Global Entrepolis @ Singapore

Forum Highlights

GBO Forum (Global Business Opportunities Forum) is a unique global platform focusing on investment and funding issues under the umbrella of Global Entrepolis @ Singapore (GES), a world class annual event jointly presented by the Singapore Economic Development Board and the Singapore Business Federation. GES has proven to be an effective international marketplace for entrepreneurs and innovators to identify, seek and secure funding, investment and business opportunities. From 2003, GES attracted more than 10,000 participants annually from over 40 countries, many of whom are delegates from USA, China, India, Japan, Europe, Middle East, ASEAN and other countries.

GBO Forum goes beyond conventional networking and business matching. We invite you to meet financial experts, economists, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, technopreneurs and new startups to participate and engage in our customized business activities where deals are made and sealed. We connect you to the right people, resources, funds, marketplaces, institutions and most importantly your prospective customers and partners. If you have sound business concepts, new innovations, products and services or provide investment and funding opportunities, we offer you a customized "hotdate" and "enterprise exchange platform" in conjunction with a world class event.

The mission of GBO Forum is to add value to your business globally and is expected to attract leading executives, CEOs, CTOs, COOs, entrepreneurs, technopreneurs, start-ups, business angels and venture capitalists from Asia and the world. There are tremendous opportunities at the GBO Forum to meet any business needs.

An opportunity not to be missed, be globally connected @ GBO

GBO Forum is an industry focus conference of the GES.

GBO Forum aims to provide a platform for global business people to interact, network and with a vision to global prosperity. GBO enhances your business interests by connecting businessmen and professionals from the West and the Asia-Pacific region.

GBO Forum focuses on wealth management, resource management, investment and funds management, environment protection.

GBO Forum provides a practical network to worldwide entrepreneurs with business opportunities.

GBO Forum is expected to attract leading executives, entrepreneurs, business angels and venture capitalists.

Government officials, leading entrepreneurs and professionals are invited to share on global economic progress, update on significant developments for extensive trading and investment cooperation. The platform enables increased network for shared business opportunities through the dynamic global business environment.

Highlights

Finance and Technovation - The Driving Force of Global Business
Wealth and Resource Management, Investment and Funding Opportunities, Information Technology and Environment Protection.

1. International platform for promoting funding, enterprise, innovative technology.
2. Cooperation of administrators, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in developing business network and promoting business development.
3. Provides enterprises with dialogue exchange, opportunities to network, sell innovations, seek investments, source for funding and forge new partnerships, enabling investment returns in the Asia Pacific region.

Significance: Understanding and Learning together for United Progression

1. Singapore - The Financial and IT Hub of the Region
2. Know Your Grounds - Understand the Way Business is Done in Singapore, China, Indonesia and India.
3. Information Technology, Environment Protection, Intellectual Property, Franchising, Logistics, Trading and Manufacturing
4. International and established Entrepreneurs conference presentation

Key business leaders, major industry players, financial experts, government officials and successful entrepreneurs will share their respective knowledge and experience of the diverse markets and cultures in the Asia Pacific region. Ample opportunities for networking and interaction with business leaders and influential industry leaders provide participants with business opportunities.

Who Should Attend?

1. Startups and innovators seeking funding
2. Venture capitalists looking for unique investment opportunities
3. Foreign companies intending to set-up regional offices in Singapore for business expansion in the ASEAN region
4. Entrepreneurs and local companies expanding to foreign markets
5. Companies looking for new business partnerships
6. Companies seeking professional fund and wealth management
   

Who Will You Network With?

• Key Government Officials
• Fund Managers/Wealth Management Professionals
• Venture Capitalists/Investors
• Chief Executive Officers
• Entrepreneurs/Technopreneurs/Innovators.

Indonesian Batam Island

Batam is one of the 3,000 islands in the Riau Archipelago and is closest to Singapore. It is only 20 km away from Singapore and the ferry ride is about 45 minutes. You can see the tall skyscrapers in Singapore from Batam. Due to the developments in the tourism industry and infrastructure projects, Batam continues to attract tourists and foreign investors. Batam is about two-third the size of Singapore was an island of forests. However, the development of the export processing zone is impressive after years of development by the Indonesian central and local governments.

As a model site of the Indonesian export processing zone, Batam has the infrastructure facilitating the export and trade processing bonded zones. All imports of raw materials, equipments and assembled components from Singapore and other foreign countries are exempted from customs duty if the final products are for exports. The environment on the island is pleasant with all kinds of production facilities available. At present, there are investments from Japan and Europe in which many multinational corporations have set-up factories. The industrial planning and policies developments of Batam is the same model as the Shenzhen Industrial Park in China having economic and trading relations with Hong Kong: products assembled in the trade processing bonded zones transported to Singapore, with "Made in Singapore" labels are exempted from customs duty for export to countries such as US market where Singapore and USA has a free trade agreement. This is the unique feature of Batam Island which attracted many foreign investments and many Japanese companies also realized the benefits. The legal working hours of the island is about 40 hours per week with overtime pay for overtime work. The minimum wage is equivalent to 600 RMB per month. The Indonesian government is considering whether to make Batam Island a free trade zone with more preferential policies.

In late April 2006, the Singapore and Indonesian governments signed a framework agreement to develop Batam and Bintan into another "Suzhou Industrial Park" and seven new "Special Economic Zones".