China
Clear Plate: Anti-food waste AI that rewards the diners who finish their food
Taking little steps to make a big difference in fighting food waste, Clear Plate engages with digital natives to spread the message
Liquidstar: Bringing decentralized renewable energy to off-grid communities
Using a blockchain-based platform, Liquidstar wants to use smart, modular batteries to power remote, off-grid communities as well as homes, offices and EVs in cities
Thousands of Farmers: Creative subscription model to help farms sell seasonal produce
Just a few months old, Thousands of Farmers plans to add more entertaining features to its farm-to-table social commerce, attracting young consumers
After a Covid-led boom in 2020, what next for China's K-12 edtech?
Unicorns Yuanfudao and Zuoyebang raised more than $6bn combined last year as demand for online learning continues to grow, but some smaller players are running out of cash
Xing Nong Fu: Using earthworms to create sustainable local farming and livelihoods
Worm castings can rehabilitate infertile land due to excessive soil salinity in just seven days, compared with three to five years using traditional methods, and 90% more cheaply
Gago Inc: Satellite data agritech startup ramps up growth with financial sector solutions
Founded by former NASA scientists, Gago began as a data solution to improve China’s traditionally low-yielding and inefficient smallholder-based farming sector
Xu Jinghong: Champion of young entrepreneurs and high-tech startups
Under Xu Jinghong’s leadership, Tsinghua Holdings grew its assets sevenfold and incubated over 10,000 businesses. In his new role as VC investor, Xu wants to nurture startups into future global leaders
With recent funding of $182m, drone maker XAG is set to make its mark as agritech leader
XAG has been reaping the benefits of its 2012 pivot to agriculture as demand for high-tech automation in China’s farms continues to grow strongly amid government push
Intelligent Learning: math app helps students improve their exam score in weeks
Intelligent Learning prepares K7–11 math students for the national senior high school entrance exam, or "zhongkao," by trawling through past questions and predicting what might be tested
In a nascent market, one-year-old Starfield has brought its offerings to around 3,000 F&B outlets and generated RMB 10m in revenue
Dao Foods: Grooming and betting on China's rising alternative protein startups
How can businesses involve Chinese consumers in the environmental cause, even if it isn’t a priority for them? For that, the impact investor-incubator Dao Foods has got its philosophy-led strategy figured out
Already helping over 1,000 corporates like Alibaba and JD.com manage and lower their carbon emissions, Carbonstop is ready to do more when China’s carbon trading starts next year
Now called Wanwu Xinsheng, the startup recycles over 70,000 used electronic goods in China daily, clocking over RMB 2bn of transactions every month
Nongguanjia: Housekeeper of Chinese farmers' fortunes
Combining fintech and e-commerce, Nongguanjia started by monetizing land circulation, to help hundreds of millions of Chinese farmers get financing and thrive
China's Yuanfudao now the world's most valuable edtech with $2.2bn new funding
Yuanfudao’s second tranche of its Series G funding follows the $1bn it raised in March, bringing its valuation to $15.5bn
