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… recommendation slot will be formally opened to advertisers.
Another subtle but meaningful shift involves commerce. A platform long known for favoring outbound traffic is now embracing closed-loop transactions.
“In the past, we guided users to external apps, but that also meant losing users,” Li said. Bilibili has built an internal commerce loop based on mini-programs, allowing transactions to be completed without leaving the platform. Compared with outbound links, closed-loop conversions improved cost efficiency by ten basis points, while overall transaction efficiency rose 150% year on year.
Bilibili remains one of the few major platforms to consistently support an open-loop strategy, with advertising partnerships spanning Taobao, <a href="/company/jd">JD.com</a>, and <a href="/company/pinduoduo">Pinduoduo</a>. But as more transactions move on-platform, that long-held neutrality may gradually shift.
<h3>Monetizing mindshare among young consumers</h3>
For years, mid- and long-form video platforms have struggled to match short video rivals in advertising scale. Bilibili once pushed hard into vertical video, but its differentiation remains rooted in longer content.
“In an era where people swipe every three seconds, Bilibili continues to invest in mid- and long-form video,” Lai said. “Good content is what builds brand image and consumer mindshare. That kind of trust can’t be formed by a few short clips or static images.”
Compared with platforms like <a href="/company/douyin">Douyin</a>, <a href="/company/kuaishou">Kuaishou</a>, WeChat Channels, and <a href="/company/xiaohongshu">Xiaohongshu</a>, Bilibili’s emphasis on what it calls deep mindshare has often sounded understated.
Li Ni framed it differently at Ad Talk. “The brands people trust when they are young often stay with them for life,” she said. “That influence ultimately delivers better results and better transactions.”
During the 2025 Singles’ Day shopping festival, Bilibili posted an average new customer rate of 55% across industries. Gross merchandise value for products priced above RMB 1,000 (USD 140) rose 63% year-on-year.
As users move from campus life into the workforce, their spending power is rising and their resistance to advertising is easing. The consumer mindshare cultivated years earlier is now ready to be monetized.
Platform data shows that in 2025, 24% of videos on Bilibili’s weekly “must-watch” charts were branded collaborations between companies and creators. The rankings are entirely user-voted.
Looking ahead, Bilibili’s mid- and long-form ecosystem still depends on a steady supply of professional content. According to 36Kr, the platform is planning seven gala events, 40 domestically produced animation titles, six music initiatives, three brand-led projects, 113 documentaries, and multiple podcast programs in 2026.
Since launching its video podcast initiative in 2025, Bilibili’s video podcast audience has surpassed 67 million. A growing roster of public figures, journalists, opinion leaders, and creators have joined as hosts. The platform has also introduced a support program to bring traditional radio hosts onto Bilibili, encouraging them to produce video podcasts and music radio content.
Bilibili believes this semi-professional, personality-driven format offers significant room for brand integrations and could become one of its most commercially flexible content pillars yet.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3640520932560006">article</a> was written by Wang Yuchan for 36Kr.

