Formerly known as BEYOND Expo, the Macao-based technology event is expanding into a broader platform spanning startups, investment, media, developers, policymakers and culture, with 2027 targets of 35,000+ participants, 1,200 exhibitors and 900 investors.

BEYOND is moving beyond the traditional technology exhibition model as it prepares for its 2027 flagship gathering in Macao, formally replacing the BEYOND Expo identity with a broader platform designed to connect Asian innovation with capital, markets, media and global business networks. The next BEYOND will take place from May 26-29, 2027, at The Venetian Macao Cotai Expo, with the organizer expecting more than 35,000 participants, 1,200 exhibiting companies, 900 investors, 700 media representatives and KOLs, 400 speakers and 200 sessions and activities.

The rebrand comes five years after BEYOND launched in 2021. The organization says more than 160,000 participants from over 120 countries and regions have taken part during that period, including founders, technology companies, investors, family offices, policymakers, government leaders, developers, builders, media organizations and figures from business, sports and entertainment.

The expansion is also taking place against a backdrop of growing investor and startup participation. The 2025 edition recorded more than 25,000 visitors, 800 exhibitors, 800 investors and 300 media representatives from more than 120 countries, including more than 300 family offices and LPs. The 2026 edition subsequently attracted more than 30,000 visitors from over 120 countries and nearly 800 companies, with 400 speakers participating in its program.

Rather than treating investment, media, networking and developer activities as extensions of an exhibition, the upgraded BEYOND brand is organizing these functions into six connected pillars: BEYOND Expo, BEYOND Summit, BEYOND Awards, BEYOND Ventures, BEYOND Spotlight and BEYOND Connect.

Why BEYOND Is Moving Beyond the Expo Model

For startups, demonstrating a product is only one stage of building a company. Founders also need access to capital, customers, strategic partners, media, talent and new markets. For investors, discovering companies requires more than attending an exhibition floor. It increasingly involves conversations with founders, exposure to emerging technologies, industry context and opportunities to build relationships.

BEYOND’s new architecture is designed around this broader startup journey.

Its evolution is visible in its recent programming. The 2025 edition combined an expanded exhibition with Fund at First Pitch, Innovation Awards, Founder Stage and Founders Club initiatives, while its investor participation reached a record level. In 2026, programming extended across physical and digital AI, robotics, spatial computing, AI agents, global capital, developer ecosystems and cross-regional cooperation.

The rebrand therefore represents less of a departure from BEYOND’s existing activities than a formalization of the broader ecosystem that has developed around the event.

Dr. Gang Lu, Co-founder of BEYOND, said the change reflects how the role of technology gatherings has expanded:

“Technology has become more than products and exhibitions, it’s about people, ideas, communities, and experiences. BEYOND reflects what our event has become: a place where founders launch companies, investors discover the next generation of innovators, global media tell the stories shaping our future, and the world’s technology community comes together. It’s not simply an expo, it’s a celebration of innovation.”

Six Pillars Target Different Stages of the Startup Journey

The six-pillar architecture is the foundation of BEYOND’s expanded model, bringing together the different elements of an innovation ecosystem, from technology discovery and industry dialogue to capital, recognition, global visibility and community-building.

BEYOND Expo will remain the platform’s core showcase for frontier technologies and immersive innovation. Startups and technology companies will use the exhibition to unveil new products, breakthrough technologies and business ideas. For 2027, BEYOND will also introduce a Debut Floor, giving startups and emerging companies a dedicated space to launch new products, technologies and innovative business models.

BEYOND Summit will bring global leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators together to examine the forces shaping future industries. Its agenda will span artificial intelligence, robotics, new energy, healthcare, Web3, investment, regional innovation, SheTech and other frontier topics, providing a forum for discussions around both technology and the markets developing around it.

BEYOND Awards will recognize breakthrough technologies, visionary companies and innovations that create meaningful impact, adding a recognition component to the broader platform.

BEYOND Ventures forms the capital and investment layer. It will connect startups with VCs, family offices, CVCs and other investors through Fund-at-First-Pitch, startup demos, pitching opportunities, the Global Investment Summit and Wealth Summit. The objective is to give emerging companies opportunities to meet global capital providers while also creating a setting for investors to discover new technologies and companies.

