About the Summit

A High-Level Meeting of Global Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises

Currently, countries around the world are working together to overcome the financial crisis and deal with the emergence of a new global economy. What will this new economic environment look like? How can the Asia-Pacific economy and the global economy address the challenges and seize opportunities? How can small businesses achieve stable, positive, and long-term growth during the crisis? In 2009, the world will shift its focus to the Asia-Pacific region, which boasts a dynamic economy with the greatest potential for growth in the coming decade. Vibrant and dynamic small businesses will become the center of attention as they have become the hope for our economic future.

On 11-12 September 2009, Alibaba Group; Singapore Business Federation; Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT); and the People's Municipal Government of Hangzhou will jointly host the APEC SME Summit in Hangzhou, China's capital of e-Business. It will be a top-level gathering for small businesses around the world to exchange ideas, trade and explore partnership opportunities.

The theme of the Summit this year is "Small Businesses, Big Dreams". Global business leaders, entrepreneurs and small business owners from the APEC member economies will convene in Hangzhou to engage in in-depth exploration on the key issues concerning the growth and development of small businesses. They will share insight on surviving the economic winter and assess the future direction of growth for small businesses.

The APEC SME Summit will convene prominent scholars, representatives from major banking institutions and global business leaders to discuss the challenges faced by SMEs and strategies for moving forward.

Our aim is to transform the APEC SME Summit into a global economic forum where new concepts, new thinking, new technology and new applications can be collectively showcased.

Creating a new business paradigm

The outbreak of every economic crisis has traditionally been accompanied by a new economic landscape that is more open and more diversified than before. A revolution in the global economic structure is underway, with the basic currency gradually evolving from the long-time dollar peg into a basket of currencies including the yen, euro and RMB. The current economic crisis has herald the emergence of a new business paradigm.

The key characteristics of this new business paradigm will be integrity, openness, cooperation and social responsibility. We strongly believe that a consumer-centric business model is the way of the future; that small businesses will serve as the backbone of the broader economy; and that netrepreneurs (or net entrepreneurs), net products and net rules will be the three main pillars in the emerging business ecosystem.

One can never predict the future, but it is possible to help build our own destiny. Our economy will inevitably become more open and diverse. The internet economy, propelled by e-commerce, will see its impact amplified in the current wave of transformation on the way business is conducted. Netrepreneurs will become the powerhouses of this coming era and symbolize a new form of commerce. They will be able to flourish in an increasingly open and cooperative platform, and be at the heart of the birth of a new business environment.

Highlights of the Summit

This Summit is distinctive for its global and forward-looking perspective. The sixth annual e-Businessmen Conference brings together top business managers, senior executives and the 2009 Global e-Business Champion Award winners to talk about winning strategies against the backdrop of economic downturn and the future ahead as we emerge into a new economic environment.

The birth of a new business paradigm

In the aftermath of every financial crisis, a new economic structure is born. There is an opportunity at this moment for creating a new business paradigm that is guided by integrity, openness, cooperation and social responsibility. We see the future of business guided by the principle of customer first, employees second and shareholders third. Consumer-centric business models will be the trend of the future; small businesses will be a primary driver of the economy, while netrepreneurs, net products and net rules will become the three main pillars of the future business ecosystem.

2009 APEC SME Summit

Topic: Small Businesses, Big Dreams
Date: 11-12 September 2009
Location: Hangzhou Leisure Expo Convention Center - First World Grand Theatre
Participants: Government officials, trade representatives, leaders from the global small to medium-sized enterprise community, expert analysts, global media
Expected attendance: 3,000 people
Main organizers: the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Singapore Business Federation, the People's Municipal Government of Hangzhou and the Alibaba Group