HURUN FUTURE UNICORNS - GLOBAL CHEETAHS INDEX 2024

IN SEARCH OF START-UPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD MOST LIKELY TO ‘GO UNICORN’ WITHIN 5 YEARS.

HURUN RESEARCH FINDS 928 HURUN CHEETAHS IN THE WORLD, UP 181, OR 24% OVER LAST YEAR.

USA OVERTOOK CHINA TO BECOME WORLD CAPITAL FOR CHEETAH-LEVEL STARTUPS, WITH 359, UP 113 OR 46%. CHINA SECOND WITH 304, UP 13 OR 4%. TOGETHER, THE USA AND CHINA ACCOUNTED FOR 71% OF THE WORLD'S CHEETAHS.

INDIA SHOOTS UP TO THIRD PLACE, OVERTAKING UK, ADDING 16 HURUN CHEETAHS TO 52. UK DOWN ONE PLACE TO FOURTH WITH 39, UP 1.

SHANGHAI RETAINS TOP CITY IN WORLD FOR CHEETAHS, WITH 68, FOLLOWED BY SAN FRANCISCO WITH 65 AND BEIJING WITH 56.

IRELAND, SWEDEN, AUSTRIA & COLOMBIA ENTERED THE TOP 20 THIS YEAR. THAILAND, TURKEY, AND VIETNAM EACH HAD AT LEAST ONE HURUN CHEETAH FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.

392 NEW FACES, LED BY THE US WITH 195, CHINA 71, INDIA 31 AND UK 13.

103 ‘DEMOTED’, NO LONGER MAKING THE CUT.

108 HURUN CHEETAHS PROMOTED FROM LAST YEAR’S LIST, OF WHICH 17 WERE PROMOTED TO UNICORN STATUS AND 73 TO HURUN GAZELLES. 8 WENT IPO, LED BY SUZHOU-BASED ADVANCED MATERIALS BUSINESS KEMATEK, WITH A VALUATION OF US$4.1 BILLION.

HEALTHCARE MOST DISRUPTED, FOLLOWED BY FINANCIAL SERVICES AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS.

BIOTECH AND HEALTHTECH LED THE WAY, WITH 144 AND 123 HURUN CHEETAHS, FOLLOWED BY FINTECH 88, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 80 AND ENTERPRISE SERVICES 68.

HONGSHAN MOST SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL CHEETAHS INVESTOR FOR SECOND YEAR, INVESTING INTO 67 HURUN CHEETAHS, FOLLOWED BY CICC, MATRIX PARTNERS, QIMING VENTURE PARTNERS AND TIGER GLOBAL.

AVERAGE AGE OF HURUN CHEETAHS WAS EIGHT YEARS. 52, OR 6% OF LIST, FOUNDED WITHIN LAST THREE YEARS, MAINLY DOING AI.

66% OF THE CHEETAHS SELL SOFTWARE AND SERVICES, WHILST ONLY 34% SELL PHYSICAL PRODUCTS.

ONLY 29% OF HURUN CHEETAHS ARE CONSUMER-FACING, WHILE 71% ARE B2B.

(18 December 2024, Guangzhou, China, Mumbai, India and Oxford, UK) The Hurun Research Institute today released the Hurun Future Unicorns – Global Cheetahs Index 2024, a list of the world’s start-ups most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within five years, i.e. hit a valuation of US$1bn.  The cut-off date used was 31 October 2024. Hurun Research has been tracking Unicorns since 2017, Future Unicorns Gazelles since 2019 and Future Unicorns Cheetahs since 2020. This is the second year Hurun Research has launched the Hurun Cheetahs Index on a global level.

This report includes the Most Successful Hurun Cheetahs Investors 2024, a ranking of the most successful investors in the world, based on the number of Hurun Cheetahs they have invested in.

