Dragon Boat Festival is approaching midsummer, which is a good season for reflection and foresight.

In the first half of the year, Huazhi International led one group after another of Chinese entrepreneur students to go abroad and delve into the global innovation highland. From the AI computing power center in Silicon Valley to the Mercedes Benz factory in Munich, from the New World in Seoul to the frontline of Jakarta's overseas expansion, entrepreneurs have a global footprint.

What types of benchmark enterprises are most favored by the study tour circle? Based on the global industrial dynamics of Huazhi International in the first half of the year and its 21 years of overseas study experience, we have identified the top 5 most popular categories.

01. Technology Innovation Enterprises - Standing at the Intersection of Computing Power and Algorithms

Representative destinations: Silicon Valley, Boston, USA

If there is a "mandatory route" for entrepreneurs to study abroad, it must be Silicon Valley.

In May 2026, Nvidia released its first quarter financial report for the 2027 fiscal year: single quarter revenue of $81.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 85%, net profit of $58.3 billion, a year-on-year surge of 211%. The market value once exceeded $5.5 trillion, surpassing the GDP of any country except for China and the United States.

Behind the numbers lies a more fundamental signal, as AI has evolved from a 'technical concept' to an 'infrastructure'. Whoever is expanding data centers and competing for inference computing power will ultimately have to buy chips, networks, systems, and software stacks from NVIDIA.

But the value of studying abroad in Silicon Valley has never been based on how big a company is.

Entrepreneurs enter NVIDIA Google、Microsoft， Dialogue between Stanford and Berkeley AI Lab, the complete incubation loop of system learning from "algorithm to prototype to scale".

In March, the GTC conference opened in San Jose, where Huang Renxun unveiled a new generation of AI chip architecture and robot platform. More than 15000 developers gathered on-site, and there were no theoretical discussions, only the shortest path to code, computing power, and commercialization.

So, if you understand the logic of Silicon Valley, you also have a clear understanding of the technological direction for the next decade.

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02. Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0- Finding Variables at the Extreme of Efficiency

Representative destinations: Nagoya, Tokyo, Japan; Hanover, Munich, Germany

The manufacturing industry is the cornerstone of the Chinese economy, and lean manufacturing is the top demand sector in the study tour circle all year round.

Huazhi International's previous Japanese Lean Team, some groups

But 'lean' is not a fixed dogma. On May 27, 2026, Toyota announced that it will establish a new "Manufacturing Technology Department" on July 1, integrating the manufacturing technology functions of departments such as the Production Department, Manufacturing Development Center, and Powertrain Company. At the same time, it is clearly stated that the goal is to reduce the types of parts and storage space by 35%, and suppliers are required to demonstrate their "proposal ability".

What does this mean? The traditional "production by order" model is becoming ineffective. Faced with the extreme efficiency competition of Chinese car companies, Toyota no longer pays for the "invisible perfection", actively adjusts standards, pursues lean production and a more flexible supply chain.

In Germany, entrepreneurs visit Siemens headquarters, BMW, Mercedes Benz Festo， On site dismantling of the implementation path of Industry 4.0 from digital workshops to high value-added manufacturing. The Hanover Industrial Fair, as a "barometer of the global industrial sector," attracts a large number of Chinese entrepreneurs to come in groups every year.

By understanding the logic of Japanese and German industry, one can see the transition path from "manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing".

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03. A century old legacy enterprise - governance wisdom that transcends cycles

Representative destinations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Japan

When Chinese enterprises collectively face the dual proposition of "survival" and "longevity", Japanese century old enterprises provide the most valuable reference sample.

Japan has the world's largest number of century old enterprises. Yongle House (over 400 years old), Kyocera (founded by Kazuo Inamori), and Kirin Beer (over 100 years old) form a unique community of "longevity enterprises".

Entrepreneurs visit Kyocera Hall to deeply learn about Amoeba's business model. Kazuo Inamori used this method to create two Fortune 500 companies and successfully saved Japan Airlines from bankruptcy. Kyocera not only insists on monthly settlement, but also issues profit and loss statements within one week after the end of the month, with accounting statements accurate to one yen.

The case of Yongle House provides another answer to how a company with over 400 years of experience can achieve intergenerational inheritance and cross-border innovation. From traditional cotton merchants to modern lifestyle brands, each generation of successors is not simply inheriting, but redefining the connotation of "craftsmanship" in the process of inheritance.

