Record visitors to Beyond Expo shows China's tech momentum

UBTech's humanoid robots steal the show at Beyond Expo 2025's opening ceremony in Macao, May 21, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Beyond Expo]

The fifth annual Beyond Expo kicked off in the Macao Special Administrative Region this week with its biggest turnout yet, reflecting China's rising prominence in global tech innovation.

More than 1,200 exhibitors, 500 startups and 80 unicorn companies crammed into the Venetian Macao Cotai Expo on Thursday, with organizers expecting 30,000 visitors. The event has tripled in size since its 2021 debut.

"When we first established Beyond Expo in 2021, we wanted to showcase the technological advancement of Asia," said the expo's co-founder Gang Lu. "We are delighted to be celebrating our fifth year with over 800 companies — the largest number of participants to date from all over the world."

This year's expo rides China's tech sector hot streak, following DeepSeek's splashy launch earlier this year. And the Wednesday night opening ceremony wasted no time showcasing the country's technological prowess, with UBTech's humanoid robots stealing the show.

The Shenzhen company recently partnered with Huawei to combine AI systems with robotics expertise — a marriage that could cement China's already formidable position in the sector. Mass production will begin this year, company officials said.

The opening ceremony also celebrated China's cosmic ambitions. Wang Jian, founder of Alibaba Cloud and now head of Zhejiang Lab, outlined plans for a 1,000-satellite network functioning as a space-based computing system. His lab launched the first dozen satellites earlier this month.

A humanoid robot performs a piano demonstration at the Beyond Expo in Macao, May 22, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Beyond Expo]

These high-profile innovations reflect broader trends in Asian tech development. Asia filed 70% of global patents in 2024, with China alone holding 60% of worldwide AI patents.

"Asia is no longer just a manufacturing base — it's now a global hub for innovation in AI, robotics and smart manufacturing," said AI expert Kai-Fu Lee in a video address. "The scale of our markets, the speed of our adoption and the boldness of our entrepreneurs are shaping the future of technology."

But Lee emphasized that innovation cannot happen in silos. "It takes openness, exchange and collaboration. That's why Beyond matters. It brings together the best of Asia and the world to share ideas, build partnerships and co-create the future."

This is not just aspirational talk — Beyond has assembled a speaker lineup that crosses borders, sectors and rivalries.

Featured speakers include OpenAI's former marketing chief Zack Kass, NBA champion and tech investor Metta Sandiford-Artest, Chinese internet pioneer Mike Cai, and esports leader Mario Ho, son of Macao's casino magnate Stanley Ho.

"Beyond is a platform from Asia and for Asia — creating a global stage where the world can see the region's immense potential," said co-founder Jason Ho, outlining the event's core mission.

Haofeng Fu, CEO of Japan's Regacy Innovation Group, backed Ho's perspective: "Asia has immense technological potential, but there's still no truly representative platform that unites Asian innovations and connects them with the global stage. I hope that Beyond Expo can take on that mission."

The expo is delivering on these aspirations. This fifth edition has seen the launch of several new initiatives, including the Beyond Global Network for market entry support and the Beyond Founder's Club, a network for high-growth startup founders across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Beyond has also become a significant funding hub. More than 300 investment firms will attend this year's Global Investment Summit, looking for new opportunities in the region. Meanwhile, the expo's Fund at First Pitch contest will see over 150 startups compete for immediate investment, after last year's winners cashed in with $15 million in funding.

A futuristic air taxi prototype is displayed at the fifth annual Beyond Expo in Macao, May 22, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Beyond Expo]

Beyond's Macao setting is no accident. The city anchors the southern edge of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), China's $1.9 trillion economic zone that is home to 87 million people and the country's densest concentration of tech talent.

"All the new kids on the block are linked to Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area," said Laurent Le Pen, CEO of Shenzhen-based tech wearables firm Omate. "You can think about DJI, Insta360, the smartphone kings — Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, Nothing — and now cars like XPeng and Huawei."

Le Pen emphasized the importance of hosting the expo in the GBA, adding: "We're all cooperating in the internationalization of Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area."

Beyond Expo 2025 runs until May 24.