The Cross-Border Table: AI & Robotics Founder Gathering (China Connect Summit Side Event)
An evening of dialogues and networking before China Connect Summit main conference
Two of the world's most active ecosystems in AI and robotics — China and Europe — are moving at different speeds, with different instincts, toward different bets. China is scaling embodied AI and humanoid robotics at a pace and volume few markets can match. Europe is building differentiated, deep-tech approaches with a different relationship to capital, talent, and go-to-market.
This evening isn't about pretending those differences don't exist — it's about treating them as the point. We're bringing founders, investors, and operators from both ecosystems into the same room, because the most interesting conversations happen at the friction: sparks on disagreements and differences, or synergies on capital, technology, or markets.
This isn't a casual mixer. Attendance is reserved for individuals and companies aligned around a simple bar: proven technology, real deployments, and strong ambition to scale globally.
📢 Event Program
5:30 - 6:00 Arrival & Networking
6:00 - 6:05 Event Opening
6:05 - 6:15 Opening Keynote
6:15 - 6:30 Spotlight Intros with Chinese companies
6:30 - 7:00 Fireside chat with Mimic: how to build a global companies
7:00 - 7:30 VC Panel: cross-border collaborations
7:30 - Drinks & Open Networking
👤 Who You'll Meet
Chinese AI & robotics leaders with live demos
European AI & robotics founders building for global markets
VCs and institutional investors active in cross-border deals
Family offices and allocators exploring the space
🎟️ Participation
Open to China Connect Summit attendees and invited guests. Space is limited. Early RSVP encouraged.
🌏 About China Connect Summit
China Connect Summit brings together Chinese deep-tech innovators, European investors, family offices, institutional capital, and industry partners to explore new opportunities across AI and robotics.
The 2026 Summit will take place in Zurich on 1–2 October and will feature founder sessions, investor discussions, robotics demonstrations, and curated cross-border networking.
🌏 About the Hosts
Varen Partners sits at the intersection of China and Europe — backing top-tier, next-generation Chinese VC funds and growth-stage companies, and bridging them to the world through our global network.
Ellipsis is a Zurich based VC backing visionary teams building defensible AI solutions for the world's hardest problems.
Episode 1 Ventures — A London-based pre-seed/seed VC investing across the software stack.
Some confirmed Chinese AI & Robotics attendees:
Minimax (Shanghai) — Develops multimodal AI foundation models spanning text, voice, image, and video, and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in early 2026.
Z.ai (Zhipu AI) (Beijing) — Develops foundation models and AI agents, including the GLM family of large language models.
WUJI Technology (Shanghai) — Builds robotic joint actuators and dexterous hands, including the 20–22 DOF Wuji Hand.
AGiBot (Shanghai) — Manufactures general-purpose humanoid robots, having mass-produced and shipped over 15,000 units.
Spirit AI (Hangzhou) — Builds embodied AI and general-purpose humanoid robots for intelligent workforce applications.
Sudo AI (Shanghai) — Develops embodied AI foundation models for manipulations.
GenRobot.AI (Beijing) — Provides embodied AI data infrastructure, running large-scale real-world multimodal data collection and governance for robotics foundation models.
NEOLIX (Beijing) — Operates L4 autonomous delivery robovans, with over 16,000 vehicles deployed across 15 countries.
Even Realities (Shenzhen) — Makes camera-free, display-first smart glasses with a heads-up display for notifications, navigation, and live translation.
🤝 Sponsors & Partners
LGT is the international private banking and asset management group owned by the Princely House of Liechtenstein, managing wealth for private clients and institutions across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. As a returning sponsor of China Connect Summit 2026, LGT supports the dialogue between European capital and Asian innovation.
Kellerhals Carrard is one of Switzerland’s leading full-service commercial law firms, combining the strength of a national platform with a deeply entrepreneurial mindset. With more than 360 legal and regulatory experts, around 600 employees, 30 specialist areas and offices across Switzerland as well as international desks in Shanghai and Tokyo, the firm advises clients wherever legal, regulatory and strategic questions intersect.
DARE Campus is a highly curated, 3,000 m² innovation hub dedicated to deep tech, artificial intelligence, robotics, and applied research. The campus serves as a specialized bridge between bare-bones startup incubators and rigid commercial leases.
Edelweiss Innovation & Intelligence Institute (EIII) is a Switzerland-based innovation institute focused on artificial intelligence, robotics, education, and entrepreneurship, fostering collaboration between innovation ecosystems in Europe and Asia. As a strategic partner of China Connect Summit 2026, EIII supports the Robotic Demo with its expertise and network in AI and robotics.