Hurun Research found 928 Cheetahs worldwide, based in 37 countries and 243 cities. On average, they were set up in 2016, ie eight years ago. 66% sell software and services, led by FinTech, BioTech and HealthTech and followed by Enterprise Services, Artificial Intelligence and SaaS. 34% sell physical products, led by BioTech, HealthTech, Semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. 71% are selling to businesses, whilst 29% are consumer-facing. Hurun Cheetahs are mainly disrupting healthcare and financial services.

108 or 14% of last year’s Hurun Cheetahs were promoted, of which 17 to Hurun Unicorns, 73 to Hurun Gazelles, 10 were merged and 8 went IPO. 103 were demoted. There were 392 new faces.

Hurun Report Chairman and Chief Researcher Rupert Hoogewerf said:

“The Hurun Cheetahs Index is, along with the Hurun Gazelles Index, one of two Hurun lists that identify the pipeline for the Hurun Unicorns Index. Hurun Cheetahs is designed to identify startups from around the world that are most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within the next five years. Hurun Cheetahs are amongst the most exciting startups in the world. The cheetah is famous for being the fastest land animal, but can only run 400m at top speed, so if it does not catch its prey within that distance, then it will go hungry. In much the same way, Hurun Cheetahs are some of the fastest-growing start-ups in the world, but they have to ‘catch their prey’ ie hit their targets within a finite period, or – like their animal counterparts – they will ‘go hungry’ and not make it to a Hurun Gazelle or Hurun Unicorn.”

“The idea behind the Hurun Cheetahs is to help them find more investors, strategic partners and service providers as well as encourage the founders to think bigger, grow faster and go further. I am delighted to release the Hurun Global Cheetahs Index 2024 in association with Guangzhou’s Nansha District, widely considered to have some of the best policies and business environment for the development of high-growth industries in China.”

“Hurun Cheetahs are very young, just under eight years old on average, but are already worth an average of US$400 million. We are on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The supersonic growth of AI is disrupting almost every sector in the world, making now probably one of the most exciting times ever to start up a new business. Over a quarter of Hurun Cheetahs already use AI as part of their core offering, especially disrupting Business Process Management Solutions, Healthcare and Cyber Security. Advancements in generative AI and machine learning technology, rapid development of augmented and virtual reality, further adoption of cloud computing and internet connected appliances, along with automation of many industries have combined to produce unique opportunities for start-ups.”

“BioTech and HealthTech represent the hottest pipeline for the next generation of unicorns, the Hurun Cheetahs. Innovations in medical devices, biotech, and digital health are transforming disease treatment, diagnostics, and patient care. China and the US are leading this healthcare revolution. Other sectors with a strong pipeline of future unicorns are Financial Services and Business Management Solutions.”

“Bitcoin hitting the milestone of US$100,000 is going to generate a new wave of blockchain- and crypto-related Hurun Cheetahs, although to date there are only a handful on this year’s list. If history is any indicator, every significant Bitcoin milestone has acted as a trampoline for blockchain innovation. The first bull run saw the advent of exchanges and wallets; the next wave brought DeFi, NFTs, and layer-2 scaling solutions. Now, with Bitcoin crossing six figures, the focus will likely shift to institutional applications, cross-border payment solutions, and regulatory-tech startups.”

“Seven out of ten of the world's Hurun Cheetahs are in the United States and China, despite these two countries only making up one quarter of the world’s population and just over 40% of world GDP. The Rest of the World urgently needs to develop their own start-up ecosystems, otherwise almost all of the SpaceXs, Nvidias, OpenAIs and ByteDances of the future are going to come from just these two countries.”

“Donald Trump’s return to the White House after winning the US presidential election, looks likely to usher in lighter regulation, good news for US-based tech companies.”

“Elon Musk is not only a pioneer of transformative ventures like Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, OpenAI, The Boring Company and recently x.AI, but also a role model for startup founders worldwide, including Hurun Cheetahs. His relentless drive and ability to scale bold ideas into billion-dollar enterprises inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to dream big and execute even bigger. As more startup leaders influence governance, Musk stands as a beacon of how innovation and leadership can redefine industries, and nations.”

