We are deeply intrigued by the evolution of Asia's market landscape, innovation ecosystem, and competitive dynamics. In AGP Insights we publish our latest thoughts and reports, as well as insights from our extended network of partners.
Latest Insights
Insights
China’s Manufacturing Startups: Rewriting Rules on Speed & Cost
As Western manufacturers navigate a convergence of pressures—from margin compression and demographic labor shifts to intensifying global competition—a new wave of Chinese AI-manufacturing startups is gaining ground with remarkable agility. These firms are not merely building robots or retrofitting factories; they are redefining how intelligent automation is conceived, built, and scaled.
Insights
Parallel Innovation: China’s Edge in Biopharma
Over the past decade, China has rapidly emerged as a powerhouse in pharmaceutical innovation. Behind this transformation lies a distinct operational strategy: parallel processing across the drug development lifecycle. Unlike the traditional linear model followed by most multinational companies, Chinese biopharma firms have institutionalized an approach that accelerates time-to-market by running clinical trials, regulatory submissions, manufacturing scale-up, and digital integration concurrently rather than sequentially. This Insight explores how Chinese pharmaceutical companies are running processes in parallel, what makes this system unique compared to global norms, and what multinational firms can learn from the China model.
Insights
Boosting Pharma Innovation Capacity in China
Multinational pharmaceutical companies are increasingly investing in China to build internal innovation capacity and / or forging external partnerships with Chinese pharma, driven by the country's robust biotech ecosystem, supportive government policies, and advancements in AI and data science.
Insights
Digital Silk Road: AI Exports Reshaping Global Tech Power
In the rapidly evolving landscape of global technology and geopolitics, China’s Digital Silk Road (DSR) has emerged as a pivotal extension of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2015.
This initiative, initially focused on physical infrastructure, has shifted toward digital connectivity, with artificial intelligence (AI) at its core. By 2025, the DSR’s role in exporting AI technologies has become a critical lens for understanding China’s ambition to challenge the technological dominance of the U.S. and the EU while fostering economic and political ties with developing nations.
Insights
China's Green Shift: Implications for MNCs Innovation Strategies
In March 2025, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced plans for substantial investments in new offshore wind farms and expansive clean energy hubs integrating both solar and wind technologies. China's rapid shift toward sustainability and green innovation is transforming its economy and redefining global business strategies. China's commitment to sustainability and green innovation provides an expansive landscape for MNCs to innovate, compete, and grow.
Insights
China’s AI Leap: Talent, Innovation and Global Tech Impact
In early 2025, an unknown Chinese startup named DeepSeek launched DeepSeek-R1, an open-source large language model (LLM) that made global headlines. The model not only rivaled established LLMs such as GPT-4, Llama 3.1, and Claude in performance but achieved this at significantly lower costs and with reduced training data requirements. DeepSeek's achievement wasn't an isolated event. Rather, it reflected years of groundwork that has shaped China's AI ecosystem—carefully fostered through academic research, talent cultivation, innovation under constraints, and fierce internal competition. How is China orchestrating this transformation, and what does it mean for global businesses and investors?
Insights
Asia’s Chip Race: Reshaping the Global Semiconductor Ecosystem
The semiconductor industry is at an inflection point, with global dynamics shifting as nations race to secure technological sovereignty and leadership in AI-driven computing. This transformation is being driven by a mix of necessity, strategic investment, and geopolitical pressure. Countries such as China, South Korea, Malaysia, or Singapore are taking significant steps to build domestic semiconductor capabilities, not only to mitigate reliance on third-party technologies but also to position themselves as key players in the future of AI computing.
Insights
The Global Expansion of Chinese Multinational Corporations
From electric vehicles to artificial intelligence, China’s multinational corporations (MNCs), are expanding rapidly, backed by government initiatives, financial muscle, and cutting-edge technology.
Yet, this international push comes with challenges. Stricter regulations in Europe and North America, brand trust issues, and geopolitical headwinds are testing the resilience of these firms. Can Chinese companies adapt, localize, and thrive in foreign markets, or will they struggle to replicate their domestic success abroad?
This Insight piece explores why Chinese companies are going global, where they are investing, how they are funding their expansion, and the critical obstacles they must overcome.
Insights
Humanoid Robots in 2025: Powering the Next Industrial Evolution
In the domain of technology, few fields have captured the imagination and potential for transformation quite like humanoid robotics. In this Insight piece, we explore advancements, applications, projected market size, and some of the key players shaping the future of humanoid robots, with a special focus on developments in China.
Insights
Vietnam’s Vision: Building the World’s First AI-Powered City
Vietnam is making ambitious moves to position itself as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by transforming Ho Chi Minh City into the world’s first AI-powered city by 2030. This initiative, unveiled at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos earlier in 2025, is more than just a technological endeavor—it represents a strategic vision to redefine urban development, foster economic growth, and place Vietnam at the forefront of global innovation.
Insights
APAC: Leveraging AI at Scale to Drive Value
The Asia Pacific (APAC) region is witnessing a shift from experimental AI projects to strategic deployments aimed at maximizing business impact.
This strategic pivot is driven by the understanding that AI's true value lies in its ability to enhance customer experience, automate back-office processes, and streamline sales and customer lifecycle management, as outlined in the "APAC AI Outlook 2025" report, a joint initiative by Ecosystm and IBM.
Insights
2025: SEA Startups Refocus on Profitability Amid Investor Caution
Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem is undergoing a significant transformation. After years of growth fueled by ample venture capital, global economic pressures are reshaping priorities. Inflation, higher interest rates, and increased investor scrutiny are compelling startups to emphasize sustainable business models over rapid expansion.
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