Participation in China’s 2026 High-End Instrument Innovation and Development Forum

Kore’s Managing Director Steve Mullock was honoured to participate in the 2026 Zhongguancun (ZCG) Forum in Beijing, China, on 28th March 2026. The ZCG Forum ‘High-End Instrument Innovation and Development’ serves to integrate technological innovation with industrial development. The platform achieves this by bringing together global experts, policymakers and industry leaders.

Contributing a strong industrial perspective, Steve provided a key voice in the discussions, reinforcing a central theme of the forum: bridging the gap between innovation and application. Steve underscored the need to keep the real ultimate goal firmly in mind, to avoid the distraction of intermediate targets or received wisdom. If an academic has an opinion, we should not be afraid to ask them to defend their position, no matter how respected they are. A true expert should not object, and the discussion can clarify the limits of the context where the ‘expert’ opinion is valid. Furthermore, these ongoing discussions allow crucial checkpoints that the academic aims are the same as the industrial aims.

Four hundred industry leaders from China and overseas gathered to explore the future of advanced instrumentation and its role in industrial transformation, focusing on real-world examples. Steve’s emphasis on collaboration between research, manufacturing, and end users received resounding support from the forum participants.

The visit to China also provided a welcome opportunity to share an enjoyable evening of dining and singing with our colleagues at Kore’s parent company, Beijing SDL.