7th‑generation COFE+ robotic café makes global debut, heralding new era of lightweight retail shops

Shanghai‑based Dolphin Robotics Technology unveiled its seventh‑generation fully‑intelligent COFE+ robot café for the first time worldwide at the 2026 World Robot Conference, kicking off large‑scale commercial rollout for the flagship automated beverage system.Eight years of research and seven rounds of upgrades have equipped COFE+ with 120 global invention patents. The robot‑powered café has already produced more than 6 million drinks and operated at nearly 4,000 sites across the globe, proving that a "light‑store era" for brick‑and‑mortar commerce is gathering momentum.

The robotic barista rose to fame back in May, when it outperformed professional human baristas during the inaugural Hongqiao Robot Coffee Competition. It worked nearly 1.5 times faster and delivered three‑times‑higher beverage‑making precision than its human rivals.Visitors crowded around the company's exhibition booth at the robot conference to test the award‑winning machine. Behind its transparent operating cabin, a six‑axis bionic robotic arm smoothly completes the full workflow, covering grinding coffee beans, tamping grounds, espresso extraction, steaming milk foam and pouring latte art. A standard espresso shot takes just 30 seconds, while a hand‑decorated cappuccino is ready within 40 seconds.

One of the crowd‑drawing highlights is its 3D milk‑foam printing function. Customers scan a QR code and upload a portrait or custom graphic, and the robotic arm prints an edible, sharply‑defined pattern on top of coffee foam in roughly one minute, prompting many on‑site guests to snap photographs.Multiple tasters commented that the robot‑brewed coffee tastes comparable to drinks served at walk‑in cafes. The fully‑unattended ordering‑to‑pick‑up process offers a tangible glimpse into how technology reshapes everyday consumption.

The seventh‑generation COFE+ has made steady improvements across iteration speed, patent portfolio, drink‑making speed and operational accuracy.Its research team has secured 120 international invention patents and mastered more than 1,200 craft‑related technologies. Powered by a self‑developed AI‑driven smart store brain, the robot café serves over 300 beverage varieties in eight major categories.Drink concentration, sweetness, temperature and flavor profiles can all be adjusted freely. The machine carries a rated service life of more than 10 years, a maximum single‑unit output capacity of 500,000 cups and a daily throughput reaching 1,000 drinks.

 The company is one of Changning District's leading embodied‑intelligence enterprises. Leveraging Hongqiao International Hub advantages and local strengths in platform‑based economies and aviation‑related services, a growing number of Changning‑rooted artificial‑intelligence firms are moving from technical validation toward mass commercialization and accelerating overseas expansion.

 COFE+ robot cafes now operate in 70 countries and regions across five continents, deployed inside universities, hospitals, tourist landmarks and major international airports worldwide. The system has obtained 15 top‑tier international certifications, won prestigious awards, gained access to most global airport networks and holds close to 50 percent of the global market share in its sector."The ultimate goal of technology is not to replace humans, but to free them," said Han Feizi, founder of the company. "We want robotic services to deliver premium specialty coffee to consumers at affordable prices, help business owners cut financial risks and liberate hospitality workers from repetitive manual labor."

Converse opens first China creative space on historic Yuyuan Road

Converse unveiled its first-ever brand creative space in China as the Converse X-ING Concept Store began trial operations on August 23 at 1175 Yuyuan Road in Changning District.Marking a new milestone for the footwear brand's local cultural integration, the flagship venue offers limited-edition global releases and exclusive Shanghai-themed customization services. It injects new vitality into Yuyuan Road's trendy consumer ecosystem and adds an iconic lifestyle destination for Changning.

The two-story concept store displays Converse's latest global drops and signature collections, including the newly updated 1908 Pro Leather colorway, Asia-fit Chuck 70 X series, chunky Run Star Crush silhouette inspired by shark motifs, premium First String line, and popular collaborative series with ZO&FRIENDS and Collina Strada.

For local streetwear enthusiasts, the new space eliminates long waits for overseas exclusive products."In the past, I had to wait nearly half a month for overseas limited styles and worried about wrong sizes," said a frequent Converse customer surnamed Liu. "Now I can easily grab my favorite pairs right on Yuyuan Road."

Highlighting localized creativity, the store launches an exclusive Converse By You Shanghai customization program, allowing visitors to design personalized sneakers and T-shirts embedded with urban cultural elements.Customers can print classic Shanghai dialect phrases, plus city landmarks including shikumen stone-gate houses, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Yuyuan Road architectural silhouettes. On-site resident artists provide professional embroidery services for up to eight custom letters, while visitors can freely assemble colorful beaded shoelaces."I printed fun Shanghai slang on my T-shirt and matched my shoes with colorful beads," said a visitor surnamed Zhou after picking up her customized outfit. "It shows both my personality and local urban charm."

