Gregory Prudhommeaux | Food Tech in China & The Impact of the Spiking Health & Wellness Industry

<p><strong>Topics Discussed and Key Points:</strong></p><p>●      A description of the Shanghai startup scene today and how it compares to France’s and the U.S.’s</p><p>●      What it is like to be a foreign entrepreneur in China</p><p>●      How to know whether you should start your business in China</p><p>●      What most Westerners do not know about F&amp;B in China</p><p>●      Why Shanghai is not representative of China as a whole</p><p>●      How the F&amp;B space and food’s fusion with tech has developed over time in China</p><p>●      The impact of the health and wellness industry on F&amp;B in China</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Episode Summary:</strong></p><p>Today on The Negotiation, we speak with serial entrepreneur and angel investor Gregory Prudhommeaux. He is the Founder of NextStep Studio, an accelerator for businesses in food, F&amp;B and food tech-based in Shanghai. He is also a Foreign Trade Advisor for Les Conseillers du Commerce extérieur de la France.</p><p><br>Gregory is the Co-President at La French Tech Shanghai, a community aimed at gathering the local tech community with an interest in France and building bridges between major innovation hubs. The community facilitates the cross-fertilization of competencies and helps French businesses &amp; entrepreneurs to foster their development in China.</p><p><br>Gregory kicks off the conversation with his thoughts on the evolution of Shanghai’s startup scene and how it compares to France’s and the U.S.’s. While many foreigners have seized the opportunity to set up shop in China, it is a difficult process, particularly when it comes to acquiring seed funding.</p><p><br>Unlike France, which offers a number of financing options for the aspiring startup entrepreneur, China is a place where knowing the right person—and knowing how to build a relationship with them—is probably the most important factor. Gregory says that the U.S. is more casual when it comes to networking, whereas “it is a bit trickier” in China.</p><p><br>Calling Sha