Bilibili rolls out AI tools to push next phase of platform monetization

Bilibili

East Asia

China

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Entertainment

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Video

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Creator Economy

Hong Kong's stock market had a banner year for IPOs. The city's stock exchange has become the top fundraising destination in Asia in 2025, and second in the world. Hundreds more share flotations are waiting in the pipeline, boosting the outlook for the beginning of 2026.
Investor enthusiasm for China's homegrown companies is expected to lead the bull run. The first trading day of 2026 saw chipmaker <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/markets/ipo/chinese-ai-chipmaker-biren-soars-on-trading-debut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biren Technology</a> surge as much as 100% on its debut. High-profile Chinese <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> startups Z.ai (Zhipu AI) and <a href="/company/minimax">MiniMax</a> followed suit the following week.
But questions are being raised about IPOs by companies with weaker credentials, and some companies that have listed recently in Hong Kong have seen their shares run out of steam.
There were 99 new stock listings on the Hong Kong Exchange main board last year, with a total valuation of USD 35 billion as of December 19, 2025, according to data from Dealogic, placing the city second in the world for new listing value, behind Nasdaq's USD 52.3 billion. That is a jump of more than 200% in value compared with all of 2024.
The Asian financial hub's bourse saw a rush of listings before year's end. Seven companies waited in line to list in the week before the exchange closed for Christmas. Another six sounded the exchange's gong, a ritual for market debutants, on December 30.
"Buoyed by this momentum and a backlog of potential <a title="" href="/industry/ipo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPO</a> candidates, we expect this upward trend to continue into 2026," said Paul Law, a KPMG partner in China. "In particular, the pace of AI-related listings is poised to accelerate as the technology matures and is adopted more widely across various industries."
In recent months, however, Hong Kong’s red-hot stock market has cooled. Since November 2025, more debutants have fallen on their first day of trading, with some remaining below their listing prices. Autonomous driving company CiDi slid more than 13% on December 19, its first day of trading. Jingdong Industrials, a unit of <a href="/company/jd">JD.com</a> focused on supply chain technology, has largely traded below its listing price since going public on December 11.
The lackluster performance among recent listings comes as regulators voice concern over what they see as the declining quality of IPO applications and a lack of due diligence.
Special listing regimes designed for technology companies that have yet to turn a profit have drawn a record number of applications. Transthera Sciences, a clinical-stage biotech company listed under a regime for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, soared more than 50 times versus its IPO price, sparking fears of overvaluation.
The Southbound Stock Connect program, which allows mainland investors to invest in the Hong Kong stock market, has seen average daily trading volume drop 19.4% in November 2025 compared with the previous month. Capital from mainland investors was a key driver of Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index this year. In December 2025, the Hang Seng Index fell 0.9%, and is down 6.1% from its October high.
The Hong Kong exchange mounted a major comeback in 2025. Previously, capital market activity had stalled following China's tech crackdown in 2020 and the real estate crisis the following year. In 2025, by contrast, asset managers and hedge funds were increasingly visible in new listings, participating as cornerstone investors.
A July 2025 report from Goldman Sachs pointed out cornerstone investors' subscriptions "have accounted for 42% of the total capital raised, with approximately two-thirds from foreign investors and one-third from domestic investors."
Meanwhile, the market received a big boost from one type of listing: More than half of the listing value had been driven by "A-to-H listings," in which companies listed in mainland China seek a secondary listing in Hong Kong.
Excluding such secondary listings, 78 companies raised a total USD 15.5 billion, compared with Nasdaq's USD 51.3 billion and the New York Stock Exchange's USD 25 billion, according to Dealogic data.
As of December 7, 2025, active applications for IPOs reached a record 316 in Hong Kong, 92 of which were A-to-H listing applications, according to KPMG. The company expects more than 100 A-to-H listing applications in the near future, potentially offering a robust start to 2026.
The listing process for such deals is simpler than first-time public offerings in terms of filing requirements and documentation. The city's securities watchdogs, the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong exchange, have devised a fast-track system for A-to-H listings in which screening takes no more than 30 business days. To qualify for this streamlined system, companies must have a market capitalization of at least HKD 10 billion (USD 1.3 billion), according to the exchange.
Beijing has been encouraging companies looking to list overseas to prioritize the Hong Kong market by promising to shorten approval times. It has also tightened regulations for companies looking to list in the US, pushing some deals back to Hong Kong. Though not officially required by law, approvals by the China Securities Regulatory Commission are widely seen as necessary for Chinese companies before they can list overseas. 
However, secondary and dual listings tend to pay lower offering fees to underwriters, as they are more similar to a follow-up share flotation than an IPO. One example is the Hong Kong listing of lithium battery maker <a href="/company/catl">Contemporary Amperex Technology</a> (CATL), where underwriting fees were roughly 20 basis points, or 0.2% of the deal's total value. Typically, companies seeking pays flat rate commissions <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/finance/hong-kong-s-ipo-boom-sets-off-underwriter-price-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranging 2–4%</a>, plus optional incentives between 1–2%. CATL was already listed on the mainland market when listed in Hong Kong.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/markets/trading-asia/can-hong-kong-s-ipo-market-keep-up-the-momentum-in-2026">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

Can Hong Kong's IPO market keep up the momentum in 2026?

