An inspiration trip

China
2026

AI, robotics, EVs, drones. A small group of Belgian entrepreneurs going where the next tech revolutions are being built.

9-20 November 2026 · ~11 days
中国
2026
Hong Kong Shenzhen Hangzhou Shanghai

The ambition

Grasping the next tech revolutions: AI, robotics, EVs, drones. China is where most of it is happening today, faster and at a scale Europe rarely matches. The plan is simple: go on the ground, see it, meet the people building it, come back with our own opinion.

This is not a corporate study tour. It is a small group of Belgian entrepreneurs who want to understand where the world is heading before everyone else does.

A personal note

I have a soft spot for China. I lived in Beijing for a year as a Prince Albert Fund graduate, developing the local office of 3E. That was before mobile internet, before WeChat, before everything that defines China today.

Going back has been on my mind for a while. Now feels like the right moment, and the right thing to do with friends rather than alone.

— Miguel (万凯)

What we will do

Programme at a glance

Hong Kong
Soft landing. Cyberport, HKUST robotics, networking.
Shenzhen
Humanoids and hardware. UBTECH, BYD, LimX, DJI, Tencent, Huaqiangbei.
Hangzhou
AI capital. Unitree, Alibaba, DEEP Robotics, BrainCo.
Shanghai
Scale and exit. AgiBot, NIO, SAIC, EU Chamber panel.

The numbers

~11
Days on the ground
~15
People in the group
6-8k
EUR per person, land only
35-45
Typical age range

Final pricing confirmed once the operator is selected. International flights booked individually.

Common questions

Why these four cities?

Hong Kong is a soft landing and a good gateway. Shenzhen is where hardware happens, from humanoid robots to drones to BYD. Hangzhou is the AI capital of China, home to Alibaba, Unitree, DeepSeek-adjacent labs. Shanghai is where everything scales up and where you meet the European business community. Together they cover the full stack from prototype to scale.

What is included in the price?

Land logistics: hotels, in-country transport, company visits and dinners, local fixer and translator support, group activities. Not included: international flights, China visa, travel insurance, personal expenses, and a few free evenings.

Can I bring my partner?

The trip is designed around founder-to-founder dynamics, so the group is intentionally small and focused. Partners are welcome to join the city stays separately, but not the company visits and dinners. Happy to discuss case by case.

How fixed are the dates?

9-20 November 2026 is the working window. Final dates lock once the group is confirmed (probably April-May 2026). If your dates are tight, let me know early.

Do I need to speak Chinese?

No. English works for most company visits, and the local fixer handles everything else. Tech founders in China increasingly operate in English at the executive level.

What about visas?

Belgian passport holders currently get visa-free entry to mainland China for up to 30 days (policy active through end of 2026, subject to change). Hong Kong is visa-free anyway. I will share a full travel pack closer to the date.

Who else is going?

Belgian entrepreneurs and operators, mostly 35-45, mix of tech, industry, and services backgrounds. Group size capped at ~15 to keep the intimacy. You will see the list before committing.

Interested?

No commitment at this stage. Leave your name and I will keep you in the loop as the programme firms up.

How interested are you?

Prefer email? Write directly