2022 Global Impact Summit, East Asia

Several speakers shared views on how global and local trends are developing in the region, including talent cultivation, capability development, and investment. In a preview of an upcoming 2022 Taiwan EdTech report, Massarow Shen from the Institute for Information Industry (III) Taiwan illustrated a thriving $18.6b market, over 80% of which is focussed on teaching hardware, and particularly on infrastructure for classrooms and institutions as students return from home learning restrictions to in-class presence.

Steve Yang, General Manager of BenQ Taiwan also illustrated the increasing engagement of EdTech providers with school faculty and systems, where providers support teacher capability not only with using the technology, but also integrating with lesson planning and working to evolve traditional approaches to teaching, building relationships through workshops, events and extensive professional development. 

This expanding view of holistic learning and technology integration was also evident in voices from outside the East Asia region, including Mika Kasanen, CEO of Finnish EdTech startup School Day, who noted a growing openness in these countries to nurturing the social emotional learning needs of students in schools, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on young people’s wellbeing.   

Maria Spies wrapped up the education track by taking us through the East Asia EdTech 200, HolonIQ's annual list of the most promising EdTech startups from across the region.

Accelerating the energy transition in China.

As part of a deep dive into climate tech in China, Program Director of NEX China Andrew Chang shared insights into the impressive progress and innovation happening across many areas both within and outside the region. New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that supports clean energy entrepreneurs, from emerging tech through to clean energy deployment and adoption.

Andrew spoke about China’s pledge for ‘3060’, a shorthand for the expectation to reach peak emissions by 2030, and a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Technology solutions will be key to this goal, as well as effective ecosystem building, supporting entrepreneurs, and building bridges between China and the rest of the world.

“We need both a China-in and China-out approach as it relates to climate; we cannot be isolated in siloes, we need to be adapting great technologies from abroad and scaling them in China.”

Andrew Chang, Program Director, New Energy Nexus China

In ‘Scan the Earth: Metaverse for the Real World’, we heard from Alpha Wang, Founder and CEO at TerraQuanta, who provide spatial big data products for different industries, from forest fire monitoring in the Amazon, to deformation measurement of the Siberian oil pipeline, and national soybean production forecast in the United States.

In another fascinating session, Founder and CEO of Blue Future, Peng Yang, explained the global challenges posed by excess activated sludge (EAS) and the innovative possibilities for treating this as a resource, a carbon source and even a biomass fuel.

HolonIQ Co-CEO Patrick Brothers closed the climate track by sharing the 2022 East Asia Climate Tech 200, the most promising ClimateTech startups in East Asia.

Follow 100 Days of Impact

The East Asia Summit marked Days 27 to 29 of 100 Days of Impact and a global wave of ideas and inspiration for the future of impact. As each week unfolds, we’re sharing key themes and content from each summit, including speaker highlights, insights from leading organizations and the winners of our regional EdTech, HealthTech and ClimateTech 1000s.

Stay tuned here for a weekly wrap as we move from New York and Mexico City to Bengaluru, Melbourne, Singapore and Jakarta, with exclusive insights from our participation at COP27 before our final summits in London, Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm. Be part of the action by registering for any of the face to face or virtual summits around the world, and see for yourself how 100 Days of Impact unfolds with our 5,000-strong global community. 

Whether you’re participating or spectating from afar, find out the latest with #HolonIQSummits and by following @HolonIQ wherever you get your socials.