Hong Kong

<a href="/company/baidu">Baidu’s</a> autonomous ride-hailing service Apollo Go and AutoGo have officially launched a fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in Abu Dhabi, marking a new phase in the commercialization of driverless mobility in the Middle East. The service, which is open to the public via the AutoGo app, has launched initially on Yas Island, where users can now hail rides in vehicles operating with no human driver behind the wheel.
The launch positions Abu Dhabi among a small group of global cities offering fully driverless robotaxi services under a commercial framework, rather than as part of a limited pilot or trial. It also reflects growing regulatory confidence in autonomous vehicle technology as regional governments explore new mobility models to support urban growth and smart city development.
The service follows the partners’ receipt of a fully driverless commercial permit in mid-November 2025, clearing the way for public operations. Yas Island, a major leisure and entertainment hub in the emirate, has been designated as a permitted zone for fully autonomous vehicles, allowing the partners to begin commercial deployment in a controlled but high-profile urban environment.
Apollo Go and AutoGo first announced their partnership in March 2025, with the stated goal of building Abu Dhabi’s largest fully driverless fleet. The public launch comes just months after that initial agreement, underscoring the pace at which the partners have moved from collaboration to live operations.
<figure id="attachment_159368" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159368" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-159368" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai.jpg" alt="Photo of a robotaxi operated by Apollo Go and AutoGo in Dubai, UAE." width="640" height="360" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai.jpg 1920w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-720x405.jpg 720w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-768x432.jpg 768w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AutoGo-Apollo-Go-Dubai-480x270.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-159368" class="wp-caption-text">A robotaxi operated by Apollo Go and AutoGo in Dubai, UAE. Photo courtesy of Baidu.</figcaption></figure>
Following the Yas Island rollout, the service is set to expand in phases across Abu Dhabi, beginning with Reem Island, Al Maryah Island, and Saadiyat Island. Over time, the partners plan to extend coverage to additional areas, with the long-term objective of operating across the wider emirate.
The companies have said they aim to deploy hundreds of autonomous vehicles by 2026, building what they describe as the emirate’s largest fully driverless fleet. The focus, they said, is on scaling a commercially viable service rather than limiting operations to small test fleets.
Apollo Go’s expansion into the UAE builds on its experience operating large-scale robotaxi services across multiple cities globally. The company has logged more than 240 million autonomous kilometers, including over 140 million kilometers in fully driverless mode, and has completed more than 17 million cumulative rides as it pushes toward broader commercialization.
Elsewhere in the UAE, Apollo Go has secured regulatory approval to advance autonomous driving operations. In Dubai, the company has received the emirate’s first permit to conduct fully driverless vehicle trials on designated public roads without a safety driver, as it works toward launching a commercial ride-hailing service there as early as the first quarter of 2026. The parallel developments point to a broader UAE approach that pairs large-scale testing with early commercial deployment across different emirates.
The company has also accumulated experience working with regulators outside mainland China, including in dense urban environments such as <a href="https://kr-asia.com/hong-kong-opens-roads-to-self-driving-cars-with-baidu-apollo-pilot">Hong Kong</a>, where authorities have taken a cautious, phased approach to approving autonomous driving technologies. That regulatory engagement has mainly focused on demonstrating operational readiness and safety at scale.
More broadly, Apollo Go has identified overseas markets as a strategic priority as global robotaxi competition intensifies, with <a href="https://kr-asia.com/uk-europe-emerge-as-robotaxi-battleground-for-baidu-and-waymo">regions such as Europe and the Middle East emerging as key arenas for international expansion</a>, alongside players including Waymo.
As for Abu Dhabi, the launch fits within broader smart city plans to introduce advanced mobility services into everyday use. With a fully autonomous, commercially available ride-hailing service now operating on public roads, Apollo Go and AutoGo are on track to shift driverless transport from concept to deployment.

Baidu launches fully driverless ride-hailing service in Abu Dhabi

Baidu

Transportation

Autonomous Vehicles

Mobility

Middle East

Haidilao has announced a series of changes to its senior management and board of directors.
According to a filing by the Hong Kong-listed company, effective January 13, 2026, Gou Yiqun has resigned as executive director and CEO. Song Qing has stepped down as executive director and a member of the nomination committee, while Gao Jie has resigned as executive director. All three will continue to hold key management roles within the group.
Following his resignation as CEO, Gou will oversee the group’s initiatives in intelligent and automated management systems, focusing on upgrading operating models and developing a centralized smart management platform to improve efficiency and decision-making. Song will continue to serve as chair of the product committee.
Alongside the departures, Haidilao appointed four new executive directors, Li Nana, Zhu Yinhua, Jiao Defeng, and Zhu Xuanyi, effective January 13. The company said the appointments are aimed at supporting long-term innovation and cultivating a new generation of management talent.
The most significant change is the return of founder and chairman Zhang Yong, who has resumed the role of CEO, also effective January 13. Haidilao’s shares rose more than 7% at the opening of trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange the following day.
The reshuffle comes amid renewed pressure on Haidilao’s core business, as slowing traffic and softer consumer spending weigh on performance across China’s casual dining sector. In the first half of 2025, the company reported year-on-year declines in both revenue and profit, while key operating indicators such as table turnover also showed signs of weakening, according to Chinese media reports.
Zhang’s return to the CEO role is widely seen as an attempt to restore strategic clarity and execution speed. Since stepping aside in 2022, Haidilao has cycled through multiple chief executives, with each leadership phase reflecting a different priority ranging from cost controls and operational stabilization to experimentation with new formats. Since 2024, the company has rolled out several sub-brands, including Yan Qing and BarBecue, as it expands beyond hotpot.
According to the company’s 2025 interim report, Haidilao operated 126 restaurants across 14 brands in addition to its flagship hot pot chain.

