GOAP: What was your inspiration for founding the Mobinode tech blog?
GANG LU: There are many good tech blogs from U.S and EU which are great resource for me to understand the market and the trend. However, they seldom talk about China and Asia web. I’ve been to a lot international events and conference as a speaker and attendee, and I understand that more and more people are very interested in Chinese and Asian tech market, but the information they got is still very limit because of language barrier as well as the culture difference.
The main purpose of starting MOBINODE.com is to tell people what is really happening in China/Asia. The blog was only written in English, but now we have Chinese version and even a video version called MOBINODE.TV. I really want it to be the bridge connecting local and international tech space and help on local startup ecosystem.
GOAP: What areas of China’s tech sector most interest you and why?
GANG LU: I love the web business in general because it evolves so fast and so fascinating. Particularly I am really in love with the Mobile web. My PhD is about the wireless communications and I also believe any Internet business could expand to or find its new model in wireless world. And eventually, there will be no difference in wireless and wired as they will be seamlessly connected and there will be only one, called Internet.
GOAP: You also follow trends in the western tech sector closely. What are some of your favorite blogs to read in the west?
GANG LU: Mainly two blogs, TechCrunch for latest about the industry and the market, ReadWriteWeb for the Tech trend and analysis.
GOAP: Our GeeksOnAPlane group had the opportunity to meet you last year. What do you think about the idea of GeeksOnAPlane?
GANG LU: I think it’s absolutely a great idea to bring the cool international experts and geeks to China to let them really see what’s about in local market. If you are interested in Chinese market, you must come to China to feel it. I also think the tour give the local community a great chance to learn from those experienced international entrepreneurs and understand their successful stories and their insight. GOAP has done a great work and become a super hub connecting international and local industry.
GOAP: If you had some advice for the “geeks” on this trip and also the readers back in the U.S. who are following along, what kind of advice would you give them on better understanding China’s tech sector and how business is done in China?
GANG LU: My suggestion would be, if they have more time, stay in local longer and spend more time to talk to local people and the grassroot. I am sure more local guys you talk to, more true stories about local market you will explore.. Internet business is a culture thing, so go spend more time with the guys who understand the local culture better.
GOAP: You have a new company you’ve launched called KUUKIE. What can you tell us about it?
GANG LU: Yes. It’s KUUKIE.com which launched early this year. KUUKIE.com right now focus on online personalized card printing business. Basically, with simple steps, you can just upload your images, customize them online and we will do the printing and deliver them to you.
One of the most interesting parts is that each card (such as mini cards, business cards etc) you print in one box can be different from others. So the KUUKIE card could be your personal brand and the carrier of your own social media. I think it’s a very cool business, but for us it is just the first step. What I can say here, for the long term, we want it to be the link between your online and offline social identity.
GOAP: What do you do in your free time when you’re not blogging or working on your startup?
GANG LU: I don’t have much free time as I am doing some consulting work to help foreign or local company on its online strategy. But if I am free, I love to play football with friends or find a nice cafe to enjoy the coffee.
About Gang Lu
Dr. Gang Lu [Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Universe] – Independent Asia/China Internet business observer and adviser, known speaker, Open concept/technology Evangelist, co-founder of OpenWeb.Asia Workgroup, Founder of MOBINODE, and co-founder of KUUKIE.com.
OpenWeb.Asia is the first independent workgroup focusing on Asia Internet industry, and is also the organizer of OpenWebAsia conference which is the first truly pan-Asia web technology event bringing together executives, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists from throughout Asia. With strong academic background in wireless communications, years of research and development experience in mobile industry and international business management in web industry, Gang Lu is very passionate about the Open Web concept and plays very active role in building efficient channels among Asian local markets as well as between Asia web and global industry.
Gang Lu was the Asia Business Development Director of Netvibes.com, the world leading personalized homepage and widget technology provider. He is one of the first introducing Widget economy and Open Platform into Asian market. Prior to joining Netvibes, he was in charge of research and development of Multimedia Messaging Service platform and 3G applications in Dialogue Communications Ltd. a leading mobile messaging service provider in UK. Gang Lu is also the advisor of Tencent MIND, lead organizer of Google Technology User Group (GTUG) Shanghai, Initiator of ChinaMode Awards.
As an independent industry observer, technology and social media expert, Gang Lu has been invited to deliver keynote speeches and panel discussion at diverse international events/conference ranging from the China Internet Annual Summit to Tencent MIND Summit to Google China Developer Day, Milan Digital Entertainment Jam, NetExplorateur Forum, Paris etc. The topics cover the Asian Web, the China Internet Industry, Open Web technology, SNS Marketing, Social Networks, Mobile Technology and so on. Gang Lu was awarded TOP10 Best Expert of 2008 by iResearch, the leading Internet consulting company in China. He is also a recognised tech blogger.
His blog MOBINODE.com covers the Internet market news in Asia, especially in China, and was also voted as the best China Tech Blog in 2007 and 2008.
Get 15％ Off KUUKIE for GeeksOnAPlane 2010 － Just enter coupon code “GOAP” at checkout! — offer ends June 30th, 2010
