Arrow Electronics Boosts Collaboration between Hong Kong Startups and Mainland China Technology Industry via Internet of Things Innovations Showcase in Shenzhen

HONG KONG, CHINA, March 15, 2017 - Arrow Electronics, Inc., (NYSE: ARW) today held an Internet of Things (IoT) Innovations event in Shenzhen, China to connect Hong Kong innovation startups with technology companies in China. As part of Arrow's vision of guiding and connecting innovators, entrepreneurs, customers and suppliers in the IoT design-to-production journey, the event attracted over 500 attendees from all sections of the IoT ecosystem in Hong Kong and China.

According to "Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Hong Kong and Shenzhen Report 2016-17"1 released last month by the business school professors from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University, the entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and Shenzhen was at a 206% and 284% increase from 2009 to 2016 respectively. The report findings indicated that both districts have the utmost potential to emerge as a key entrepreneurial innovation cluster hub.

However, the incubation of some ideas lags behind due to the limited resources of engineering expertise, as well as large-scale yet affordable production capabilities in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, on the other side of the river, Shenzhen is not only a global mass-market electronics-manufacturing center, but also a vast electronics market for IoT consumer innovations and enterprises solutions. With its many years of experience in providing end-to-end IoT product lifecycle solutions in the APAC region, Arrow is bridging the two cities by creating a point of convergence for some of the brightest IoT startups, entrepreneurs and enterprises to advance IoT development.

"Arrow has long supported technology innovation in Hong Kong and China. Our engineering expertise and IoT industry reputation, especially in the greater China area, can definitely assist IoT startups in removing key barriers and connecting them with the ecosystem players on their road to innovation entrepreneurship and social impact," said Simon Yu, president of Arrow's components business in the Asia-Pacific region.

Arrow's IoT Innovations event provided an exchange platform for IoT businesses in China and Hong Kong to collaborate. In addition to startups and entrepreneurs, Arrow invited more than 50 local and international technology manufacturers of all sizes. IoT solution providers and systems integrators, design houses, and global technology suppliers included Analog Devices, Cypress, Honeywell, Infineon, Intel, Nexperia, NXP, ON Semiconductor, Qualcomm, and STMicroelectronics, among others.

During the collaboration showcase session, leaders and specialists shared their opinions on the enhancement of over 100 products and solutions presented on site, such as Heartisans, Woofaa, and Cwlinux.