Maya Cypris

Note: This is the first chapter from ‘Innovated in China’ (2017). “Was that building always there?”  – Liu Zhilin, Beijing Local I LIKE TO SIT IN CAFES AND WORK. In fact, I’m doing just that right now. I’ve been frequenting this particular place for the past two years—a comfy, trendy space that serves a mean cappuccino. Located in Zhongguancun, Beijing’s very own dubbed “Silicon Valley”, the café menu has remained virtually untouched throughout my many visits here, while the dining experience has become nearly unrecognizable. Gone are the days of waiting for a server to take my order. Now, I browse a magazine-like menu on my phone after using WeChat to scan a QR code on the table. I also no longer need to open or even bring a wallet along to pay for my food. After selecting the items I want, I proceed straight to the payment method selection and…

China Fine-Dining Market: Note from Myung Jee Jang, Mio Sato & Maya Cypris– In 2016, we received a year-long research grant to investigate where China’s fine-dining stands in the world market. While the topic may sound somewhat novel, we truly believe that this research has great value in divulging information about Chinese culture, perception of innovation, and global expansion plans. The following, though only part of our final report, highlights our research process and covers some of our many findings. China has been living out a Cinderella story of sorts, with an ever-growing collection of rags to riches stories. With a new consumption culture in place and money to spend, many urban Chinese civilians have experienced notable improvement in their quality of life. While the country’s rapid success and development has yielded a plethora of high-scale amenities, goods, and service— including elaborate new shopping malls, spas, luxury hotels, theaters, international university…

China Population Aging: As China nears 1.4 billion inhabitants and becomes one of the most powerful economies in the world, the country has had to prepare and adjust to vast changes accordingly. The highly dynamic setting has brought on many unprecedented scenarios, yielding a plethora of new opportunities as well as looming hurdles. Of these ongoing developments, one of the most crucial unfolding issues is the matter of China’s ageing population, and how to handle it. The given of China’s ageing population is no surprising prospect, and has long troubled members of Chinese society ranging from scholars to government officials, economists and age groups of the young and old. A consequence of China’s one child policy, which significantly disproportioned the size of generations, paired with China’s still steadily growing population, China is today heading towards a future where the older generation will significantly outnumber the younger one. To many, having…

Chinese Startups Social Network: What is Loop? Loop is a social network platform intended to connect between people, their interests, and the businesses behind their interests! Described as a behavior-based social media platform, Loop allows users to connect with their favorite brands or activities while meeting like-minded people who share their passions. An intricately designed badge system segments users into numerous categories based on their personal hobbies or background, and allows them to further develop their passions by engaging in activities related to their interests. As the user continues to participate in their favorite pastime, they are able to ascend to higher rankings within their chosen category, and acquire higher-level badges that prove their dedication to the field. Furthermore, with every level ascension, the user enjoys added perks related to their interests- such as discounts, exclusive access to site features, and more. Living up to the infinity symbol in its name, Loop allows its users…

 China Israel Relations Evolution: For portions of their roughly sixty-year history, Sino-Israeli relations were characterized by asymmetry rather than reciprocity, and extended periods of virtually no relationship at all. Israel recognized the People’s Republic of China soon after its establishment, becoming the first country in the Middle East to do so.  However, it was not until nearly forty years later, in 1992, that formal diplomatic relations were officially established between the two countries. This gap is telling of the complexity of Sino-Israeli relations and the evolution of China’s strategy in regards to the Middle East. But despite a rocky start and official recognition period that only spans a short 25 years, the bond formed between China and Israel has already evolved into a strong multifaceted relationship consisting of cultural, political, military and economic ties. From a historical perspective, the relationship between China and Israel can be divided into four distinguishable…

Chinese Startups Social Welfare Program: What is Yiqiao? An overview of the company: Yiqiao is a pioneering social innovation institution. It is a type of fellowship program paired with a ‘think tank’ in public service, aimed at tracking down top young talents for the social sector, and pairing them with public service agencies in different fields. Purpose: Yiqiao aims to bridge between young talents and top players in the Chinese public service industry. It is committed to finding innovative solutions to social problems, as well as stimulating society’s understanding of public service. Method: Take great people, give them training, mentorship, funding, a supportive community, and other resources as they are placed in strategic roles within the social sector for a year. Goals: Establish social impact, build mutual support in the industry, and create leaders for the social sector community. Targets: Recent grads or experienced professionals who have several years of…

Effect of Technology on Traditional Chinese Culture: In an age where children as young as grade school carry mobile phones and shopping can be done from bed, it is undeniable that technology has transformed modern living. Ranging from having unprecedented access to all scopes of information at the tips of our fingers, to altering the essence of interpersonal relationships, modern technology has created a new era, dubbed by many as the “digital age”. Of these technological advancements, social media is among the most noteworthy. As in the West, the introduction of social media in China has had substantial impact on many aspects of Chinese life. China is a country whose rich culture and history has long been a source of its pride and joy. But as it has adapted to the changing technological times, so to have certain core cultural elements evolved accordingly. Ranging from Chinese philosophies, to mentality and national…

WeChat Mini Apps: Tencent’s WeChat is a few moments away from rolling out what could be the end of App Stores. Ironically, this big threat to the smart-phone application industry carries a deceptively innocent name— Mini Apps. WeChat’s revolutionary new feature essentially sounds like ‘application inception’— “an app within the WeChat app”, according to Zhang Xiaolong, Tencent’s Senior Vice President. While the necessity of such a feature may not be immediately apparent to the average smart-phone user, there is far more to be gained from Mini Apps than initially meets the eye. For one, Mini Apps provide the essential quality of convenience—turning WeChat into a truly all-encompassing platform that successfully addresses people’s natural affinity for simple, all-in-one products. This arguably, is essentially the very essence of Chinese innovation. “These are apps that you don’t need to install; you can open them simply by searching or scanning a QR code”, says Zhang Xiaolong.…

Traits of Chinese Entrepreneurs: Many a man has been born with a creative mind that has birthed innovative ideas. But without the right thick-skinned traits, the majority will find it difficult to spin their ideas into a successful business. Still, that hasn’t stopped people from trying. With the world’s many shaky economies and uncertain futures ahead, the 21st century has thus far birthed a plethora of hopeful entrepreneurs eager to take control of their own destinies. This trend can also be observed in China as the country continues its rapid progress towards becoming a global leader in modernization and innovation. However, when compared to entrepreneurs from other countries, there are some interesting differences that come to light when the average Chinese entrepreneur is put under the microscope. Ranging from background, to gender, age, skills and behavior, Chinese entrepreneurs have a clear and distinct profile of their own. The concept of a “Chinese…

China’s Startup Incubators: The business world is notoriously known to be a vicious place. It is a world that is highly competitive, where players can be fiercely protective of their domain and are unafraid to adopt “dog-eat-dog” tactics to survive. In this environment, young startups are usually left to fender the big wolves for themselves or otherwise shrivel up and fade away. Enter business incubators, a concept born in the US in the late 1950s which essentially serves to give smaller newcomers a chance to grow and shine. Ranging from mentorship and investments, to providing primary resources and services for startups, incubators are organizations that seek to help startups attain their initial footing in the business world. Startup incubators have experienced a renaissance of sorts since 2011, with the global trend of entrepreneurship and innovation taking off amidst the sea of failing economies. China too, has seen a dramatic rise in such…