Arrow Electronics empowers startups with design engineering and supply chain capabilities

Global technology-solutions provider Arrow Electronics, Inc. hosted its annual ‘Arrow Technology Showcase’ event in Shenzhen, China.

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.

Supply chain challenges

GBA, a megalopolis with a total population of over 86 million and an estimated GDP of around USD 1.8 trillion in 2022, is home to one of the most vibrant and thriving communities of technology innovators and entrepreneurs in China. 

Arrow provides best-in-class engineering, supply chain expertise, and global ecosystem support 

As tech startups and innovative companies strive to develop more practical and robust technology solutions to harness the potential of digitalisation, decarbonisation, 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. 

Solving engineering problems

Arrow established its first open lab at Hong Kong Science Park 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 XbotPark 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 maximise their business potential," said Zexiang Li, Co-Founder of XbotPark.

Nurturing robotics innovators

Industrial robots are valued at USD 8.7 billion, service robots at USD 6.5 billion

China’s robotics market is expected to be worth USD 17.4 billion with an annual growth rate of 22 percent, according to the China Robotics Industry Development Report. Industrial robots are valued at USD 8.7 billion, service robots at USD 6.5 billion, and specialised service robots at USD 2.2 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.

Highly efficient power solutions

“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 maximise our growth potential with our robot actuator and highly efficient power solutions,” said Jet Yin, Global Marketing Director of Direct Drive Tech.

Arrow’s engineering team has offered free robotic and AIoT technology training to over 400 engineers

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.

Robotic product offerings

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.

Open collaboration area

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, adding “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." 

Arthur Jiang said, "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.”