Opportunities to build angel investing in China’s fast growing early stage businesses and develop new cross-border investment links was the focus of a major conference and study visit to Beijing between 5th and 8th December 2009 attended by Business Angel investors from over 20 countries, including UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, South America and continental Europe.
The World Business Angels Association (WBAA), which was set up in 2008 and formally established in January 2009 brings together national federations of business angel networks and individual investors across the world to raise awareness about the importance of angel investing in entrepreneurs and with a view to creating a global environment to stimulate opportunities for international investing. The conference in Beijing which was WBAA’s first major event attended by over 250 delegates, was co-hosted by the newly formed China Business Angels Association and the World Returning Scholars Association which represents Chinese individuals or “sea turtles” who have studied and worked in other parts of the world and who bring back their skills and international experience to support the growing economy in China. Senior politicians from the Beijing Government and regional Governments were key note speakers at this event and presented the current policy and initiatives taken in China to support growth and investment in enterprise.