e-centre opens new door to China

e-centre opens new door to China

Auckland, New Zealand

24 April 2008

e-centre Limited announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Beijing’s Hi-tech International Business Incubator (HTIBI) to provide a new inroad to China for technology-based New Zealand firms.

Providing access to 76 Beijing business incubators, HTIBI is currently operating in several countries including Canada, France, Spain and Singapore, offering small and medium-sized enterprises access to Chinese business opportunities and also “soft landing” facilities for companies wanting to establish a presence there.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed today comes hard on the heels of the recently concluded New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement negotiated by the New Zealand Government. It also follows the success of another e-centre partnership which over the last 18 months has enabled six New Zealand companies to enter Indian markets directly.

“We are delighted to be able to offer our New Zealand business partners direct access to, and intelligence about, major global markets,” Steve Corbett, the e-centre’s CEO said.

“Technology is increasingly fluid and global. With this partnership we want to help New Zealand firms increase exports and also add value to technology that we attract from overseas partners,” he said.  

“We chose the e-centre as a leading business incubator in New Zealand,” Kash Zhang, the CEO of HTIBI, said. “We are impressed by the gains the e-centre has made in spin-off business incubation and internationalisation, and see very good mutual opportunities in working closely together.”

The three-year Memorandum of Understanding will facilitate business match-ups, technology transfer, shared market information and provide easier access and support to New Zealand companies doing business in China.

“While the MOU is with e-centre, we have agreed with HTIBI that the arrangement can be extended to other New Zealand based incubators and technology companies. We see this as an opportunity for any New Zealand technology company wanting to expand into Asia,” Mr Corbett said.

In 2006 the e-centre established an exclusive New Zealand partnership, CMCTEC, with CMC, a subsidiary of the Tata group, to promote sharing of technology and market information to help New Zealand businesses enter the Indian market.

Ends

© Scoop Media