“Despite a marked slowdown in the Chinese economy, there is a vibrant startup ecosystem bubbling away under the surface. China-based Hurun Cheetahs have had a good year, adding just over 70 new faces, mainly in BioTech, HealthTech, Robotics, Semiconductors and New Energy and with 45 promotions, of which 9 went straight to Hurun Unicorns.” 

“India's startup ecosystem has evolved into a global powerhouse, driven by initiatives like 'Startup India' and National Startup Day. Prime Minister Modi's recent approval of a US$119 million fund for space startups highlights the nation's commitment to fostering innovation in cutting-edge industries, positioning India as a leader in sectors like space exploration. By supporting entrepreneurs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and simplifying business processes, the government is enabling startups to address regional and national challenges. This thriving environment also provides a strong foundation for startups like Hurun Cheetahs to scale rapidly and potentially achieve unicorn status within the next five years, reinforcing India's position as a global startup hub.”

“The UK punches above its weight when it comes to Hurun Cheetahs, coming in fourth in the world with nearly 40, more than Germany, France and many of the rest of the EU countries, combined. The UK’s Hurun Cheetahs are mainly in FinTech, especially payments, HealthTech, BioTech and New Energy.

“The EU consistently punches below its weight when it comes to startups, managing only 65 or 7% of the Hurun Cheetahs, despite contributing 16% to the world economy. The war in Ukraine and the economic troubles of the EU powerhouses of France and Germany have had a significant impact on business confidence.”

“Despite being widely considered a highly attractive place in the world for investment, Hurun Research only managed to find three Hurun Cheetahs in the Gulf, two in Dubai and one in Riyadh. Two are in logistics and one in gaming. Interestingly, the founders are from China and India, underscoring the Gulf’s appeal as a melting pot for global talent and innovation.”

“The West, made up the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, lead the world when it comes to Hurun Cheetahs, with 495 or 53%. The Global South, defined as less developed economies, led by China and India, but also including Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria and Mexico, have 383 or 41% of Hurun Cheetahs between them.”

“Only 30% of Hurun Cheetahs are consumer facing, suggesting that we are in a phase of big companies becoming bigger, as the digital revolution, especially AI, creates efficiencies. The concentration of economic power is only going to increase.”

“High interest rates in the US have combined to make it a tough year to raise money, especially compared with the highpoint of 2021. Only eight Hurun Cheetahs managed an IPO in the past year. Perhaps as a result, acquisitions are on the up.”

“Hurun Cheetahs are expected to ‘graduate’, first to Hurun Gazelles and then Hurun Unicorns, in much the same way that you are expected to graduate from a university course.  You might have got into a world-famous university, but if you are still doing your undergraduate course six years later, that raises questions! Some Hurun Cheetahs go straight to Unicorn status, meaning that we underestimated their speed of growth.  Some choose to go direct to IPO or are acquired. And some get demoted from our list, meaning we no longer believe they will make it to unicorn status within the assigned five year period.”

“We have identified over 3,000 Unicorns, Gazelles and Cheetahs, making Hurun the world’s largest list maker in the world for startups.”

“The reason we defined a Hurun Cheetah as a startup to ‘go unicorn’ within five years is to match the timespan usual for an investor into a scale-up. What does this mean for you? If you are an investor, you need to find the best venture capital houses to invest into these Hurun Cheetahs. If you are a local government, you should try and encourage these companies to set up shop there, otherwise you risk being left behind. If you are a world leading company, you should be partnering with them, or risk being left behind. If you are thinking about which industry to work in, perhaps these companies offer strong personal development opportunities.”