BEYOND Spotlight focuses on turning innovation into visibility and potential market opportunities. Through Product Launches, Media Day and breakthrough stories, the pillar will connect innovators with international media and KOLs, investors, buyers and industry partners, giving companies opportunities to amplify their stories, reach new audiences and explore international markets.

BEYOND Connect extends those relationships beyond the exhibition and formal conference program. Through BEYOND Fun Continues, including parties, invite-only dinners, meetups and partner events, alongside private gatherings, the platform will bring together founders, investors, family offices, LPs, GPs, global leaders, policymakers, developers and builders, media and storytellers, cultural icons and the next generation of innovators.

Taken together, the six pillars extend BEYOND from a place where companies showcase technology into a broader ecosystem where ideas are discussed, innovations are recognized, startups meet capital, products gain visibility, developers build, and relationships can develop into commercial and investment opportunities.

Capital Access Becomes a Core Part of the Platform

The investment component is particularly significant for the Asian startup ecosystem. BEYOND Ventures brings fundraising activities closer to the technology showcase, allowing startups to demonstrate products while also accessing investors through formal pitch and investment programs. The approach builds on an investment presence that has already grown considerably at the event.

In 2025, BEYOND reported more than 800 investors, including more than 300 family offices and LPs. Its 2026 programming included a Global Investment Summit, China Venture Capital Forum and BEYOND Wealth Summit, alongside startup and technology programming.

For founders, the significance is the potential to connect different stages of company building within the same ecosystem. A startup can showcase a product, pitch investors, meet potential buyers, engage with media and establish relationships with industry partners without treating each activity as a separate event.

For investors, the structure offers exposure to companies at different stages and across different technology categories, while providing access to the broader conversations shaping emerging markets.

That model also reflects the increasing internationalization of Asian startup ecosystems. Companies expanding across borders often need capital and commercial relationships outside their domestic markets, while global investors are looking for access to new technologies and founders across Asia.

From Media Exposure to Market Access

BEYOND is also positioning international visibility as part of the startup growth infrastructure. Through BEYOND Spotlight, Product Launch and Media Day activities will connect startups and technology companies with journalists, media organizations, storytellers and KOLs from around the world. Investors, buyers and industry partners are also part of the intended audience.

The distinction matters because visibility can serve functions beyond brand awareness. For an emerging company entering an unfamiliar market, media exposure can support credibility, while direct access to buyers and industry partners can create commercial opportunities. The platform’s recent editions have already incorporated this broader business orientation. BEYOND 2025 reported new business matchmaking milestones alongside its record exhibitor and investor participation. Under the new structure, product launches and media engagement become a formal component of the platform rather than secondary activities around the exhibition.

Building With Developers and Technical Communities

The broader BEYOND model also extends beyond founders and investors. Hackathons, developer programs and open innovation activities will bring together engineers, developers, designers, AI builders and open-source communities to experiment, collaborate and turn ideas into working solutions. This adds a builder layer to the startup and investment ecosystem. Developers are not simply audiences for new technologies, but participants in creating and testing them.

The direction was already evident in BEYOND’s 2026 programming, which included BEYOND HACK DAY and activities spanning developer ecosystems, innovative project showcases and technology demonstrations. The 2026 program also brought together forums covering Japan, Korea, Europe, Latin America, AI, healthcare, Web3, investment and other technology areas.

For startups, this can create opportunities to engage technical talent and communities. For investors and corporations, it provides another way to identify emerging technologies and teams before they become established companies.

Where Technology Meets Culture

BEYOND is also deliberately expanding the definition of who belongs in an innovation ecosystem. The organization argues that technology now shapes how people work, communicate and experience entertainment, sports and culture. Its community programming therefore brings entrepreneurs, scientists, investors and policymakers into contact with athletes, entertainers and cultural figures.

BEYOND Connect will extend that interaction beyond stages and exhibition halls through parties, dinners, meetups, partner events and private gatherings. The broader aim is to create relationships between technology, business, creativity and popular culture.

This is an important distinction in BEYOND’s positioning. Rather than defining innovation exclusively through startups, venture capital and technical development, the platform is attempting to create a wider community around the social and commercial impact of technology.

Macao as a Gateway Between Asia and the World

Macao is central to the platform’s international strategy. BEYOND positions the city as a meeting point between Asian innovators and international capital, media, markets and partnerships. For Asian startups, the event provides access to investors, buyers, media and potential partners from outside their home markets. For international participants, it offers a route into technologies, companies, talent and opportunities emerging across Asia.

