Micro and small businesses were considered the lifeblood and backbone of the economy, but financing difficulties impeded their ability to survive, grow, and thrive. Micro Connect was founded in 2021 to connect micro and small businesses in China with global investors. At the core of its business model was the distinctive system of daily revenue contracts (DRCs) whereby an invested store shared an agreed percentage of its revenue on a daily basis with Micro Connect in exchange for the up-front lump-sum capital investment. As a super connector, Micro Connect identified sustainable sources of global capital to channel into micro and small businesses in China. The Micro Connect Exchange would provide a platform where micro and small businesses could capitalize on their revenue streams by listing their DRCs, and investors could deploy their capital efficiently by leveraging liquidity and price discovery. Charles Li and Gary Zhang, the two founders of Micro Connect, were considering further steps they should take to meet the enormous financing demand from micro and small businesses in China and attract more global investors to the Micro Connect Fund and the Micro Connect Exchange.

By 2014, Tencent Holdings Limited, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, had become one of the most innovative companies in Asia. It had created several leading Internet platforms to form China's largest Internet community. WeChat (or Weixin, as known to Chinese users) was one of the company's most popular mobile platforms, having grown to 200 million active users in the first two years after its launch in 2013. Shortly thereafter, WeChat rolled out a payment platform that sought to capitalize on its customer base across China. However, its president was concerned about how to expand WeChat Payment in the country's emerging mobile payment industry. Where was the next major opportunity? Tencent had to be highly creative in navigating the world's largest economy.

By 2014, Tencent Holdings Limited, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, had become one of the most innovative companies in Asia. It had created several leading Internet platforms to form China’s largest Internet community. WeChat (or Weixin, as known to Chinese users) was one of the company’s most popular mobile platforms, having grown to 200 million active users in the first two years after its launch in 2013. Shortly thereafter, WeChat rolled out a payment platform that sought to capitalize on its customer base across China. However, its president was concerned about how to expand WeChat Payment in the country’s emerging mobile payment industry. Where was the next major opportunity? Tencent had to be highly creative in navigating the world’s largest economy.