Events

Held in Shenzhen's Futian district ahead of APEC 2026, the matchmaking brought companies, industry associations and research institutions from Saxony face to face with Chinese firms to explore tech tie-ups, joint R&D, supply chain alliances and expansion into the European market. Organized with OrinTent, with Saxony Trade & Invest as co-organizer and Yicai, Yicai Global and inside digital as media partners.

• Opening remarks by IFA CEO Leif Lindner: Chinese innovation is no longer a guest in Europe but stands at center stage
• A delegation from Saxony with Saxony Trade & Invest as co-organizer, presenting the state's industrial strengths and cooperation needs
• Robotics, industrial automation, industrial AI and advanced manufacturing, including embodied intelligence and humanoid robots
• Direct meetings between German and Chinese technology and manufacturing companies

What came out of it

• Covered by Yicai Global: “Chinese, German Firms Explore Robotics, Smart Manufacturing, AI Cooperation at Matchmaking Event in Shenzhen”
• The GCS team is following up on the key cooperation leads: joint R&D, pilot projects and long-term business cooperation

GCSx went to Silicon Valley for SF Tech Week 2026. Founders, investors, developers and tech professionals met for a keynote, a panel on building global companies in the AI era, startup pitches and networking on AI, entrepreneurship, fundraising and going global.

• Keynote by Steve Hoffman, Chairman & CEO of Founders Space: “Innovator’s Mindset: Think Like a Startup”
• Panel “Global by Default: Capital, Customers & Teams for Founders in the AI Era”, moderated by Rebecca Fannin of Silicon Dragon Ventures, with founders of Go Global World, DeepLumen and Ariso
• Startup elevator pitches from Vesta OS and VidaEKO
• With Shenzhen InnoX Academy and INNO Valley, plus Seamate, HireIO, Ariso, SmallWOD and WeShine

What came out of it

• A clear read on what Silicon Valley founders want from events: panels, founder pitches, investor connections and visibility
• A new network of Bay Area AI founders, developers, investors and partners for future GCS events and client programs

On the afternoon of September 6, 2026, the FAVS × GCSx Executive Forum met in the IFA Next Lab Lounge in Hall 25 at Messe Berlin to talk about the future of AI wearables and how to build intelligent companions people can trust: industry standards, user experience and inclusion, consumer trust, after-sales care, green supply chains and battery technology.

• Opened by IFA CEO Leif Lindner, on IFA’s official program
• Co-hosted with the World AI Glasses Alliance and the UHD World Association, supported by GeSI, sponsored by Seel
• Talks from Rokid and Highpower Technology; a roundtable with Seel, ShowStoppers, the Technical University of Munich and Ascentiz, moderated by Yicai

What came out of it

• A cross-industry roundtable on privacy and transparency, user education and supply-chain security

Global technology brands and international media met at the Waldorf in Berlin just before IFA opened to the public, giving brands their moment in front of the press before the show-floor rush.

• 60+ brands and 100+ international technology and business media
• Two-minute Fast Pitches, a simultaneous product unveil and hands-on demos
• Media-voted Best of GCS Awards
• Supported by WorldFirst, Click Tech and Firework

What came out of it

• Best of GCS Awards, voted in the room: iClever, GEEKOM, OCJOY, viaim and nori

GCSx brought its going-global conversation to Zhengzhou, where Chris Pereira first came to China to study, with the theme “Belt and Road, the new way of going global”. Company decision-makers, industry experts and cross-border service providers from across Henan discussed global market trends, localization, compliance and international partnerships, with local partners including the Zhengzhou E-commerce Association and Henan TV’s Elephant International Communication Center.

• Business leaders, experts and cross-border service firms from across Henan
• Chris Pereira on moving “from selling products to making friends” overseas
• Talks, a roundtable on compliance and localization, and an on-site legal desk
• Covered by Henan Daily

What came out of it

• Visits to leading Henan exporters around the event, including Yutong
• A new network of Henan partners, associations and service firms for future GCS events

An expert panel on how brands build trust across markets, followed by networking that ran late into the evening.

• Our UK debut, a fringe event of London Tech Week
• With the UK National Committee on China and London Business School
• 100+ business, tech and media professionals

An invitation-only evening during NYC Tech Week for Asian brands entering the US market. Founders, investors, brands and US media met over brand showcases, pitches, conversation and a giveaway, all focused on the communication challenges brands face when they come to America.

• An official NYC Tech Week 2026 event, on the TECH WEEK by a16z calendar
• Content creators including Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), iJustine, Tiffany Janzen (Tiffintech), Alejandra Thomas (pikacodes) and the Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern
• Media from CNN Underscored, Tom’s Guide, Techlicious, TechWeLike, Wonder Tools and LVLONE
• Brand showcases, pitches and a giveaway from Cozyla, Baseus and Yarbo, with AI notes by Plaud
• Co-hosted with Kepler, BitMart US and SmallWOD; special guest content creator AndrewCap

What came out of it

• New connections and leads between Asian brands, US founders and investors, and the media and content creators who cover them

Attendees experienced China’s tech innovation first-hand: a media roundtable, ten company pitches, hours of open-floor demos and the Best of GCS awards.

• 80+ global media and 80+ brands and partners
• Media roundtable: Brand Story × From Exposure to Influence
• 10 rapid-fire pitches and the Best of GCS Shenzhen 2026 awards

A week behind closed doors with the companies and incubators behind China’s next consumer-tech products.

