The Joy of Sharing: Green Drinks Chinese Forum

Sharing Economy is a term with a range of meanings, although it often refers to the sharing of access to goods and services. Another way to look at a Sharing Economy is a hybrid market model of peer-to-peer exchange—somewhere between owning and gift giving. It involves changing the focus from owning a product to accessing it.

Recently we have seen more and more examples of sharing economy through innovative companies that have changed the way the world works. Didi Chuxing, the largest ride sharing service in China is worth over 186 billion CNY and has transformed the way that China drives. Mobike, also started in China, is a bicycle sharing service that has changed the way Shanghai bikes. These companies have similar shared economies to U.S. companies such as AirBnb, Uber, and WeWork, all of which have been very successful in the Chinese market.

Besides the most obvious forms of sharing that are familiar to us, we’ve seen more ways of sharing - MsParis is renting evening dresses instead of selling; Move Shanghai utilizes the extra capacity of fitness studios, and Wanjuzuzu is trying to build a toy-sharing platform.

In an era where resources are being exploited and consumption rates are higher than ever, sharing economy can be seen as a suitable way to address this environmental concern. It is especially possible in our densely populated societies to come together and share our resources rather than individually owning these products and services. When implemented correctly, sharing economy is an effective way to improve the state of our environment and economy. With new technology emerging rapidly, it’s difficult to imagine what else will be possible with shared economies in the future.

Some questions we would be looking to answer through this forum are:

• What environmental benefits have shared economies created?
• What are the specific challenges China has to overcome in order to take advantage of this trend?
• Where are shared economies going in the future? What other products and services can we share?
• What factors restrict the success of sharing economy?

Note:

1. There will be an entrance fee of ¥30 for all registered guests including beer and beverages, and happy hour prices on other drinks. Limited number free entrance for students and interns, with PRIOR REGISTRATION (else ¥30).
2. Snacks/simple bites will be provided with support from Yimishiji and FreshFresh.
3. URBN Hotel is a Partner in Green Initiatives’ [WE] Project. If you have used electronic items to dispose for recycling please bring them to the event venue and drop them off at the WE Box.

Event Itinerary:

• 18:30-19:00 Registration & Networking
• 19:00-19:40 Brief Speaker Presentations
• 19:40-20:20 Panel Discussion
• 20:20-21:00 Drinks & Networking

Speaker Information

Lisa Feng
Subject: Toys play an important part in children’s growing up but as income of China’s urban residents rises, family toy expenses are increasing. The pain points of toy consumption such as high expense, getting bored quickly, taking up valuable space, etc have emerged. So where does Wanzujuju see the opportunity?
Background: Lisa Feng graduated from Fudan University with a BS degree in Chemistry in 2009 and obtained a MS of Water Resources Management and a certificate of Energy Analysis and Policy from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. She worked as a senior consultant in Frost & Sullivan between 2011-14, focusing on industrial analysis of energy and power. Meanwhile, she led several maternal and infant projects and got deep understanding of China’s maternal and infant market. In the end of 2014, she has founded Wanjuzuzu, an online Lego rental and sharing platform, in the hope of children having access to more and better toys by means of sharing economy.

Fred Lu
Subject: Fred will talk about what drives WeWork to create collaborative and shared spaces that work in the larger interests of their tenants, company and most importantly, the environment.
Background: Fred Lu is the GM for WeWork China. Prior to WeWork, Fred held different management positions at either Greater China or APAC levels for companies like Baidu, Dell, Microsoft and GE. Fred comes with rich experiences running P&Ls in domestic and international environment. Fred Lu is a degree holder of MBA from Rutgers University and BE from Beijing Institute of Technology.

JinJin Zhang, Partner, MsParis
Subject: Jinjin will discuss the business model of MSParis and how it helps allocate resources effectively. Inspired by Rent the Runway and Le Tote - successful fashion startups in the U.S., she co-founded MSParis, a platform that offers designers’ clothes and accessaries for renting, pioneering a few innovative approaches, including the rental market and monthly subscription model.
Background: Jinjin grew up in Xinjiang. Prior to joining Alibaba Group, she worked in the digital television department at Zhejiang TV. During her time at Alibaba, together with two colleagues, she co-founded Juhuasuan, a legacy division that generates millions of dollars revenue for the company annually. As a former Ali-ren (阿里人) and a serial entrepreneur, she does not only understand e-commerce, but also has an eye for fashion and trends. After convincing the smartest minds in this space, she co-founded MSParis, to help consumers simplify their wardrobe while enriching the looks, through sharing.

Sponsor/exhibitor contact

Nitin Dani
[javascript protected email address]