This effort strongly enhances the global competitiveness of local enterprises.

Mecha show kicks off national tour with dazzling robot performances

From August 25 to 31, the inaugural stop of the MetaStrike Mecha Show national technology tour are held at the Cloud Nine Shopping Center. Daily high-energy performances will include robotic drumming for blessings, mecha dances, Tai Chi light shows, Sichuan face-changing, and steel combat demonstrations—plus adorable robot dogs interacting with the audience.

The show is co-presented by Cloud Nine Shopping Center, Unitree Robot, Shuangying Aerospace and WingBot. It is not only a performance and tech-art spectacle but also a magical journey into a future within reach.

Robotic drumming & mecha dance

Powered by precise algorithms, mechanical bodies move in rhythm with traditional cultural music, bringing mecha dance into reality.

Tai Chi light show

Robots transform into martial arts masters, combining technology and Tai Chi in fluid motions that showcase the unique charm of Chinese intelligent manufacturing.

Steel combat show

"Future mechas" become combat fighters in an epic showdown beyond imagination.

Sichuan face-changing

Robots dressed in opera costumes perform Sichuan face-changing, redefining tradition through technology and bringing infinite possibilities to the public.

Robot dog interactions

Cute robot dogs turn into "future spiritual pets," delivering lively and fun performances while engaging the audience in mysterious games and intimate interactions.

More surprises await your discovery at the event. Join human-robot interactive games for a chance to win a Unitree robot dog worth over 10,000 yuan (US$1,396.65).