The store's debut features an open "Unfinished Gallery" street art exhibition. Instead of enclosed displays, semi-completed paintings, disassembled sculptures and scattered creative tools are arranged throughout the venue, inviting visitors to participate as co-creators and help the exhibition "grow continuously." Regular creative workshops and resident artist programs will sustain the space's dynamic, open atmosphere.

A Changning resident surnamed Shen, praised the venue's artistic layout, highlighting a sparrow art installation inside the store."Sparrows flying across Shanghai streets symbolize the city's energetic and evolving vitality," Shen said.

The landing of Converse's first domestic creative space follows Changning's years-long efforts to incubate diverse new formats including cultural and aesthetic retail, trendy lifestyle stores and boutique dining along Yuyuan Road. The historic street has nurtured original IPs and attracted numerous leading fashion brands to launch debut and concept stores. Its profound cultural heritage, young consumer base and inclusive vibe align closely with Converse's brand philosophy of empowering creators and diversifying creative expression.

Changning District has released the three-year "Fashion Changning, Enjoy Consumption" action plan from 2026 to 2028. Leveraging more than 200 local fashion brands, the district prioritizes national trendy design and upgrades six major fashion sectors to drive the integrated development of industry and commerce.The Converse X-ING Concept Store will officially open on August 29 with additional global shoe debuts and renewed community activities in partnership with Yuyuan Road neighborhoods.

Open daily from 10am to 10pm, the free-admission venue accepts reservations via its official WeChat mini-program.

Changning hosts 11th 'Best Hongqiao' roundtable to support enterprises going global

Changning District held its 11th "Best Hongqiao" International Business Roundtable on August 25, focusing on empowering local enterprises to expand overseas markets, unlocking global development opportunities and resolving bottlenecks for cross-border operations.

The government-enterprise dialogue gathered representatives from trade, branding, technology and cross-border service companies, who shared updates on their global layouts, operational challenges and future overseas development plans.

Liu Ping, deputy Party secretary and governor of Changning District, praised local companies' long-term contributions to Changning's economic growth. He emphasized Changning's unique positioning as Shanghai's only central urban area within the Hongqiao International Open Hub, featuring international openness, digital intelligence and high-quality urban development.

Equipped with solid industrial foundations, premium international resources and mature service systems, Changning is building a cluster of headquarters for enterprises going global. In partnership with the Hongqiao Central Business District, the district has launched a three-year action plan to turn strategic visions into actionable implementation plans, serving as a reliable escort and preferred starting hub for corporate global expansion.

In recent years, Changning has polished its business support system for outbound development. The district's "15-minute Overseas Service Circle" integrates government affairs, social resources and professional services. It has pioneered new overseas expansion models covering brand globalization, block-level international promotion and industrial cross-border layout, supporting numerous headquarters, platform enterprises and innovative firms to operate global businesses.

Changning will further optimize its one-stop, world-class overseas service system covering legal consultation, customs clearance, taxation, financing, foreign affairs and intellectual property protection. The district will continuously incubate outbound headquarters and upstream and downstream supporting enterprises to improve the full industrial ecosystem for global expansion.

Changning aims to become the primary service station for Yangtze River Delta enterprises going global, serve as the eastern engine of the Greater Hongqiao area and strengthen Shanghai's western gateway opening to the outside world. The district will further develop into a digital economic powerhouse, an open international hub and a vibrant destination for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Zhao Yongzun, vice mayor of Changning District, presided over the roundtable.Officials from Shanghai Exhibition Center Customs, Shanghai Customs Technology Center and multiple district-level departments including commerce, market regulation, justice, taxation, foreign affairs and investment promotion attended the session and responded on-site to corporate demands.

Yangtze River Delta expands low‑altitude‑economy partnership, 26 entities ink industrial ecosystem deal

Twenty‑six industrial parks, tech firms and industry groups across Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a coordinated low‑altitude‑economy industrial ecosystem, deepening cross‑provincial collaboration for the fast‑growing sector.

The signing ceremony and launch of the Yangtze River Delta Low-Altitude‑Economy Industrial Supply‑Demand List took place on August 28 in Changning. The event builds on a joint initiative released in January, when a preparatory office for the regional low‑altitude‑economy industrial cluster was set up. Organizers aimed to turn earlier alliance commitments into a long‑term regular cooperation mechanism and a precise supply‑and‑demand matching platform.

Signatories include key regional players and the memorandum establishes a permanent cross‑regional cooperation framework. Officials said the new partnership will break down administrative barriers, create a co‑built, shared industrial network and deliver a replicable model for coordinated low‑altitude‑economy planning, project layout and industrial upgrading across the region.