Haidilao reshapes top management, with founder Zhang Yong resuming CEO role

Retail

Consumer Economy

… center developer and operator founded in 2017 and backed by private equity firm Warburg Pincus, is an example of how the industry is financing its Asian expansion with the help of institutional investors and more complex debt instruments.
In June last year, it secured a USD 1.3 billion preferred equity investment from US infrastructure fund Stonepeak. These instruments rank higher in a company's capital structure than common equity—giving holders priority in a restructuring—and offer fixed dividends, in the manner of a bond. They can also be converted into common equity under certain conditions.
Salgame said the Stonepeak investment would help the company expand but would dilute the holdings of shareholders. PDG's last equity round came in 2022 when it raised USD 505 million from investors led by Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala.
Shortly before it sold the preferred shares, PDG took on USD 1.2 billion in debt, which included USD 800 million in project financing for several data centers in Asia and a USD 400 million "holdco" loan from a consortium of global banks led by Barclays, BNP Paribas, and Deutsche Bank.
In holdco deals, developers set up a holding company that can borrow on behalf of more than one project. This offers greater flexibility, but costs more. Interest rates tend to be about two to three percentage points higher, bankers say.
The higher rates, in turn, attract institutional investors.
Chin Seng Chew, a Singapore-based partner at law firm Clifford Chance, said this "basically allows borrowers to stretch their credit, and they can go to potentially a different pool of investors, particularly the credit funds."
Tom Capel, a counsel at Clifford Chance, added:
<blockquote>"One of the reasons it's such an attractive asset class is the returns are there to enable developers to maximize leverage through multiple layers of debts, which we are not seeing to the same extent in other asset classes in the region."</blockquote>
Borrowing more to increase leverage is a way for data center operators and their private equity backers to amplify returns. But that could leave them stranded if the music stops, since lenders get paid ahead of equity investors in a restructuring.
Aggressive financing strategies also work for data centers with private equity investors because these financial sponsors tend to look for returns in the short to medium term. As a result, the developers will pay higher interest rates for their borrowings "as long as they complete the project within a designated time frame," said Tanky Yun, executive director for corporate development and strategy at OneAsia Network, a Hong Kong-headquartered data center operator.
"At the end of the day, if the cost is getting much higher while the return is getting less, new capital will diminish," he said. "But this will only happen when there is excessive supply."
In the Malaysian state of Johor, overbuilding is a painfully familiar subject. Not far from the state capital of Johor Bahru is <a title="https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/malaysia-seeks-to-revive-forest-city-ghost-town-as-financial-hub" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/malaysia-seeks-to-revive-forest-city-ghost-town-as-financial-hub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forest City</a>, a USD 100 billion residential development by China's Country Garden that is now largely deserted. It was constructed as part of an effort by the Johor government to develop a special financial zone modeled on China's Shenzhen.
Johor now has 15 operational data centers, with another 11 under construction and 25 approved projects, for a combined capacity of 5.3 GW, state officials have told Nikkei Asia. Whether all these projects will meet the expectations of prospective tenants remains to be seen.
"The critical question is not how many data center projects are being announced, but whether their design and operations can meet long-term reliability requirements," said Zul Azhan Abu Bakar, a facilities management consultant based in Johor.
"It's not just about how fast the construction can be done, or how much land is available," he said. "Data centers are growing fast in Johor. It's important that future operations can keep up."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/tech-asia/asia-s-ai-data-center-financing-gets-complicated">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