By understanding the logic of a century old Japanese enterprise, one can see how to make the company survive through cycles and establish a long-lasting foundation.

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04. New Consumer Enterprises - Understanding People is the Key to Understanding Growth

Representative destination: Tokyo, Japan; London, UK; Seoul, South Korea

When "people, goods, and venues" are completely reconstructed, the competition among consumer brands is no longer a product competition, but a competition of user mentality.

In Japan, entrepreneurs visit Don Quixote, Shoya Bookstore, and Kao to decipher the growth engine driven by "experience and emotion".

Don Quixote is the only company among 3000 listed companies in Japan that has achieved both revenue and profit growth for 35 consecutive years, with an annual revenue of approximately 144 trillion yen (equivalent to 70 billion yuan) and an overall profit margin of 12%, far exceeding the industry average of less than 5%. The shelves are piled up to the ceiling, and affordable snacks and luxury goods are mixed together - referred to as the "first worst store" by netizens, but this is precisely where its core competitiveness lies. With a "treasure hunt" shopping experience, it allows consumers to find surprises in chaos.

The Koya Bookstore will accelerate its expansion in 2026. In April, the Koya Bookstore in Kyoto was renovated into the "Kyoto IP Bookstore", and in May, the first overseas direct operated store entered the Taipei Songyan Cultural and Creative Park. It's not selling books, it's' lifestyle proposals'.

In the UK, Dyson offers another consumption logic - the AI bladeless fan Find+Follow Purifier Cool, released in May 2026, which uses sensors to identify 17 key points on the human body and automatically tracks air supply. It is priced at $894.99, transforming the technological strength into a "soft and sexy" user experience.

South Korea provides a unique example of 'culture driven consumption'. In 2026, the demand for study tours in South Korea is rapidly increasing, and entrepreneurs are entering Seoul to systematically examine how the Korean Wave is reshaping consumer logic.

Zhengguanzhuang holds the top spot in the global market with a 46% market share, while SM Entertainment is redefining the K-pop industry chain with a focus on "content productization". From artist management to derivative consumption, New World Factory Store is expanding against the trend with a high discount retail model. It plans to open four new stores in South Korea by 2026 and enter overseas for the first time.

They all point to a proposition that when material wealth is extremely abundant, consumers are no longer buying the product itself, but the cultural identity and emotional experience attached to it.

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05. Global benchmark enterprise - a living textbook for going global

Representative destination: Southeast Asia

In 2026, 'going abroad' will become a mandatory option instead of an optional one.

The most effective answers to the three questions of "how to get out, where to get out, and why to get out" are those globalization benchmarks that have already taken root overseas.

In Southeast Asia, TikTok、 Huawei, Jitu Indonesia, and OPPO Indonesia form a sample matrix of technology and consumer going global.

TikTok has established Singapore and Indonesia as core operational hubs in Southeast Asia, deeply integrating e-commerce and content ecosystems. Huawei has been deeply involved in Southeast Asian digital infrastructure for over ten years, establishing complete localization capabilities from communication equipment to cloud services. Jitu Express originated in Indonesia and has grown into a leading logistics network in Southeast Asia in just a few years. Its "mainline+terminal" fulfillment capability remains a key support for e-commerce infrastructure to this day. OPPO Indonesia has provided a model for localizing consumer brands, shifting from channel penetration to local production, from celebrity endorsements to community operations, with a long-term market share ranking among the top three.

The commonality among these enterprises is that they understand both the advantages of China's supply chain and the rules and pace of the local market.

By understanding the logic of the benchmark for going global, one can see clearly how to go global in order to win.

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Five types of benchmark enterprises, five different learning perspectives, as emphasized by Huazhi International: "True learning is not in the classroom, but in the world

This Dragon Boat Festival is not only about Zongzi, but also about the cognitive upgrading of Chinese enterprises in measuring the world.

The first half of the year has already been turned over, the second half has just begun, and you don't know where to start yet?

From July to November this year, Huazhi International has planned a global business exploration route covering core economies such as Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, ranging from Japanese consumer codes to cutting-edge AI in the United States, from innovative questions in the UK to market insights in Australia, from Tokyo's hard technology to low-cost automation in Nagoya.

Seats are limited, welcome to private message consultation, travel with outstanding entrepreneurs, and bring world-class knowledge home.