“Hurun is committed to promoting entrepreneurship through its lists and research. Hurun’s ‘startup series’ has two main components, one for companies and one for individuals, making Hurun the world’s most complete list maker for start-ups in the world. At the company level, it begins with the Hurun Cheetah Index, startups most likely to go unicorn within five years, moving onto the Hurun Gazelle Index, startups most likely to go unicorn within three years, and finishing with the Hurun Unicorn Index, startups already worth US$1 billion. On the individual level, we have the Hurun Under25s, Under30s, Under35s and Under40s, for founders of businesses that are worth US$1 million, US$10 million, US$50 million and US$100 million respectively.”

Where are the World’s Cheetahs based?

The world's Cheetahs are located across 37 countries and spread across 243 cities globally.

The USA and China led with 359 and 304 Hurun Cheetahs, together making up 71% of the world’s known Cheetahs.

India overtook the UK for third place with 52 Hurun Cheetahs. The UK was fourth with 39, closely trailing to the combined total of the EU’s three leading Hurun Cheetah producers: France, Germany and the Netherlands.

France was up four places to fifth. Israel dropped down five spots to 10^th.

By city, Shanghai led, with San Francisco overtaking Beijing to second place. New York and Shenzhen overtook Hangzhou. London was seventh. Guangzhou overtook Suzhou. San Diego and Mumbai broke into the Top 20 cities.

65 are from the European Union, led by France 19, Germany 15, Netherlands 7, Ireland 5, Spain and Sweden 4, Austria and Belgium 3.

26 from Southeast Asia, made up of Singapore 15, Indonesia 7, Malaysia 2 and Thailand and Vietnam 1 each.

3 from the GCC, made up of Dubai with 2 and Riyadh 1.

Asia has the highest number of Hurun Cheetahs in the world.

The West has 495 and the Global South has 383.

Table 1: Top 20 Countries and Cities where the World’s Cheetahs are Based

Table 2: Top Cities -Cheetahs in China, USA & Rest of the World

Table 3: Continents where the world’s Cheetahs are Based

What industries do they come from?

BioTech and HealthTech were Hurun Cheetahs' primary business areas, followed by FinTech, Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Services.

The US and China dominate when it comes to BioTech and HealthTech. In Fintech, it was the US and India. China has the dominant share of Semiconductors.

Meanwhile, in the Rest of the World, FinTech led and e-commerce were the Top 5 sectors.

Table 4: Top 10 Industries of the Hurun Cheetahs

Table 5: Key sectors of Cheetahs in China, USA & Rest of the World

Table 6: High-profile Hurun Cheetahs by Region

Most Disrupted Sectors

Healthcare is most disrupted by Hurun Cheetah startups, followed by Financial Services, and Business Management Solutions.

Innovations in medical devices, biotech, and digital health are transforming disease treatment, diagnostics, and patient care. Zhuhai-based Fitlens specialises in ophthalmic medical treatments, focusing on the design and manufacture of custom optical contact lenses and intraocular lens molds for individuals with complex eye care needs. US-based Moximed offers implantable devices for patients with knee osteoarthritis. Shanghai-based Hrain Biotechnology specialises in tumor immunotherapy. London-based Amber Therapeutics is focusing on innovative treatments for rare diseases. US-based Forta, set up in 2021, focuses on improving access to therapy for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

AI-related Hurun Cheetahs make up one quarter of the list, disrupting sectors such as Healthcare, Business Management Solutions, and Financial Services. For instance, SmarterDx, a clinical AI company, helps healthcare providers and institutions improve revenue and quality management, underscoring the transformative power of AI in optimizing operations across industries. Similarly, South Korea-based Upstage AI, set up in 2020, disrupting customer services through AI-powered solutions.

Hurun Cheetahs highlight the transformative impact of emerging technologies across a diverse range of industries. PhiGent Robotics in Beijing is at the forefront of revolutionizing autonomous. Monta, based in Denmark, is helping accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by simplifying the charging experience.