• 26 journalists from around the world
• Private CEO briefings and early product demos
• Robotics, smart glasses and green energy, from lab to production line

GCSx came to Shanghai’s Bund for a small, conversation-only afternoon: no talks and no set topics, just brands, partners and media who are all working on going global, meeting the people on the same road. Chris Pereira welcomed guests and signed copies of his new book 《信任》 (Trust). The afternoon was also the warm-up for GCS Shenzhen 2026.

• The Wall Street Journal and CNA in the room
• Marketing leads from 15 brands, plus channel and service partners
• Signed copies of Chris Pereira’s new book 《信任》 (Trust)

What came out of it

• Keenon Robotics went on to exhibit at GCS Shenzhen 2026 and join the company visits
• GCL joined the GCS company-visit program
• OrinTent became a partner and is now working with GCS on its Germany event

Brands going global, cross-border service providers and destination promotion agencies met in Shenzhen to talk about Europe with people who work there. The themes: answer why, where and how before going global; European compliance is both a hurdle and a moat; Europe is not a single market; and trust comes from local endorsement, not from advertising first. Held with Yicai.

• Speakers from London & Partners, Grandall Law Firm, PartnerBoost and Yicai, with GCS founder Chris Pereira
• Why go, where to go and how: the questions to answer before going global
• Ethan Lin, PartnerBoost: “European consumers trust recommendations from their own people. Build trust with local content first, then scale up the ads; the order can’t be reversed.”
• Monica Sun, Grandall Law Firm: “Compliance isn’t a cost, it’s a competitive barrier.”

GCSx came to Beijing's Asian Games Village for a relaxed afternoon tea with old friends. There was no set theme, speakers or agenda: just people working on going global, catching up and trading ideas over tea.

• A small circle and deep conversation, in an afternoon tea format
• Friends of GCS swapping notes on taking Chinese brands global
• Copies of Chris Pereira’s book 《信任》 (Trust) for guests

Brands met premium global media away from the crowded show floor, with products demonstrated in everyday settings.

• 80+ international and technology media outlets
• Nearly 30 brands
• Products shown in a real home: kitchen, living spaces, garden and pool

GCSx came to Hangzhou for an afternoon of talks, a roundtable and open conversation on how Chinese brands build their names abroad: international communications, brand building and growing in overseas markets. The roundtable brought together the brand, service-partner and overseas-media views on telling a good going-global story and earning the trust of local users.

• Chris Pereira on why going global starts with making friends first
• Ulike's global PR lead on telling a Chinese brand's story overseas
• A roundtable moderated by Victor Gao with Ulike, Seel and UK journalist Robert Postings
• An introduction to Trusted Reviews and Wareable, and how brands can work with them

What came out of it

• Seel's marketing director on the roundtable: thoughtful after-sales service is one of the keys to winning local users' trust and growing a brand overseas for the long term
• Face-to-face connections between Yangtze River Delta companies going global, overseas media and partners, opening the door to follow-up collaboration

GCSx brought IFA CEO Leif Lindner to Shenzhen for an afternoon tea with brands going global. The conversation covered how brands localize overseas, how to build real connections at a trade show, the shift from value for money to original products, and why Europe can’t be approached with a single playbook.

• IFA CEO Leif Lindner and media and PR expert Joseph Haagensen on localization, building connections at trade shows and Europe’s many markets
• Consumer electronics brands, plus new energy, robotics, mobility, health and SaaS companies
• Leif Lindner: “Now ‘created in Shenzhen’ shows the value of products: they are built with AI, good craftsmanship, and a clear sense of what consumers want.”

What came out of it

• Covered by Shenzhen Daily (“IFA CEO: ‘Created in Shenzhen’ shows value of products”), with Lindner’s Shenzhen visit also reported by Yicai Global and China News Service

Global Connect @ IFA 2025 brought brands, international media and industry partners together at Messe Berlin, as part of IFA’s official program, for hands-on product demos, conversations with the press and talks from IFA CEO Leif Lindner, GCS founder Chris Pereira and PartnerBoost founder and CEO Alan Gu.

• Opened by IFA CEO Leif Lindner, on IFA’s official program
• Talks from GCS founder Chris Pereira and PartnerBoost founder and CEO Alan Gu
• Nearly 20 brands and 60+ media outlets from Europe and North America
• Art meets Tech, with a photo exhibition by Carsten Sander

What came out of it

• Best of Global Connect, voted by the media in the room: Status Audio, Ulike and Rokid
• Covered by House Digest and BGR

On January 8, 2025, GCSx hosted a cocktail party at Eight Cigar Lounge in Las Vegas during CES. Short talks, conversations around the tables and photos at the backdrop gave media, brands and industry partners an easy way to meet.

• An informal evening of talks and conversation away from the show floor
• Media, brands and industry partners around the same tables

On the afternoon of January 6, 2025, GCS brought brands and media together in Las Vegas for a smart-home showcase built around conversation and hands-on product demos, with indoor and outdoor spaces to see the products in use.

• AI and innovation expert Jim Harris and Candr Media Group CEO Chris Dicker
• Brands on show included BLUETTI, Torras and Hisense
• Products demonstrated in indoor and outdoor settings

A media showcase plus behind-the-scenes visits to headquarters and factories, giving international media rare access to emerging products.

• Media showcase of new products
• Tours of brand headquarters and manufacturing facilities

During CES 2024, GCSx hosted an evening at S Bar in Las Vegas for media, content creators, North American investors, Chinese companies and the advisors who help them go global. GCS founder Chris Pereira opened the night, and the rest was relaxed conversation and new connections across borders.

• Opening remarks from GCS founder Chris Pereira
• Local media and content creators, North American investors, Chinese companies going global and their advisors in one room