Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, hosted the APEC Young Entrepreneurs Conference from Sept 15 to 18, bringing together about 200 young entrepreneurs, investors, and other representatives from APEC economies as part of China's APEC Year 2026.

Under the theme "Entrepreneurship Engine, Youth-Led Change: for a Prosperous Asia-Pacific for All," the conference explored AI, lean entrepreneurship, and digital trade, aiming to help young entrepreneurs build practical skills and strengthen cross-border cooperation.

Hosting the conference in Hangzhou reflects the city's growing startup ecosystem and concentration of technology companies, universities, and innovation platforms, which have become a testing ground for new business models, particularly in AI and digital technologies.

The conference also moved beyond traditional panel discussions, with participants forming teams during entrepreneurship workshops to analyze market needs, design solutions, develop prototypes, and pitch their ideas.

At Rokid, a Hangzhou-based smart-glasses company, participants were challenged to develop AI-agent applications based on local market needs. A team including Malaysian student Chen Zhihong proposed using smart glasses to summarize stock-market developments, while other members worked on visual design, application development, and data analysis. The team produced a prototype in about 90 minutes.

The workshops were designed to connect different markets and perspectives with Hangzhou's technology ecosystem, as the conference sought to help young entrepreneurs turn ideas into viable business practices through hands-on activities, thematic discussions, and ecosystem visits.