On the software front, Anysphere, a US-based research lab, is reshaping the software development process with its hybrid human-AI engineering model, which enhances efficiency and quality by automating coding tasks. Similarly, Storyblok from Austria is revolutionizing digital content management with its flexible infrastructure, empowering businesses to build and scale their digital experiences more effectively. Both companies reflect the growing importance of AI and software innovation in today's digital economy.

In the realm of sustainability, LOHUM in India is leading the way with its innovative approach to battery recycling. Meanwhile, Gilmour Space, an Australian aerospace company, is reshaping the space exploration industry with hybrid-propellant rocket engines.

Table 7: Top 10 Industries most disrupted by Cheetahs

New faces and ‘Promotions’

There were 392 new faces, led by the USA, China, and India, in the fields of BioTech, HealthTech, and Artificial Intelligence.

108 or 14% of last year’s Hurun Cheetahs were promoted, of which 17 to Hurun Unicorns, 73 to Hurun Gazelles, 8 went IPO and 10 were acquired.

Promotions to Hurun Unicorns were led by California-based humanoid robotics start-up Figure AI, founded in 2022 and backed by the likes of OpenAI, Microsoft, Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, and today with a valuation of US$2.7bn. Others include Beijing-based medium-lift liquid-powered rocket maker Space Pioneer, founded in 2019 and currently worth US$2.2bn.

IPOs were led by Suzhou-based new materials KemaTek, founded in 2009, and today with a market cap of US$4.1bn. Others of note included India-based online travel agency ixigo worth US$660mn and Hebei-based advanced dental equipment provider Aidite, worth US$600mn.

Table 8: Promoted to Unicorns from last year’s Hurun Cheetahs

Table 9: Cheetahs from last year with the most successful IPOs

Demotions

103 Hurun Cheetahs from last year were demoted, mainly from FinTech, HealthTech, and BioTech, reflecting the competitive and rapidly evolving nature of the list.

Which investors are the best at finding Cheetahs?

China-based HongShan retains the top spot as the world’s most successful investment platform for Hurun Cheetahs, followed by CICC, Matrix Partners, Qiming Venture Partners, and Tiger Global Management.

UK-based Eight Roads Ventures has 19 investments in the Hurun Cheetahs, while India’s Peak XV Partners is in the top 20 with 22 investments.

For the full Top 50 list of the Most Successful Cheetah Investors in the World 2024 and the full Top 30 list of the Most Successful Cheetah Investors in China 2024, see Appendix.

Table 10: Most successful investors in Cheetahs – Global and China Top 10

Comparison between Hurun Cheetahs, Gazelles and Unicorns

A Unicorn is a start-up from the 2000s, worth at least a billion dollars and not yet listed on a public exchange. A Gazelle is a start-up from the 2000s, not yet listed and most likely to become a unicorn within three years. A Cheetah is a start-up from the 2000s, not yet listed and most likely to become a unicorn within five years.

There are 3,069 known unicorns and future unicorns in the world today, broken down into 1453 unicorns on the 2024 Hurun Global Unicorn Index, 688 Hurun Gazelles on the 2023 Hurun Future Unicorns Gazelles and 928 Hurun Cheetahs on this 2024 Hurun Future Unicorns Cheetahs.

By country, the USA leads the world with half the known Unicorns, Gazelles, and Cheetahs, followed by China. Between them they have 70%. Third is India, fast-growing, and fourth is the UK.

Shanghai, San Francisco, Beijing, and New York lead the way with the highest number of Gazelles and Cheetahs, while San Francisco and New York have the most unicorns

By industry, BioTech generated the most Cheetahs, while FinTech was the leading sector for Unicorns and Gazelles.

Cheetahs, Gazelles, and Unicorns are booming in Software & Services and have a stronger tendency to sell to businesses rather than consumers.

