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Reflections From My University of Cambridge EMBA Trek Across Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China, Bay Area.
A couple of weeks ago, I travelled to Hong Kong with my colleagues from Cambridge Judge Business School for the Executive MBA China Trek 2025. I expected an academic experience.
What I got instead was a complete reframing of how I think about innovation, global competition
and the future of emerging markets like Africa.
For 14 days, we moved between two of the world’s most remarkable cities—Hong Kong and Shenzhen—absorbing lessons that would normally take years to learn.
Shenzhen in particular struck me as a living blueprint for economic transformation. It is a place where government policy, universities, investors and startups all move in coordinated rhythm. Nothing about this ecosystem is accidental. Everything is built with intention.
We explored some of China’s most influential companies. At BYD, now the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, we saw how success is powered by an extraordinary model of vertical integration.
BYD doesn’t just assemble cars; they build nearly every component
themselves—from batteries to chips—which is how they’ve quietly overtaken Tesla in several markets.
At OPPO and Xiaomi, we met teams that have stopped thinking about catching up with Apple.
They are creating their own category of affordable premium devices with cameras, AI capability and design quality that now compete head-to-head with Western giants.
Much of this innovation never makes headlines in the West, yet its impact is undeniable.
When the formal trek ended, I stayed an extra week in Huaqiangbei, the hardware district often referred to as the Silicon Valley of supply chains. Walking through its endless blocks of
components, prototypes and manufacturing lines, I met the people who quietly build the electronics that power the world. What impressed me wasn’t imitation—it was adaptation. Ideas move from concept to mass production at a speed that most R&D cycles cannot match. In Shenzhen, innovation is not emotional; it is cultural. Precision, discipline and constant iteration define the way business is done.
Despite global tensions and rising tariffs, the mood was not one of frustration. It was a strategy.
Companies were exploring new markets, adjusting supply chains, diversifying production and investing in automation. It reminded me that innovation always finds a way around obstacles.
Politics may shift trade routes, but true innovation doesn’t wait for permission. It adapts, evolves and keeps moving.
As I reflected on everything I saw, it became clear that this story is not just about China. It is a mirror held up to Africa—a reminder of what becomes possible when a nation aligns its ambitions with the systems needed to support them.
China’s progress rests on a simple truth: government, universities and enterprise work toward a shared outcome.
The government sets a long-term vision. Universities drive research and talent.
Businesses execute with speed. Everyone is pulling in the same direction.
Africa has enough talent, creativity and entrepreneurial energy to lead globally. What we lack is alignment. Governments legislate in silos. Universities teach in silos. Startups innovate in silos.
The result is effort without momentum.
Imagine an Africa where governments partner directly with universities to develop innovation hubs, research parks and talent pipelines. Imagine universities that work hand-in-hand with
industry to solve real national problems. Imagine startups that do not struggle alone but grow through structured support and shared vision.
This is how nations build prosperity. It is how ecosystems emerge. It is how innovation becomespart of national identity rather than a buzzword reserved for conferences.
My biggest takeaway from China is that collaboration is the real engine of transformation.
Economies do not grow simply because individuals work harder. They grow because systems work together.
If Africa wants to shape its future, we cannot continue building in isolation. We need governments that embrace innovation, universities that engage deeply with industry and enterprises that understand the power of aligned national ambition.
China has shown what is possible. The question now is whether Africa is ready to design its own future with the same intentionality.
Babatope Ebenezer Olajide is the Founder and CEO of BlackForce, a Canadian educational technology company dedicated to advancing Black and ethnic minority talent.