Asia's AI data center financing gets complicated

AI Infrastructure

Southeast Asia

… FJDynamics’ aggressive push into Europe and North America. Competitive pricing and solid performance helped it gain traction quickly.
Unlike China’s more saturated market, Europe remains relatively underpenetrated in smart agriculture. According to <a href="https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/europe-agricultural-machinery-market">Mordor Intelligence</a>, Europe’s agricultural machinery market is expected to grow from USD 43.34 billion in 2025 to USD 50.97 billion by 2030, with telematics adoption likely to increase as sustainability reporting becomes more data-driven.
European farms, particularly in Western Europe, tend to be large-scale and highly mechanized. Farmers in countries such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands are often willing to pay a premium for technology that improves efficiency and reduces labor costs.
Legacy manufacturers such as John Deere and Claas dominate in hardware, but their software development cycles are slower than those of newer technology firms. FJDynamics and other Chinese players benefit from advantages in algorithms, cost efficiency, and faster iteration.
As a result, FJDynamics’ products are often priced 20–30% below comparable Western offerings while maintaining competitive performance. Yet, whether this overseas advantage can sustain growth and ultimately drive a broader turnaround remains an open question.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3608965058741513">article</a> was written by Song Wanxin for 36Kr.

Can IPO-bound FJDynamics turn its European traction into investor confidence?

Investment

Europe

… to overcome them and capitalize on the dollar weakness," she said.
Thailand continues to be in a deadly conflict with its neighbor Cambodia, while Indonesia has faced government protests and damaging cyclones.
MUFG Bank analysts, including Lin Li, head of global markets research for Asia, forecast that Asia's FX and rates markets will move "from convergence to divergence, with greater dispersion in macro and market outcomes" driven by local factors like fiscal and monetary policies as well as domestic growth outlooks.
In a note, they listed the Korean won, Taiwan dollar, and Malaysian ringgit as some of the currencies they are positive about, as the three have "exposure to persistent AI themes, domestic structural reform stories, coupled with good macro stability."
<h3>Bonds</h3>
Japan made a historic milestone with the Bank of Japan hiking interest rates after a long pause to 0.75%, a level not seen since 1995. The move has pushed up yields on ten-year government bonds to over 2%, the highest level in more than two decades. JGB yields recorded one of the biggest rises in the region this year.
With the US in a rate-cutting cycle, the gap between ten-year treasuries and JGBs has narrowed, albeit slightly.
BofA strategists predict JGB yields will "continue their upward trajectory through 2026, with renewed steepening pressure on the curve."
In a note led by Shusuke Yamada, Japan's chief FX and rates strategist, the broker noted that economic growth is projected at around 1% while wage growth will likely support inflation. In terms of supply and demand, the BOJ's continued monetary tightening and fiscal expansion "will push net JGB supply higher, while domestic demand—primarily from pension funds—would remain insufficient to absorb the increase in supply.
"This imbalance would require engagement from price-sensitive investors, leaving the superlong end particularly exposed to upward yield pressure."
UBS economist Masamichi Adachi visited Singapore and Hong Kong last month to meet clients, where he said discussions focused on the BOJ's "magnitude and pace" of future hikes. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's expansionary fiscal stance was also a topic, according to Adachi.
"The prevailing market view was that yen weakness and higher long-term rates would persist for the time being, given the lack of clear catalysts for yen appreciation," he said in a note. "Many questions also centered on measures to counter rapid yen depreciation and rising rates, including the timing of FX intervention and potential BOJ responses such as emergency JGB purchases."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/markets/trading-asia/investors-get-ready-for-2026-with-gold-and-ai-rally-strength-in-focus">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

