Globalization Isn't Americanization, Advanced Markets Birth Advanced Brands... | This Is What They Said in Shenzhen

Not long ago, FreeS Fund hosted a themed event titled "The Globalization Path of Tech-Consumer Brands" in Shenzhen's Nanshan district.

Twelve strategists from top global platforms, frontline entrepreneurs, and investors gathered before nearly a hundred attendees to discuss strategies for navigating tariff wars and the reshaping of global supply chains, share practical cases of digitalization and intelligent transformation in the consumer industry, and explore new ideas at the intersection of AI and consumer internet.

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The event brought together numerous entrepreneurs from the tech and consumer sectors, with over half of attendees at the founder/CXO level. Professionals from major companies and leading enterprises including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, and IBM also participated actively. We thank every partner who joined us for making this high-energy in-person gathering possible.

We're sharing selected highlights, hoping to offer fresh perspectives and food for thought.

Interactive Giveaway: What do you think about innovation opportunities for tech-consumer brands? Share your thoughts in the comments — the three most thoughtful responses by May 6 will receive A Human History in Maps.

01

"Overseas consumers are willing to pay more for better brands"

Wen Zhijie, senior manager of global account acquisition and operations at Amazon, shared three defining characteristics of Chinese hardware companies going global: precisely solving user pain points, commanding healthy market premiums, and employing diversified marketing strategies. On the consumer side, young overseas buyers are increasingly receptive to high-quality Chinese brands.

Wen Zhijie | Amazon

"According to third-party research, 75% of users choose Chinese brands for reasons beyond price. 47% have abandoned their regularly purchased brands to switch to alternatives at the same or higher price point. Overseas consumers increasingly value product worth and are willing to pay more for better brands."

"Integrated marketing has become a new trend for Chinese brands going global. Diversified media matrices — including highway advertising, IP collaborations, and social media marketing — align with young consumers' media consumption habits."

02

"Advanced markets give birth to advanced brands"

In a conversation with Shen Ying, executive director at FreeS Fund, Niu Haotian, founder of COROS, shared the strategies and industry ups and downs of COROS's transformation from an ODM business into a smart wearables brand. In Shen Ying's view, COROS's pivotal decision to transform was about "doing what's right rather than what's easy" — "even at a certain cost, you need to embark on a new journey for what's more correct in the long run."

Niu Haotian | COROS

"Even with uncertainty in the global trade environment, European and American markets remain crucial for the outdoor sports track, because advanced markets give birth to advanced brands. Mature markets sharpen brands and accelerate their growth. Basketball players know how to improve basketball shoes; runners understand how to make running shoes perform better."

"Great products are the foundation of a company and the confidence to weather external risks. Given recent international market conditions, Chinese enterprises face significant policy uncertainty and potential financial pressure. But in the long term, Chinese manufacturing is difficult to fully replace in global supply chains."

"When a company's capital accumulation reaches a certain stage, its industrial chain becomes increasingly complete, and its product innovation capabilities meet or exceed global standards, then globalization becomes inevitable under market forces."

Shen Ying | FreeS Fund

"Know your positioning and do what suits you. If you're special forces, don't try to be an army group."

03

"The essence of tech-consumer brands is the pursuit of innovation and progress"

Liu Tao, founder of Speediance; Niu Yafeng, founder of Aeroband; Sun Na, brand director of Kailas; and Liu Chen, co-founder of Ebrun, discussed "the global development of tech-consumer brands."

They identified several key factors affecting a company's growth potential: first, whether the market is large enough — if a company's goal is $100 million, the market likely needs to reach $1 billion; second, the company's organizational and management capabilities; third, whether the company has quality products and after-sales service to ensure user experience and build loyalty.

Liu Tao | Speediance

"The essence of tech-consumer brands is the pursuit of innovation and progress."

"Globalization isn't Americanization — we still have Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and other markets to explore."

Niu Yafeng | Aeroband

"Technology itself is a tool. We need to complete a series of fill-in-the-blanks: how does this tool enable users in a certain category to get what kind of better experience in what kind of scenario?"

Sun Na | Kailas

"Making the right choices matters. Some trends, like the rise of outdoor sports, are bound to happen — it's just a matter of timing. Then you need persistence: once you've chosen, stick with it, don't waver, and don't get distracted by temptations."

Liu Chen | Ebrun

"The globalization of tech-consumer brands ultimately depends on the founder's underlying values. With those values, they can stay committed and make the right choices at every crossroads."

04

How AI empowers consumer and internet industries

Chen Peng from Ant Group's investment team; Jia Fan, co-founder of SenseTime's Yuanluobo Technology; Lu Shengbo, founder of Uahpet; Xiao Peiqing, senior startup solutions architect at Amazon Web Services; and Xie Weiwen, senior writer at Langchao New Consumption, explored how AI empowers consumer and internet industries.

In their view, "AI isn't the future — it's the present we're already living." They believe that choosing the right application scenarios, deeply understanding user needs, and managing expectations effectively are key to successful AI implementation.

Chen Peng | Ant Group Investment

"To do consumer hardware well, you need both deep understanding of AI and large model technology, and data-driven insight into user needs."

Jia Fan | SenseTime Yuanluobo Technology

"Robotics has two major development directions: first, combining existing mature product categories with AI; second, developing entirely new categories."

Lu Shengbo | Uahpet

"For enterprises, AI can make every chain of operations more efficient and smoother. From early-stage demand research and R&D to organizational management and operations, we can find mature and reliable AI tools to boost efficiency."

Xiao Peiqing | Amazon Web Services

"Startups need to focus on niche markets and find core users, rather than blindly pursuing broad applications."

Xie Weiwen | Langchao New Consumption

"Some companies can overtake competitors through AI, but others may fall into difficulties due to technology implementation and sequencing issues. We need to think about how to bridge the gap between ideals and reality."

It was an afternoon of intellectual sparks and inspiration. Though the journey of globalization is fraught with challenges, we believe: globalization won't die — it always moves forward, however winding the path. For tech-consumer brands, globalization isn't a choice but a matter of survival. FreeS Fund looks forward to exploring infinite possibilities in this magnificent new Age of Exploration alongside more pioneers in the tech-consumer space.

Special Thanks Supporting Organization: Amazon Web Services Media Partners: Ebrun, Langchao New Consumption, EqualOcean, WhaleBot, SocialBeta, Global Shapers Community

Venue Partner: Nanshan Cloud Technology Tower Xaccelerator Co-Creation Hub

Interactive Giveaway: What do you think about innovation opportunities for tech-consumer brands? Share your thoughts in the comments — the three most thoughtful responses by May 6 will receive A Human History in Maps.

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