A landmark industrial supply‑demand list was unveiled at the conference. The document maps upstream‑and‑downstream resources covering industrial zones, test‑flight sites, air‑traffic support, equipment manufacturing, emergency‑rescue services and commercial‑use scenarios. It is expected to ease bottlenecks in air‑space coordination, airworthiness certification and industrial‑chain docking, serving as a practical guide for companies seeking partners and demonstration projects.

A group of cross‑provincial low‑altitude‑economy projects also signed cooperation agreements during the event. Participating organizations range from Shanghai‑based industrial park operators to tech companies based in Hangzhou, Wuhu and other delta cities. These deals mark a shift from framework‑level planning to on‑the‑ground implementation of regional industrial synergy.

Industry experts and third‑party evaluators delivered keynote speeches on navigation infrastructure, benchmark‑project development and ecosystem resource integration. A round‑table discussion brought stakeholders together to exchange views on low‑altitude infrastructure construction, flight‑test safeguards and commercial application expansion.

Changning launches second international talent training camp with immersive 8-day practical sessions

The opening ceremony of the second International Youth Talent Training Camp kicked off on August 29 in Changning District. About 50 Chinese and foreign young participants from over 10 countries across five continents gathered to attend an eight-day practical training program focusing on global business expansion.

The camp received over 300 applications. After resume screening, multiple rounds of interviews and comprehensive evaluation, qualified participants were finalized with an average age of 27. The cohort includes outstanding students from prestigious universities, young professionals from leading private enterprises, practitioners from multinational firms and cross-border e-commerce platforms.

Compared with the first session, the proportion of private enterprise employees has increased significantly. Many participants were recommended by previous graduates, while local Changning enterprises actively joined the program, reflecting its growing brand influence.

With clear career growth goals, participants expressed high anticipation for real-case practice and cross-cultural group projects. Zou Congfei, a returnee with six years of B2C marketing experience specializing in end-to-end brand incubation, aims to shift from third-party service roles to in-house brand operation roles through the camp.

She plans to explore brand communication strategies in emerging Asia-Pacific markets and discover practical approaches to enhance global recognition of Chinese brands through youth perspectives.

Liu Jiyu, a French-speaking talent with experience in international organizations and current expertise in financial consulting and ESG services, hopes to strengthen capabilities in localized business implementation and global vision integration.

She intends to learn operational logic from successful outbound enterprises and professional think tanks while studying Changning's supportive policies for global businesses to lay a solid foundation for future entrepreneurship. Chinese sisters Annabel and Isabel, who plan to build careers in Shanghai, seek to integrate media content creation with cross-border outbound business and clarify their long-term career development paths.

Immediately following the opening ceremony, the first-week courses commenced. Four senior instructors with extensive experience in globalization and corporate outbound operations delivered lectures centered on regional landscape analysis, market selection and overseas operational strategies.

The curriculum helps participants systematically analyze global market differences and build complete industrial cognition covering trend judgment and overseas product adaptation.

Ellen E. Touchstone, vice dean of the School of Global Business and Leadership at Sofia University, serves as a guest instructor. Specializing in responsible business education and global leadership development, she shared in-depth insights into Southeast Asian, North American and European markets, analyzing regional opportunities and potential risks.

Touchstone emphasized that adaptability and flexibility are core competencies for corporate globalization. Distinct differences in time perception and commercial culture across regions require enterprises to fully respect local customs in cross-border operations. She expressed enthusiasm for empowering young talents and connecting participants with global industry resources.

Against the backdrop of accelerated global expansion by Chinese enterprises, interdisciplinary young talents with bilingual capabilities, cross-cultural awareness and localized operational expertise have become highly sought-after resources for outbound businesses. Rooted in its positioning as the "Hongqiao headquarters cluster for global enterprises," Changning launched the training camp to build a government-enterprise-university collaborative talent cultivation mechanism, linking corporate demands, university talent reserves and practical training resources.

The first session cultivated 40 Chinese and foreign young talents, many of whom secured employment or launched startups after graduation, forming a cross-border, cross-industry youth exchange network.

To upgrade the second phase, Changning conducted targeted research on local outbound enterprises' talent demands, highlighting business expansion and overseas marketing roles focused on Southeast Asian, North American and European markets.

The updated curriculum closely aligns with real industrial needs, integrating macro regional strategy analysis and micro market-entry case studies. Newly added on-site visits to benchmark outbound enterprises and professional service institutions enrich practical training sessions.

All practical projects are designed based on authentic corporate demands, with industry experts from consumer and B2B tech sectors guiding group tasks including overseas consumer research, market assessment, brand strategy formulation, channel expansion, cross-cultural communication and product localization. The program precisely delivers specialized talents for Changning's global industrial chain.