Table 11A: Country-Wise comparison of Cheetahs, Gazelles and Unicorns

Table 11B: City-Wise comparison of Cheetahs, Gazelles and Unicorns

Table 11C: Industry-Wise Comparison: Cheetahs, Gazelles, and Unicorns

Table 11D: Top 10 Countries, Cities, and Industries of Unicorns, Gazelles, and Cheetahs Combined

Table 11E: Comparison between Cheetahs, Gazelles and Unicorns

Key Statistics 

2024 is the fifth year of Hurun Cheetahs for China, and the second year for the global list.

In the five years since the first Hurun China Cheetahs, the number of China-based Hurun Cheetahs has grown from 126 in 2020 to 304 today, of which 373 were new faces, 137 were promoted and 58 demoted. Of the 137 promotions, 90 were to Hurun Gazelles, 24 to Hurun Unicorns, 19 went IPO and 4 were acquired.

Methodology

The Hurun Future Unicorns – Global Cheetahs Index 2024 was compiled by the Hurun Research Institute. The cut-off used was 31 October 2024. Hurun Research defines a Cheetah as a start-up founded in the 2000s, not yet listed on a public exchange, and most likely, in our opinion, to reach a valuation of US$1 billion – i.e. ‘go unicorn’ – in the next five years.

Hurun Cheetahs mostly have a valuation today of between US$ 300 million to US$500 million and are growing at an annual rate of about 20%.

Many of the world’s top investment houses provided details of their portfolio, which Hurun Research cross-checked against specialised investment databases, industry experts, media sources, and Cheetahs co-founders.

Valuing Hurun Cheetahs can be tricky. The very nature of these super-fast-growing companies makes valuations hard to pin down. Still, to ensure consistency of the valuations, the Hurun research team used the most recent valuation based on a sizeable round. It becomes harder when a Cheetah is underperforming or on its way down since it is unlikely to have a new round of investment at a valuation lower than the previous round. In this case, Hurun used industry comparatives to ascertain a new lower valuation.

Countries and cities are ranked according to the Hurun Cheetah head office.

Cheetahs leave the Hurun Global Cheetahs Index either by being ‘promoted’ or ‘demoted’.  Promotions are achieved by becoming a Gazelle or Unicorn, listing on a public exchange (IPO), or being acquired. Demotions are when Hurun Research believes they will no longer become a unicorn within five years.

Hurun Research has been tracking Unicorns since 2017, Gazelles since 2019 and Cheetahs since 2020.

Disclaimer. This report was prepared by Hurun Report. Hurun Report has collected and researched all the data. This report is meant for information purposes only. Reasonable care and caution have been taken in preparing this report. The information in this report has been obtained from sources considered reliable. By accessing and/or using any part of the report, the user accepts this disclaimer and exclusion of liability, which operates to the benefit of Hurun Report. Hurun Report does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of any information contained in the report. Neither shall it be responsible for any errors or omissions in or for the results obtained from using such information. No third party whose information is referenced in this report under the credit to it assumes any liability towards the user for its information. Hurun Report shall not be liable for any decisions made by the user based on this report (including those of investment or divestiture), and the user takes full responsibility for the decisions made based on this report. Hurun Report shall not be liable to any user of this report (and expressly disclaim liability) for any loss or damage of any nature, including but not limited to direct, indirect, punitive, special, exemplary, consequential losses, loss of profit, lost business and economic loss regardless of the cause or form of action and regardless of whether or not any such loss could have been foreseen.

About Nansha

Located at the geographical center of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Nansha New Area of Guangzhou is 38 nautical miles away from Hong Kong and 41 nautical miles away from Macao. A half-hour transportation circle with Nansha as its core is taking shape. Covering an area of 803 square kilometers, Nansha has a population of over 1.2 million.

