On 19 March 2026, Longham Technology, INNO100 and PayPal brought together more than 50 founders and operators in smart hardware for an afternoon focused on the realities of international growth. The event, themed “Breaking into New Frontiers,” explored three connected areas: cross-border payments, crowdfunding and global operating structures.
Building a Payment Experience That Converts
PayPal Hong Kong Senior Partner Development Manager Ka-ho Lam discussed how checkout design affects both conversion and repeat purchase. The session covered practical levers including free shipping, flexible returns, buy-now-pay-later options, mobile checkout simplification and locally relevant payment methods.
The central message was straightforward: payment is not an administrative detail; it is a core part of the customer experience and a meaningful driver of international growth.
Crowdfunding Trends for 2026
Longham partner Max shared observations from CES 2026 and the current smart-hardware market. AI hardware is moving from concept to scaled, practical applications; connected-home and health categories continue to attract attention; and robotics is expanding across consumer, industrial and companion use cases.
Drawing on campaigns including Snapmaker, INMO AIR3 and UGREEN, the session connected those trends with concrete crowdfunding approaches for different product categories.
From Market Entry to Sustainable Global Operations
Fortuna Online co-founder Shijie Wang examined the longer-term operating picture, including global expansion and tax optimisation. North America and Europe remain major growth markets, while platforms such as TikTok Shop are opening new discovery channels.
The discussion emphasised localisation, compliance and service as the foundations for moving from a single successful launch to a durable international brand.
The meetup was designed as a working exchange rather than a presentation-led event. Longham will continue to partner with leading organisations to create practical conversations for Chinese smart-hardware brands entering global markets.
