2025 Harvard China Innovation & Investment Summit Successfully Held in London – In Collaboration with the China-Britain Artificial Intelligence Association to Explore Global Innovation and Sustainable Development

By UK Chinese Business Gazette
March 23, 2025

(London, UK – March 8) The 2025 Harvard China Innovation & Investment Summit, co-hosted with the China-Britain Artificial Intelligence Association (CBAIA), was successfully held in London, bringing together global experts and industry leaders. Themed “Venturing Beyond the Unknowns”, the summit aimed to explore the future direction of high-tech industries and capital markets worldwide, helping stakeholders navigate challenges and seize emerging opportunities.

Since its inception in 2021, the Harvard China Innovation & Investment Summit has evolved into a premier platform connecting China with global innovation and investment communities. It provides industry leaders, academic experts, and Harvard alumni with an opportunity for deep exchange and collaboration. This year’s summit focused on shifts in the global economic landscape, covering key areas such as AI investment, fintech, the green economy, and the influence of new media, with a strong emphasis on the integration of technological innovation and sustainable growth.

Opening Remarks from the Summit Chair

Alvin Tian (田野), Chairman of the Harvard China Innovation & Investment Summit, stated:
“Against the backdrop of rapid changes in the global economic landscape, the deep integration of technology and capital markets has become a critical driver of sustainable development. The theme ‘Venturing Beyond the Unknowns’ reflects our commitment to gathering global intelligence and exploring the future of technology and investment together. Through this platform, we aim to foster deeper connections between China and the global innovation ecosystem while providing industry leaders, scholars, and Harvard alumni with new opportunities for collaboration to tackle challenges and seize new opportunities.”

London Summit Highlights

NextGen 25: Recognizing Global Innovation Leaders and Driving Digital Transformation

During the opening ceremony, the summit committee unveiled the “NextGen 25: Global Innovation Leaders” list, honoring the most influential Chinese entrepreneurs and innovators worldwide. This list serves not only as recognition of outstanding innovation but also as a global resource network, helping businesses achieve breakthroughs in financing, market expansion, and strategic partnerships.

Keynote Speeches: Navigating Global Transformations and Strengthening Collaborative Innovation

As the world undergoes profound transformations, strengthening international cooperation and fostering economic and cultural exchanges have become key areas of focus.

• Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles, former UK diplomat and Chairman of the China-Britain Business Council, delivered a keynote speech titled “China-UK Relations in the New International Order”, emphasizing the economic and cultural complementarity between China and the UK. He called for stronger educational and cultural exchanges to promote more stable bilateral relations.
• Professor Xiaolan Fu, Fellow of the British Academy and Professor at Oxford University’s Department of International Development, explored the topic “AI and Global Investment Frontiers”. She provided an in-depth analysis of AI applications in investment, particularly in reducing entry barriers for primary market investments and enhancing ESG investments, risk prediction, and automated investment management.
• Dr. Keyu Jin, Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, delivered a video presentation on “The Chinese Innovation Narrative”. She examined China’s innovation ecosystem, highlighting the interconnected roles of policy support, corporate leadership, and talent development, while analyzing key trends in solar energy and electric vehicle patents.

Panel Discussions: Insights into Technological Frontiers and Intelligent Development

Experts from top institutions and global firms participated in key discussions, including:

Professor Shumiao Ouyang from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, Hao Yin, Head of Quantitative Research at State Street Global Advisors, and Xiaoxiao Zhu, Partner at KKR Capstone, discussed the applications of AI in financial data analysis, credit evaluation, and marketing. The experts unanimously agreed that AI should serve as an assistive tool for human decision-making rather than a complete replacement.

Phoebe Zhou, Head of Emerging Payments for Europe at HSBC, Eva Zhang, CEO of Alipay UK, Paul Christensen, Executive Chairman of Previse, and Kathy Yuan, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, discussed open banking and AI-powered B2B payment models, as well as the future development of decentralized payment systems. The experts emphasized that trust mechanisms are crucial to the financial system.

Dr. Shengke Zhi, Metropolitan Borough Councillor of Trafford in Greater Manchester, Marjaana Haljala Peeters, Head of Strategy and Investments at Shell Trading, and Adam Chalmers, Associate Professor at the University of Edinburgh and Founder of Resonate AI, reviewed the scale of global energy transition investments in 2024, which surpassed $2 trillion for the first time. They highlighted key sectors, including renewable energy, electric mobility, and grid infrastructure, and discussed the role of AI in grid optimization, energy forecasting, and enhancing transparency in carbon markets.

Alvin Tian, Chairman of the Harvard China Innovation & Investment Summit and Founder of BlockCarbon, together with Marjaana Haljala Peeters, Head of Strategy and Investments at Shell Trading, co-hosted a roundtable discussion on sustainable development. Guest speakers Pascal Hartwig, Chief Product Officer at BeZero Carbon, and Jade Bouhmouch, Chief Operating Officer at Revalue Nature, explored the application of technology in nature-based carbon markets. They discussed how AI and satellite remote sensing can enhance the accuracy of carbon credit assessments, emphasizing that product innovation must align with both environmental and business needs while fostering early-stage collaboration with key stakeholders.

The summit also featured prominent content creators and female entrepreneurs with millions of followers, who shared insights on leveraging social media to enhance brand influence. They explored new opportunities in entrepreneurship driven by emerging formats such as short videos and live streaming.

Experts at the summit unanimously agreed that artificial intelligence, fintech, green investment, and the social media economy are rapidly reshaping the global market landscape. In response to rapid technological advancements and profound market shifts, businesses and investors must stay aligned with global innovation trends, actively embrace digital transformation, and seize opportunities in emerging fields such as AI, blockchain, and sustainable finance.

Additionally, they emphasized that future competition will increasingly focus on the deep integration of technology and business models, the collaborative development of industry ecosystems, and strict adherence to data security and ethical standards. Only by continuously innovating while upholding social responsibility can enterprises achieve long-term sustainable growth and secure a leading position in the global market.

Startup Pitch Session: Driving Innovation and Global Opportunities

The second half of the summit featured a startup pitch session, where six AI-driven startups—Rately, Resonate AI, Sagefy.AI, SiMed.AI, Dolphin AI, and Trust AI—were selected for their innovative applications in ESG, finance, and healthcare. These companies showcased their cutting-edge technologies and engaged in deep discussions with leading global investors and industry experts on the role of AI in industry transformation and sustainable development.

Embracing Digital Transformation and Seizing Innovation Opportunities

Over the years, the Harvard China Innovation & Investment Summit has witnessed rapid advancements in AI, fintech, sustainable investing, and digital cultural industries. This year’s event featured insightful discussions on open banking, AI-powered B2B payments, green energy investments, and carbon market innovations, highlighting the multidimensional growth of the global innovation ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the summit will continue to bridge Chinese and Western markets, helping businesses capitalize on technological disruptions and fostering global innovation ecosystem growth. In the era of digital transformation and sustainable economy, only by keeping pace with technology trends, deepening industry collaboration, and strengthening social responsibility can businesses achieve both commercial success and social impact.

About the Summit & Co-Host

The Harvard China Innovation & Investment Summit is an annual event bringing together top entrepreneurs, investors, and scholars to discuss cutting-edge topics in technology and investment.

The China-Britain Artificial Intelligence Association (CBAIA) is the largest and most influential Chinese AI community in the UK, with over 600 senior AI researchers and 30 expert advisors from leading industries and academic institutions.

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