Nansha enjoys multiple strategic designations: it is the only state-level new area in Guangdong province, the largest area of Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Demonstration Zone for Comprehensive Cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. In June 2022, the State Council issued the Overall Plan for Promoting Comprehensive Cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao by Further Deepening Opening-up in Nansha District of Guangzhou, which envisioned Nansha as a major strategic platform with global perspective that is based on the Greater Bay Area and in collaboration with Hong Kong and Macao. Nansha has scored notable achievements in cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao. In recent years, major projects have been implemented here, including the Consultative Committee on Guangdong-Hong Kong Cooperation (Guangzhou Nansha), the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), the Hong Kong-style International Community and the Nansha Incubation Base of Hong Kong Science Park. Nansha boasts the largest container hub port in South China, and the largest international cruise home port in China. Railways from Nansha port are accessible to Europe, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. With the new position of National Demonstration Zone for Creative Promotion of Import Trade, Nansha has outstood in pursuing a more robust development by fully leveraging domestic and international markets. As a main support area for comprehensive national science center of the Greater Bay Area, Nansha is building a batch of scientific and technological innovation platforms such as Nansha Science City, cold-seep scientific facilities, International Special Zone for Talents, and the permanent site of the Greater Bay Area Science Forum. It is also home to an over 200-billion-yuan automotive cluster. The development of the strategic emerging industries in Nansha including artificial intelligence, life science, marine science, aerospace, and aviation is in full swing. Financial platforms such as the Guangzhou Futures Exchange and Guangzhou Data Exchange are being constructed in Nansha. More than 270 projects invested by Global Fortune 500 companies have been introduced here.

Nansha’s charm of Lingnan culture, water town culture, and ocean culture are unique and lingering. Nansha boasts distinctive attractions: the “Nansha Man” Relics, dated back to 4,000 years ago and known as the earliest one found in Guangzhou; Humen Fort Former Site; Former Residence of the People’s Musician Xian Xinghai. Besides, Nansha’s kylin dance, salt-water songs, and gambiered canton gauze have been included as intangible cultural heritages. Nansha enjoys an outstanding ecological environment, featuring a perfect integration of mountains, farmlands, rivers, sea, towns. With hundreds of hectares of wetlands, it is also crowned as a most livable community by the United Nations, a national law-based government demonstration district, and one of the happiest cities (district-level) in China.

About Hurun Inc.

Promoting Entrepreneurship Through Lists and Research

Oxford, Shanghai, Mumbai

Established in the United Kingdom in 1999, Hurun is a research and media group, promoting entrepreneurship through its lists and research. Widely regarded as an opinion-leader in the world of business, Hurun generated 8 billion views on the Hurun brand in 2023, mainly in China and India, and recently expanding to the UK, US, Canada and Australia.

Best-known for the Hurun Rich List series, telling the stories of the world’s successful entrepreneurs in China, India and the world, Hurun’s other key series focus on young businesses and entrepreneurs, through the Hurun Unicorns Index, two Hurun Future Unicorns indices, the Hurun U^th series and the Hurun Pioneers series.

Hurun has grown to become the world’s largest list compiler for start-ups, ranking over 3000 start-ups across the world through its annual Hurun Global Unicorns Index (startups with a valuation of US$1bn+), and two Hurun Future Unicorn Indexes: Gazelles, most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within three years, and Cheetahs, most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within five years.

The Hurun Pioneering Young Startups and Entrepreneurs series focuses on startups set up within the last ten years and founders aged 45 or under.

The Hurun U^th series includes the Under25s, Under30s, Under35s and Under40s awards, representing the cream of each generation of young entrepreneurs who have founded businesses with a social impact and worth US$1m, US$10m, US$50m and US$100m respectively.

Other lists include the Hurun 500 series, ranking the most valuable companies in the world, China and India, the Hurun Global High Schools List, ranking the world’s best independent high schools, the Hurun Philanthropy List, ranking the biggest philanthropists and the Hurun Art List, ranking the world’s most successful artists alive today.

Hurun provides research reports co-branded with some of the world’s leading financial institutions and regional governments.

Hurun hosts high-profile events across China and India, as well as London, Paris, New York, LA, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Luxembourg, Istanbul, Dubai and Singapore.

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Hurun Future Unicorns – Global Cheetahs Index 2024