Investors get ready for 2026 with gold and AI rally strength in focus

Singapore

Malaysia

Myanmar

Thailand

Vietnam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Philippines

Japan

South Korea

India

… capabilities, and an exclusive “wall writing” interaction mode.
<figure id="attachment_159158" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159158" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-159158" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-StarryHub.jpg" alt="Image of CZUR’s StarryHub device." width="1920" height="1090" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-StarryHub.jpg 1920w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-StarryHub-720x409.jpg 720w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-StarryHub-1024x581.jpg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-StarryHub-768x436.jpg 768w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-StarryHub-1536x872.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-159158" class="wp-caption-text">CZUR’s StarryHub device. Image source: CZUR.</figcaption></figure>
For customers with smaller budgets, CZUR is also developing a screenless meeting robot priced RMB 3,000–4,000 (USD 420–560). The device is designed to connect to existing televisions or monitors to enable smart meeting functions.
Zhou described the compact device as a potential turning point. “It’s essentially a full-function Android host that integrates a camera, microphone, speaker, system, and AI capabilities, and it’s compatible with all major conferencing software,” he said.
<figure id="attachment_159159" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159159" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-159159" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-Meeting-Robot.jpg" alt="Concept design for CZUR’s meeting robot." width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-Meeting-Robot.jpg 1920w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-Meeting-Robot-720x405.jpg 720w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-Meeting-Robot-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-Meeting-Robot-768x432.jpg 768w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-Meeting-Robot-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CZUR-Meeting-Robot-480x270.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-159159" class="wp-caption-text">Concept design for CZUR’s meeting robot. Image source: CZUR.</figcaption></figure>
The approach builds on CZUR’s accumulated strengths in AI-powered audio and video systems. Its proprietary sound pickup technology enables clear voice capture from distances of eight to ten meters. The AI-enabled camera can track speakers, recognize gestures, and automatically capture whiteboard content. The company’s “air writing” feature allows users to annotate projected screens using a dedicated pen.
“These kinds of innovations are impossible without full-stack R&amp;D,” Zhou said. “Taking charge of everything from hardware to software to interactive intelligence allows us to create genuinely differentiated products.”
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3608893291856899">article</a> was written by Ou Xue for 36Kr.

This Shenzhen-based company turned scanners into a big business and is eyeing broader office tech expansion

Hardware

<a href="/company/agibot">Agibot</a> said it has begun a series of strategic initiatives across the Asia Pacific in 2026, starting with a launch event in Malaysia that signals its effort to expand beyond its home market in China.
The company held the event on January 13 at i-City in Selangor, Malaysia. Attendees included Agibot’s senior leadership team, local government officials, partners, customers, and members of the media. In a statement, Agibot said the launch reflects its long-term commitment to building partnerships and advancing automation in Malaysia and across the region.
The event coincided with the opening of the AI World Experience Centre at i-City, developed in partnership with I-Berhad, the master developer of the digital city. The center was officiated by Malaysia’s minister of science, technology, and innovation and represents the first phase of a broader collaboration between the two companies.
<figure id="attachment_159317" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159317" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-159317" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AI-World-Experience-Centre-Ribbon-Cutting.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AI-World-Experience-Centre-Ribbon-Cutting.jpg 1920w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AI-World-Experience-Centre-Ribbon-Cutting-720x405.jpg 720w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AI-World-Experience-Centre-Ribbon-Cutting-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AI-World-Experience-Centre-Ribbon-Cutting-768x432.jpg 768w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AI-World-Experience-Centre-Ribbon-Cutting-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AI-World-Experience-Centre-Ribbon-Cutting-480x270.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-159317" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Agibot.</figcaption></figure>
As part of the initiative, Agibot is deploying its <a href="/industry/robotics">robotics</a> and embodied intelligence technologies across property, hospitality, tourism, and urban services within i-City. The partnership also aims to extend the use of <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> and robotics beyond productivity and automation, including applications related to human wellness and quality of life, according to the companies.
Agibot added that the Malaysia rollout is the first of several initiatives planned across APAC this year and beyond. Working with regional partners, it aims to accelerate the development of an embodied robotics ecosystem and expand deployments in closed-loop commercial scenarios, where systems are trained and used directly in real-world environments.
The regional push comes as Agibot emphasizes scaling mass production and practical deployment of embodied robotics. The company said recent advances in real-world reinforcement learning have enabled its robots to be trained and deployed in physical production settings, supporting its transition from experimentation to commercial use.
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The expansion into Southeast Asia follows a year of rapid growth for Agibot. According to Omdia, the company ranked first globally in humanoid robot shipments and market share in 2025, shipping more than 5,100 units and capturing 39% of the global market. Agibot said it rolled out its 5,168th humanoid robot last year, underscoring its manufacturing capacity.
The Malaysia launch positions Agibot to extend that manufacturing lead into new geographic markets as competition among Chinese and global humanoid robotics companies intensifies. By anchoring its APAC expansion in Malaysia, the company is seeking to translate production scale into broader regional deployment.
Founded in 2023, Agibot focuses on building general-purpose robots designed to learn, adapt, and operate in real-world environments. Its product portfolio includes full-sized and compact humanoid robots, industrial-grade embodied robots, quadruped robots, and autonomous commercial service robots, targeting applications that range from hospitality and entertainment to manufacturing, logistics, security, and education.

Agibot kicks off APAC expansion with Malaysia launch event

Agibot

Robotics

Embodied Intelligence