Published by ChinaMNC · Xietongmen

World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference 2026 in Nanjing: What Foreign Founders Should Know

A practical briefing for foreign founders on the 2026 World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference in Nanjing, including dates, organizers, agenda structure, and what the event signals for AI-plus-manufacturing opportunities in Jiangsu and China.

World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference 2026: A Practical Briefing for Foreign Founders

Foreign founders weighing where to establish or expand a manufacturing-related company in China should note a significant event on the 2026 calendar. The 2026 World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference will take place in Nanjing from November 19 to 21, according to a news conference held on October 27. The event has been approved by China's State Council and is jointly hosted by the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government and the International Intelligent Manufacturing Alliance. For founders building in industrial technology, automation, industrial software, or AI-enabled manufacturing, the conference is a useful marker of where provincial and national priorities are heading.

What the Conference Will Include

Gui Jun, deputy secretary-general of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, outlined the program at the news conference. The conference will feature one main thematic session and more than ten specialized activities, alongside nearly 30 industry ecosystem conferences. Together these form a multi-layered program combining high-level forums, results announcements, frontier exhibitions, and industry matchmaking.

Several outputs are scheduled for release during the event:

• Results from the construction of leading-tier intelligent factories
• The 2026 list of the world's and China's top ten intelligent manufacturing scientific and technological advances
• A series of research reports from the National Intelligent Manufacturing Expert Committee

The conference will also showcase innovation results including leading-tier and excellence-tier intelligent factories, industrial datasets, large-model algorithms, and industrial world model generators. Organizers describe the exhibition as illustrating how the new generation of intelligent manufacturing is moving from theoretical exploration into practical implementation.

Jiangsu's Industrial Base Behind the Event

The conference draws on Jiangsu's practical experience in industrial digitalization. According to the source, the province has accumulated:

• 28,000 enterprises that have opened up industrial scenarios
• 27 national AI typical cases
• Transformation diagnosis services for more than 19,000 enterprises

These figures indicate the scale of Jiangsu's manufacturing ecosystem and its openness to applied industrial scenarios. For foreign founders, this matters because access to real industrial use cases is often the difference between a pilot project and a scalable business in China.

Topics on the Agenda

The conference will bring together academicians, experts, and industry leaders for in-depth exchange on several themes:

• Iterative upgrading of intelligent factories
• Technical breakthroughs in key equipment
• Deployment of domain-specific large models
• Capacity building for service providers

The stated aim is to confront the real pain points enterprises face in digital transformation and to distill technical solutions and implementation models that can be replicated and promoted. Organizers position the event as a reference point for the national "AI plus manufacturing" agenda.

An International Dimension

For foreign companies specifically, the conference will include a dedicated international guest exhibition area. Enterprises from countries including Germany and Switzerland are expected to participate, reinforcing the event's role as a physical platform for international exchange and cooperation. A presence at this exhibition area could be a practical way for foreign founders to test market interest, meet potential partners, and observe how international competitors position themselves in China's intelligent manufacturing market.

Why This Matters for Company Registration and Operations

Foreign founders should read the conference as more than an industry showcase. The involvement of the State Council, a provincial government, and an international industry alliance signals policy attention and resource allocation toward intelligent manufacturing in Jiangsu. Companies considering a wholly foreign-owned enterprise, a joint venture, or a representative office in the region can use the event to:

• Identify industrial parks and clusters aligned with their technology
• Understand which factory automation and AI use cases local enterprises are prioritizing
• Meet potential Chinese partners and service providers
• Gauge demand for industrial datasets, algorithms, and model-based tools

Practical follow-up matters. Founders should prepare a clear description of their technology, target customers, and proposed investment structure before attending, and should consult local professional advisers on registration requirements, sector-specific rules, and any incentives that may apply. The conference itself does not guarantee approvals or benefits; it is a platform for information and networking.

Planning Around the Dates

With the event scheduled for November 19 to 21, 2026, founders have time to plan. Useful steps include monitoring official conference announcements for registration details, mapping Jiangsu's industrial clusters against their product, and preparing Chinese-language materials. Because the program includes specialized activities and ecosystem conferences, selecting sessions relevant to a company's niche in advance will make participation more productive.

Key Takeaways

• The 2026 World Intelligent Manufacturing Conference runs November 19 to 21 in Nanjing.
• It is State Council-approved and jointly hosted by Jiangsu Province and the International Intelligent Manufacturing Alliance.
• The program includes one main session, over ten specialized activities, and nearly 30 ecosystem conferences.
• Expected releases include intelligent factory results, top ten advances lists, and expert committee reports.
• A dedicated international exhibition area will feature companies from Germany, Switzerland, and elsewhere.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.