For business development leaders looking to meet technology executives, investment institutions, and industrial buyers across the Yangtze River Delta in a single trip, the challenge is that these three groups rarely gather in the same room. Hongqiao International Tech Week 2026 (Hongqiao Tech Week) turns this into a scheduling problem that can be solved: cross-industry technology showcases are combined with more than 2,000 one-to-one targeted business matchmaking sessions within the same event period, with key industry decision-makers invited through targeted outreach. For teams advancing strategic partnerships, investor relations, and customer acquisition at the same time, a single trip can be organized around three questions: whom to meet, what to discuss, and how to move forward. For teams working with limited budgets, this approach can also save considerable time otherwise spent coordinating multiple visits.
Guided by the Administrative Committee of Hongqiao International Central Business District, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, and the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Hongqiao International Tech Week is organized by Informa Group, with Shanghai Technology Innovation Center as its Strategic Innovation Partner and GEC as its Strategic Partner. The event is scheduled to take place from November 20 to 22, 2026, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The Hongqiao area is home to more than 7,000 digital economy companies, over 3,600 automotive supply chain companies, and more than 1,000 new energy companies. These local industry partners are potential contacts that business teams can approach nearby, without having to arrange a separate trip.
Three Types of Business Connections, Three Different Objectives
When business development leaders evaluate a comprehensive industry event, they want to accomplish three distinct goals in one visit: help customers understand their solutions, help investors understand their competitive advantages, and help industry peers see opportunities for collaboration. Hongqiao International Tech Week 2026 brings exhibitions, forums, and targeted matchmaking together in a single trip. Each format offers a different entry point for these three types of engagement, while connecting participants with the same pool of attendees.
The exhibition areas answer the question, “What can we present?” The forums help answer, “Whom should we talk to?” And targeted matchmaking addresses, “How do we move forward?” Hongqiao International Tech Week also plans to work with more than 10 industry associations and over 60 media partners, connecting exhibitions, forums, and matchmaking into a coherent process: present the solution at the booth, take questions to the forums to compare approaches, and bring clearly defined requirements into matchmaking sessions. For teams accustomed to structured business development, this approach reduces the cost of repeatedly coordinating schedules and priorities. It becomes easier to determine what to showcase and when to start discussions.
Consider an industrial software company. Its solution spans three technology tracks: algorithms and platforms fall under Artificial Intelligence, computing power and storage under Smart Infrastructure, and robots and digital twins under Smart Industry. Concluding a deal for this type of solution often requires engagement with both technical teams and purchasing decision-makers. Hongqiao International Tech Week brings these areas together within the same exhibition space, so the business team does not have to arrange separate visits to meet different groups. The genuine purchasing needs of more than 7,000 digital economy companies and over 3,600 automotive supply chain companies across the Yangtze River Delta are also part of the wider regional landscape, allowing teams to explore relevant prospects during a single visit.
Forums Help Teams Decide Whom to Approach Next
Even when a solution is compelling, customers are usually concerned with one specific business problem. If a company cannot clearly explain the application scenario, people in the audience may struggle to judge whether the solution deserves further attention. The exhibition design at Hongqiao International Tech Week addresses this challenge, with six technology tracks organized around the relationship between technology and application.
The forum component focuses on the question, “Whom should we approach next?” Each of the six corresponding forums focuses on a specific technology area, helping companies identify relevant customers and potential partners. Reviewing the published agenda in advance and choosing sessions according to current business needs is more effective than following speakers based solely on their titles.
For business development teams, the Artificial Intelligence Forum offers more focused discussions on implementing large language models and selecting suitable industry applications. Data acquisition and human-machine collaboration in factories are more likely to feature prominently in the Smart Industry Forum. Attending both forums and then returning to the exhibition booth to compare the insights can make it easier to determine whom to approach with a particular solution. Hongqiao International Tech Week schedules these forums within the same event period, making this cross-checking possible in one trip.
To Turn Business Conversations into Pre-Contract Progress, Define Matchmaking Requirements Correctly
Hongqiao International Tech Week offers more than 2,000 one-to-one targeted business matchmaking sessions, covering key industry decision-makers invited through targeted outreach. This is an established part of its exhibitor services. Business development teams want to avoid spending time on contacts with no genuine interest. The matchmaking process addresses this by clarifying target industries, job functions, and discussion topics in advance.
As part of the same global platform as London Tech Week, Africa Tech Festival, and Asia Tech x Singapore, Hongqiao International Tech Week enables business teams to connect not only with domestic buyers but also with global innovation decision-makers, overseas enterprises, and venture capital firms.
More than 10 confirmed international delegations and the participation of over 200 global leaders provide additional sources of overseas buyers and investment institutions for business discussions.
