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Start-ups

Start-ups
Articles about early-stage companies; pre-IPO, including those still being funded by angel investors, private equity or venture capitalists.
DeepSeek’s latest technical papers underscore its efforts to improve the underlying infrastructure of AI models in China. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

DeepSeek stays mum on next AI model release as technical papers show frontier innovation

Hangzhou-based start-up’s technical papers bode well for potential advances in its next major AI models.

US-China tech war

Editorial | Review of Meta-Manus deal a reminder of what’s at stake in US-China rivalry

Artificial intelligence

China’s AI unlikely to surpass US soon despite progress, researchers say

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Artificial intelligence

Review of Meta-Manus deal underscores China’s tightening grip on AI exports

AI agent start-up may face half a year of regulatory checks on data security, dual-use technologies and overseas investment rules: analysts.

The Ministry of Commerce says it will work with other Chinese regulators to assess whether Meta’s acquisition of Manus complies with the country’s export controls and technology transfer rules. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong sets up 13-member expert panel to help mainland firms expand overseas

Establishment of Expert Committee on Professional Services for Going Global builds on new platform to help match local providers with firms.

IPO

Chinese AI start-up MiniMax shines on Hong Kong IPO debut

The shares jump as much as 113.2 per cent to HK$351.80 before ending the day 109.1 per cent higher at HK$345.

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DeepSeek

Core team of Chinese researchers behind AI model R1 remains intact: DeepSeek

The 18 core scientists behind R1 continue to power the start-up’s AI ambitions and capabilities amid growing anticipation of a new release.

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The updated technical paper of DeepSeek’s R1 development shows the start-up retained all 18 scientists behind the much-acclaimed AI model. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

China to probe Meta’s purchase of Manus over export controls, tech concerns

Probe comes amid concerns the US$2.5 billion acquisition could breach tech export controls and encourage more start-ups to relocate offshore.

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Artificial intelligence

DeepSeek to customise namesake chatbot for Italian users following probe

The firm agrees to a package of commitments, including tackling AI model ‘hallucination’ issues, with the Italian Competition Authority.

ByteDance

ByteDance boosts Shenzhen presence with ‘second headquarters’ for Douyin unit

The Chinese short video giant’s new base in Nanshan district was announced by the city’s publicity department on Tuesday.

ByteDance operates Douyin, China’s most popular video-sharing platform. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

Shenzhen eyes bigger role in world robotics arena as firms vow to boost output

Premier Li Qiang urges faster adoption of robotics to benefit industries and households during a meeting with tech companies in Shenzhen.

China is pushing its humanoid robotics industry to become “a global leader”. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

China’s DeepSeek adds advanced ‘thinking’ feature amid buzz over next model

Hangzhou-based AI start-up installs ‘interleaved thinking’ as monthly users surge 90 per cent to nearly 131.5 million.

Artificial intelligence

Chinese quant fund joins DeepSeek in AI race with LLM rivalling GPT-5.1, Claude

Beijing-based Ubiquant launches code-focused systems claiming benchmark wins over US peers despite using far fewer parameters.

Robotics

China’s humanoid robot makers, Hong Kong start-ups set to dazzle CES 2026

Nearly a dozen Chinese humanoid robot makers are expected at the trade show, while Hong Kong sends its largest-ever delegation.

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Chinese humanoid robot maker AgiBot is expected to bring its full product portfolio at CES 2026. Photo: AgiBot
Artificial intelligence

China takes confident strides to develop more AI innovation in 2026

‘China’s tech innovation is poised for policy-driven growth in 2026, with AI placed at the centre of the country’s economic agenda,’ NYU’s Winston Ma says.

Illustration: Henry Wong
IPO

Biren surges, China military drills, CES technology show

This week: Biren Technology jumps on Hong Kong debut, PLA holds drills off Taiwan and factory activity returns to expansion. Next week: Chinese tech firms at CES, December CPI release, HSBC-Hang Seng Bank buyout vote, and more.

Artificial intelligence

China’s Moonshot AI raises US$500 million in latest funding round: report

The Kimi AI model developer is now valued at US$4.3 billion, with cash reserves worth US$1.4 billion.

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Artificial intelligence

China-founded Tripo AI updates 3D content platform as users more than double

‘This shows that we’re on the right track,’ founder and CEO Simon Song Yachen says.

Tripo AI’s flagship platform, Tripo Studio 1.0, generates 3D content from text or images in seconds. Photo: Handout
Artificial intelligence

China-founded AI start-up Manus acquired by Meta for ‘billions’

Deal will bring Singapore-based Manus’ ‘leading agent to billions of people’, Meta says.

IPO

China’s Zhipu AI launches US$560 million share sale amid heated IPO tech race

The company, marketed overseas as Z.ai, eyes US$6.6 billion valuation with Hong Kong’s first large language model listing.

Robotics

How a Chinese start-up is scaling 3D printing from sneakers to robots

Materials expert Wang Wenbin founded PollyPolymer in 2017 and developed a mature 3D-printing technology for footwear two years later.

3D-printed footwear accounts for 60 per cent of PollyPolymer’s total revenue. Photo: Handout
Banking & finance

China launches venture capital fund to lead the charge on tech investment

The fund, which will put state-backed money behind early tech bets, could guide trillions of yuan in private capital to chosen sectors.

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China’s new national venture capital fund has made investments in emerging technology like quantum computing an explicit priority. Photo: Xinhua
Semiconductors

Chinese EV battery giant CATL and Guoxin Micro set up new automotive chip firm

The two companies expect to launch Tongxin Micro Technology as a developer of automotive domain controller chips.

Artificial intelligence

China’s AI toy boom: Huawei, JD.com, UBTech make big push into growing sector

China’s AI toy sector is forecast to expand to US$12 billion by 2030, up from US$3.5 billion this year.

Artificial intelligence

ByteDance, other major Chinese tech firms lead local consumer AI market: report

ByteDance-owned Doubao remains the country’s top consumer AI app, as DeepSeek’s namesake chatbot takes the No 2 spot.

ByteDance’s top-ranked Doubao AI app. Photo: Shutterstock
Robotics

China’s AgiBot aims for US$142 million revenue as humanoid robots gain momentum

Fast-growing robotics start-up expects to ship out 5,000 units in 2025 amid Beijing backing of the embodied intelligence industry.

A customer communicates with an AgiBot humanoid robot at a car dealership in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters
Artificial intelligence

China’s Zhipu and MiniMax release latest AI models ahead of Hong Kong listing

The near-simultaneous release on Monday underscores the two firms’ efforts to drum up interest for their respective Hong Kong IPOs.

TikTok

Exclusive | TikTok owner ByteDance’s valuation hits US$500 billion as US plan advances

Figure marks a record for China’s tech giant, which will divest its US entity into a joint venture that includes Oracle and Silver Lake.

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