That proposition aligns with Macao’s broader efforts to deepen its role in regional technology and financial cooperation. The Macao government has identified technological innovation and financial cooperation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as policy priorities, while supporting startups and technology enterprises seeking to expand into the Greater Bay Area market.

Macao is also developing technology infrastructure around areas including digital technology, biomedicine, integrated circuits and aerospace technology, with artificial intelligence and RISC-V among the sub-sectors identified for development.

For BEYOND, that creates a regional backdrop for its cross-border model. The event is attempting to connect the startup and technology ecosystems emerging across Asia with international capital and commercial networks.

A Larger BEYOND in 2027

BEYOND is projecting another step up in scale for its 2027 edition, with growth expected across the exhibition, investment, media and programming sides of the platform. The organizer expects the event to bring together:

• 35,000+ participants
• 1,200+ exhibiting companies
• 900+ investors
• 700+ media representatives and KOLs
• 400+ speakers
• 200+ sessions and activities

The projections build on the event’s expansion over its recent editions. In 2025, BEYOND attracted more than 25,000 visitors, 800 exhibitors, 800 investors and 300 media representatives. The 2026 edition subsequently exceeded 30,000 visitors and featured nearly 800 companies, with 400 speakers participating in its program.

For 2027, the planned increase is particularly notable in areas that support BEYOND’s broader ecosystem model. The target of 1,200+ exhibiting companies would significantly expand the pool of startups and technology companies showcasing products, while 900+ investors would reinforce the platform’s growing emphasis on capital access. The projection of 700+ media representatives and KOLs also reflects the expanded role of international visibility, product launches and market exposure within BEYOND’s new structure.

More than 400 speakers are expected to participate across 200+ sessions and activities, covering the technologies, industries, investment opportunities and ideas shaping future markets. The figures remain organizer projections, but they show that BEYOND is seeking to grow not simply by increasing attendance, but by expanding the number and diversity of participants involved in the startup, investment, technology and international business ecosystem.

Building a Global Innovation Community

The breadth of the new BEYOND structure means that its audience will extend well beyond technology companies. The platform brings together startups, investors, family offices, policymakers, government leaders, multinational corporations, universities, research institutions, developers, global media and ecosystem partners.

That breadth is intended to create multiple paths for participation. A founder may be seeking capital or a market partner. An investor may be looking for emerging companies. A corporation may be searching for technology or strategic partnerships. A developer may be looking for collaborators. A policymaker may be seeking connections with technology companies and researchers. The common element is access to a cross-border network.

Jason Ho, Co-founder of BEYOND, told beSUCCESS that the expanded identity reflects this broader ambition:

“From the very beginning, our vision has been to build more than an event, we wanted to create a global platform that connects people, ideas, and opportunities. The upgraded BEYOND identity represents that ambition. It brings together technology and capital, but also governments, communities, creators, and culture. Macao gives us a unique international stage to create those connections, and we look forward to welcoming the world back in May 2027 for the next chapter of BEYOND.”

The Next Test Is Turning Connections Into Outcomes

BEYOND’s transition from an expo brand to a six-pillar platform reflects a broader question facing startup events across Asia: how can large gatherings create value beyond the few days when their exhibition floors are open?

BEYOND’s answer is to connect the different components of the innovation cycle. Products can be launched through the Expo and Debut Floor. Ideas can be debated at the Summit. Companies and technologies can receive recognition through the Awards. Startups can meet capital through Ventures. Innovators can pursue international visibility through Spotlight. Relationships can continue through Connect and its community programming.

The model also gives BEYOND a broader role in connecting Asia with international ecosystems. Its value to startups will ultimately depend not on the size of the exhibition alone, but on whether those connections lead to financing, customers, partnerships, talent, market entry and sustained cross-border relationships.

BEYOND 2027 will therefore represent more than the next edition of a technology event. It will be an opportunity to test whether an exhibition that has grown into a substantial Asian technology gathering can evolve into a year-round innovation network connecting founders, capital, technology, media and markets across borders.

Partnership opportunities for BEYOND 2027 are now open to technology companies, leading brands and industry organizations seeking to participate in the Macao platform and engage with global industry leaders, investors and innovators.

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