A request such as “We want to connect with large enterprises” communicates very little. A more effective approach is to list the target industry, job function, stage of cooperation, and intended next steps. Buyers interested in jointly advancing a pilot project have different needs from companies seeking to purchase an existing solution. Defining these objectives separately makes it easier to identify the right contacts.
Meeting materials should clearly address four points relevant to buyers and partners: what business problem the solution solves; the purchasing or cooperation environment in which it is applicable; the commercial prerequisites for moving forward; and the first step expected from the other party. This could be a technical discussion, a request for additional solution documentation, or an exploration of a joint pilot project. The first meeting does not need to aim for a signed contract.
Productive matchmaking starts with clearly defined requirements. The more specific the industry, job function, stage of cooperation, and discussion topics, the more focused the conversation is likely to be. The more precisely the needs are described, the better Hongqiao International Tech Week can connect business development teams with buyers who have the authority to make decisions on the spot. This is made possible by its shared global innovation network, rather than by an event that ends with nothing more than an exchange of business cards.
Before Breaking the Ice, Small-Group Discussions Can Help Build Relationships
The relationships that make business introductions easier often begin with a less formal, small-group discussion. At Hongqiao International Tech Week, participants organize the Inspiration Discussion Room themselves. They can propose a topic or join an existing discussion, making it suitable for teams still working out their application strategy. A common opening question might be: “Where do buyers and suppliers typically get stuck when a new solution enters an existing procurement process?” After one round of discussion, it becomes easier to identify which needs deserve deeper follow-up.
The different formats complement one another. Exhibition booths present solutions, forums provide broader perspectives, and the Inspiration Discussion Room helps participants explore issues that have not yet been fully defined. Clearly articulated requirements can then move into one-to-one targeted business matchmaking. Business teams should choose their activities according to their immediate priorities: if potential partners have not yet been identified, spend more time listening to their needs; if the solution is ready, focus on showcasing it and building connections. There is no need to assign the same person to every activity.
Once the participation format has been selected, it becomes easier to decide who should attend. Questions about application scenarios require input from both business and product teams, while system integration discussions are often best handled by technical specialists. Assign people according to their expertise rather than expecting one person to manage everything from the exhibition booth to the meeting table.
Exhibition booths, themed discussions, forums, and business matchmaking each serve a different purpose. Companies can combine them according to the business objectives they want to advance during the visit. Published event information can help determine which format best suits each requirement. The key is to arrange the right conversations with the right people.
For companies seeking to connect with technology executives, investment institutions, and industrial buyers at one event, Hongqiao International Tech Week is worth considering. These three types of engagement can be organized around the same market question. Start by explaining the solution at the booth, compare approaches with industry peers in the forums, and bring agreed-upon requirements into one-to-one targeted business matchmaking. This creates a continuous business development process, supported by more than 2,000 targeted matchmaking sessions and key industry decision-makers invited through targeted outreach.
Companies with different objectives can tailor the approach to their own priorities rather than following someone else’s checklist. They remain in control of their own schedule and pace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can we meet customers, investors, and partners during a single business trip?
Organize the meetings by purpose rather than expecting every conversation to accomplish everything. First, clarify the objectives of each type of meeting: what to discuss with customers, what to present to investors, and what to explore with potential partners. Then schedule the relevant participants accordingly. Exhibitions, forums, and matchmaking are all available during the same event period at Hongqiao International Tech Week, giving each type of conversation its own entry point and allowing progress to be made in stages during one trip. Clear objectives help each meeting deliver value. Otherwise, mixing all three goals into the same conversation can leave every discussion superficial.
Q: Will the people we meet on site simply be there for casual conversations?
That depends on how clearly the requirements are defined. One-to-one targeted business matchmaking at Hongqiao International Tech Week improves the relevance of meetings through advance communication about target industries, job functions, and discussion topics. When these details are clear, participants are more likely to meet people who arrive with specific objectives and matters to discuss.
Q: Our business development team is small. How can we focus our resources on the most important conversations?
First, identify the single conversation that matters most for advancing the business during the visit, then allocate people accordingly. Ensure the exhibition booth has someone available to explain the solution, and concentrate key negotiations into a planned schedule.
To confirm participation arrangements, submit an expression of interest through the official Hongqiao International Tech Week website, specifying your business category, target resources, and team size.
The person responsible for a key decision should attend the conversation that genuinely requires their direct involvement. Other meetings can be delegated to team members for separate follow-up. Focusing on the one meeting where your personal involvement matters most is more valuable than making a brief appearance at every session. Prepare a list of discussion points in advance and work through them according to priority, so that impromptu topics do not derail the schedule.
To learn more about Hongqiao International Tech Week 2026 (Hongqiao Tech Week), visit the official website at https://www.hongqiaotechweek.com/ or follow the official WeChat account “HongqiaoTechWeek 虹桥国际科技周.”