Arrow Electronics Empowers Startups with Design Engineering and Supply Chain Capabilities for Developing Robotics and AIoT Devices in the Greater Bay Area

With the theme of “Guiding Technovators to a Better Tomorrow”, the event brought together hundreds of technology companies, manufacturers, solution providers, and tech startups across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in southern China. The event showcased over 100 components, systems, applications, and solutions, focused on robotics, AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things), and smart energy.

GBA, a megalopolis with a total population of over 86 million and an estimated GDP of around USD1.8 trillion in 2022¹, is home to one of the most vibrant and thriving communities of technology innovators and entrepreneurs in China. As tech startups and innovative companies strive to develop more practical and robust technology solutions to harness the potential of digitalization, decarbonization, and electrification, they often face increasing engineering and ever-complex supply chain challenges. As a global technology solutions provider, Arrow provides best-in-class engineering, supply chain expertise, and global ecosystem support to help enable these innovators and entrepreneurs in overcoming technological and supply chain challenges and bringing their creative and innovative ideas to market faster.

Empowering innovators in the GBA and beyond

Arrow established its first open lab at Hong Kong Science Park (HKSTP) in 2016. The lab has since served as a center of excellence for hundreds of local engineers and creators to solve engineering problems and accelerate the idea-to-prototype-to-production journey. To further support the broader GBA region, Arrow has launched a new open lab at Xbot Park in Dongguan, an industrial city in GBA.

“XbotPark is a global startup incubator focused on robotics and smart hardware, dedicated to offering the necessary mentorship, ecosystem support, funding access, and technology resources it takes for startups to grow and succeed. We are excited to collaborate with Arrow and gain their support of our high-potential tech start-ups, not just in Dongguan but also the broader GBA region. Arrow brings a wealth of technologies, from microelectronics and sensors to connectivity and edge platform, as well as design engineering expertise, and supply chain services. These resources and capabilities are essential for startups and innovators to maximize their business potential,” said Zexiang Li, co-founder of XbotPark.

Nurturing robotics innovators

China’s robotics market is expected to be worth USD17.4 billion with an annual growth rate of 22 percent, according to the China Robotics Industry Development Report². Industrial robots are valued at USD8.7 billion, service robots at USD6.5 billion, and specialized service robots at USD2.2 billion.

Direct Drive Tech, a Dongguan-based company specialising in the R&D and production of robot joint and motion solutions, showcased its latest wheeled-leg robots at Arrow’s showcase event. As a graduate of XbotPark incubation program, Direct Drive is committed to eliminating reduction gearboxes and creating direct drive precision power solutions worldwide. “With the support of global technology companies such as Arrow, we can gain access to ecosystem resources that allow us to reach a broader market and fully maximize our growth potential with our robot actuator and highly efficient power solutions,” said Jet Yin, global marketing director of Direct Drive Tech.

As part of the Arrow and HKSTP co-incubation training program launched since 2021, Arrow’s engineering team has offered free robotic and AIoT technology training to over 400 engineers enrolled in the program. Direct Drive’s wheeled-leg robot has been featured as one of the open platform tools in the robotic technology training program.

HengZi Future, a developer of consumer-grade robotic products and a current incubatee of XbotPark incubation program, also showcased its latest consumer-grade pet robots at the event.

“As we continue to enhance our robotic product offerings and scale up our business, we look forward to gaining access to Arrow’s comprehensive portfolio of advanced electronic components, design engineering resources, and go-to-market support,” said Pei Heng Song, founder and CTO, Hengbot Innovation.

As the first electronics hardware lab established in XbotPark, Arrow’s open lab occupies a total space of 1,200 square meters with engineering equipment and testing modules and an open collaboration area. This enables local and international startups to design, develop and test their products and solutions effectively.

“Cross-disciplinary cooperation and technology integration are key to fostering continuous innovations and sustainable development in today’s highly competitive and rapidly evolving market landscape,” said Arthur Jiang, Arrow’s president for its Asia-Pacific components business. “Technology companies and startups constantly face challenges from competing research and product development needs and evolving demands for product features to a shifting supply chain landscape. By offering our global network of resources, industry insights, and in-market presence, we act as a trusted technology partner who can guide and help them take their ideas from imagination to innovation.”
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^{1 https://www.bayarea.gov.hk/en/about/overview.html#:~:text=The%20total%20area%20is%20around,RMB%2013%20trillion%20in%202022.}

^{2 https://dsj.guizhou.gov.cn/xwzx/gnyw/202208/t20220823_76224575.html}