With the Techcrunch conference just around the corner, we are excited to confirm that Alphabet (Google) Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt will be joining us for a fireside chat on November 2nd.
Google has had a limited presence on the mainland in the past, but the company is set to enter a new phase in its relationship with the China. As foreign tech companies find new avenues to do do business in China’s diversifying tech ecosystem, Google is also looking to leverage its resources as a content and innovation powerhouse to interact with the Chinese tech community and consumers.
About Eric Schmidt
Since joining Google in 2001, Eric Schmidt has helped grow the company from a Silicon Valley startup to a global leader in technology. As executive chairman of Alphabet, he is responsible for the external matters of all of the holding company’s businesses, including Google, Inc., advising their CEOs and leadership on business and policy issues.
Prior to joining Google, Eric held leadership roles at Novell and Sun Microsystems, Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
He is the co-author of The New Digital Age and How Google Works, and serves on the boards of the Economist Group, the Mayo Clinic, and the Broad Institute. He’s a Gulfstream pilot, and his philanthropic efforts through The Schmidt Family Foundation focus on climate change, including support of ocean and marine life studies at sea, as well as education, specifically cutting edge research and technology in the natural sciences and engineering.
Google in China
2015 has seen a new wave of activity from Google in China. The company has been maintaining a fringe presence for several years since they were banned from the country over censorship issues in 2010. They have since been working to actively participate in the community through other avenues than their traditional search engine services.
Reports earlier this year sparked conversation that Google may be preparing a China-friendly version of their Google Play app store to release before the year is out. Last Week they also revealed their first direct investment in a Chinese startup since their 2010 exit, putting an undisclosed sum into Android voice search software Mobvoi. Mobvoi will also join us at Techcrunch next week to discuss what makes them a company worthy of Google’s attention.
We are incredibly excited to hear what Mr. Schmidt has to say about Google’s new moves in the China market as well as how their general strategy is evolving to fit the market.
TechCrunch Beijing runs from November 2nd-3rd at Wukesong Hi-Park in Beijing. If you haven’t already secured your tickets to the show, the good news is you can still have time to grab a ticket. You can also keep your eyes on our our event page for updates to the agenda and scheduled speakers.