One highlight of 2025 was spending two weeks in China and Japan, exploring innovation, cultural dialogue and business environments. The journey began with the CHINATIV delegation to China and continued with independent meetings and research in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
The CHINATIV China Delegation 2025
In October, I had the privilege of joining the Innovative China Trip 2025, organised by the CHINATIV Project, University of Applied Management. From 16 to 25 October, our group travelled through Nanjing, Hangzhou and Shanghai under the theme “Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and Cultural Dialogue.”
The programme offered direct exchange with universities, research institutions and companies at the forefront of AI, robotics and technology transfer – including Nanjing University, West Lake University, Zhejiang University’s Technology Transfer Center, Alibaba, NIO and iFLYTEK.
Innovation, AI and a Different Speed of Execution
What struck me most was not only the technological speed, but the mindset behind it: a strong focus on convenience, scalability and practical implementation. From battery swapping stations at NIO to AI-supported whiteboard systems at iFLYTEK and ceiling-mounted charging systems at robotics company TETRABOT – innovation was consistently approached from a “How can this be made easier and faster?” perspective.
Equally valuable were the discussions within our diverse delegation of students, researchers and entrepreneurs.
Japan: Visual Culture and Business Nuance
After ten intensive days in China, I continued on to Japan.
While China was defined by AI and large-scale innovation ecosystems, my time in Japan had a different focus: visual communication and cultural nuance. As I continue developing the idea of turning Doing Business in Germany into a comic format, Japan – particularly its Manga culture – provided important creative inspiration.
At the same time, I was reminded how business environments are often underestimated. A conversation with the owner of Deutsches Haus Japan, a shop specialising in German food products, reinforced how frequently foreign entrepreneurs assume that entering Japan is straightforward – only to discover cultural and structural complexities later.
Japan also impressed me with its many small, practical “process hacks”: thoughtful analog solutions, subtle design improvements, and attention to accessibility – such as Braille markings on beverage cans. Innovation here often feels quiet but deeply embedded in everyday life.
What These Experiences Mean for My Work in Germany
Both experiences – China and Japan – were very different in expression, yet similar in one respect: they highlighted how strongly business success depends on understanding how systems function locally.
For my own work advising international technology companies on the German market, these perspectives are invaluable. Observing how other countries approach innovation, structure decision-making and integrate technology helps sharpen the lens through which I explain Germany.
Sometimes the best way to understand one system better is to step outside of it.