The 2026 APEC Forum on Innovation-Driven High-Quality Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises took place in Guangzhou on September 1st. Serving as a key supporting event for the 32nd APEC Small and Medium Enterprise Ministerial Meeting, the forum gathered government agencies, international organizations, corporate representatives, and think tank experts from economies including Singapore, Mexico, the United States, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on empowering SME growth through innovation and explored pathways for innovative development.
During the roundtable discussion on integrated innovation development between large and small enterprises, a representative from JD Industrial (07618) emphasized that the real gap between large and small businesses is not a shortage of connection opportunities, but rather a lack of standardized and low-cost connection capabilities. By standardizing products and opening up its AI capabilities, JD Industrial aims to support the innovative growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.
As the latest wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation advances, digital-intelligent technologies, with artificial intelligence at the forefront, have become a vital avenue for SMEs to achieve specialization, refinement, and high-quality development. Furthermore, the integrated development of large and small enterprises presents a significant opportunity for SMEs to innovate. "As an industrial supply chain service provider connecting both supply and demand sides, we are committed to removing the bottlenecks in large-small enterprise integration," stated the JD Industrial representative.
The first bottleneck is the standard threshold. Many SMEs possess excellent products and technologies, but they encounter a series of hurdles when trying to enter the supply chains of large corporations, including product standards, data standards, quality certifications, and delivery capabilities. Conversely, large enterprises also struggle to quickly assess which among a vast pool of suppliers are viable, reliable, and capable of consistent delivery. "Therefore, JD Industrial first promotes the standardization of suppliers and products, and on this basis, helps SMEs expand into the large enterprise market."
The second bottleneck is the capability threshold. "It is difficult for SMEs to invest substantial resources in building supply chain systems and AI capabilities. We aim to transform these capabilities from 'internal corporate assets' into 'socialized capabilities,' making them plug-and-play for SMEs through productization, modularization, and platformization." For instance, JD Industrial leverages its JoyIndustrial industrial large model and a suite of intelligent agents to productize and platformize new technologies, integrating them into service platforms for SMEs so they can also share in the technological dividends.
JD Industrial has launched the AI Smart Procurement Assistant, powered by the industry's first industrial large model, JoyIndustrial. This tool enables SMEs to streamline procurement processes through natural language interaction, pioneering a new 'conversation-as-procurement' model. The product unlocks knowledge that has been accumulated in the minds of seasoned experts within industrial product manufacturing over the past century, allowing innovative enterprises to benefit from their experience. Users can simply express their needs in natural language—through text, voice, or by submitting a photo or drawing—and the AI assistant will understand and execute the task. From image recognition for product sourcing, bill of materials analysis, and intelligent substitute recommendations, to real-time price comparison, one-click ordering, and order tracking, procurement decisions for SMEs shift from 'experience-driven' to 'data-driven.' This approach reduces selection decision time by 70% and lowers mismatch risk by 60%.
SMEs are vital innovators, and the rapid development of AI technology combined with deep understanding of application scenarios creates fertile ground for nurturing innovation. "The most valuable support for SME innovation comes from real customers, real application scenarios, and sustainable orders. This requires large enterprises to open up their scenarios, platforms to share capabilities, and SMEs to focus on innovation, with the value ultimately validated by the market and actual orders," the JD Industrial representative explained.
JD Industrial possesses extensive industry coverage, deep insights into specific sectors, and robust supply chain infrastructure and service capabilities. Its goal is to act as a 'digital-intelligent highway' connecting supply and demand, using technological innovation to make the entire industrial chain smoother and more efficient. As a dedicated industrial supply chain solution provider for SMEs, JD Industrial's Gongpinhui platform focuses on meeting the cyclical and planned procurement needs of small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, striving to deliver a one-stop procurement experience characterized by professionalism, affordability, and fast delivery.
Gongpinhui brings clear value to SMEs in terms of cost reduction, supply assurance, and efficiency improvement. First, by aggregating customer demand and directly connecting with original manufacturers, JD Industrial reduces intermediate circulation links and significantly lowers industrial product procurement costs. Simultaneously, through its self-operated warehousing model, it helps enterprises position their inventory in advance within JD's warehouses, substantially cutting inventory costs. Second, leveraging JD's intelligent supply chain system and powerful logistics network, Gongpinhui provides stable and reliable material assurance for enterprise production, ensuring secure and efficient supply chain operations. Third, Gongpinhui offers digital services such as AI Smart Procurement Assistant, intelligent image recognition, AI bulk ordering, and technical selection assistance, empowering the entire procurement process with professional capabilities and technological tools to boost efficiency. Fourth, by offering flexible financial solutions including credit-term payment and bill payment, Gongpinhui effectively alleviates cash flow pressure on enterprises, supporting their steady growth.
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