The Cross-Border Table: AI & Robotics Founder Gathering

An evening of dialogues and networking before China Connect Summit main conference Two of the world's most active ecosystems in AI and robotics — China and Europe — are moving at different speeds, with different instincts, toward different bets. China is scaling embodied AI and humanoid robotics at a pace and volume few markets can match. Europe is building differentiated, deep-tech approaches with a different relationship to capital, talent, and go-to-market. This evening isn't about pretending those differences don't exist — it's about treating them as the point. We're bringing founders, investors, and operators from both ecosystems into the same room, because the most interesting conversations happen at the friction: sparks on disagreements and differences, or synergies on capital, technology, or markets. This isn't a casual mixer. Attendance is reserved for individuals and companies aligned around a simple bar: proven technology, real deployments, and strong ambition to scale globally. 📢 Event Program 5:30 - 6:00 Arrival & Networking6:00 - 6:05 Event Opening6:05 - 6:15 Opening Keynote6:15 - 6:30 Spotlight Intros with Chinese companies6:30 - 7:00 Fireside chat: how to build a global companies 7:00 - 7:30 VC Panel: cross-border collaborations 7:30 - Drinks & Open Networking 👤 Who You'll Meet 🎟️ Participation Open to China Connect Summit attendees and invited guests. Space is limited. Early RSVP encouraged. 🌏 About the Hosts Varen Partners is a specialized investment firm dedicated to navigating China's evolving investment landscape, investing directly in Chinese growth-stage companies and next-gen venture funds. ​Ellipsis is a Zurich based VC backing visionary teams building defensible AI solutions for the world's hardest problems. Episode 1 Ventures — A London-based pre-seed/seed VC investing across the software stack. Some confirmed Chinese AI & Robotics attendees: