Last week the 2nd International Conference on Hidden Champions was organized by the Institute for Hidden Champions at Zhejiang University and the city of Ningbo, the most entrepreneurial city in China that has 83 Hidden Champions or the most innovative companies in the world.
More than 300 academics and entrepreneurs, representing diverse regions of the world, came together for an extensive discourse on topics driven by innovation. They talked about resilient, digital and collaborative development. The main aim was to explore new ways for specialized and creative businesses to contribute to high-quality economic and social progress.
Hermann Simon, the visionary pioneer of the Hidden Champions concept, in his keynote highlighted the importance of innovation for the development of invisible champion enterprises in the new competitive environment. CEEMAN president, Danica Purg had a keynote speech on “Leadership of Hidden Champions: From Vision to Communityship”. She highlighted the importance of visionary leadership driven by passion and expertise in the success of Hidden Champions, fostering a strong sense of community within and around these organizations for lasting success. The conference also featured contributions from Aigerim Kaumenova, the new CEEMAN director, who shared enlightening insights into Hidden Champions in Kazakhstan, and Violeta Cvetkoska, who shared her perspectives on the Hidden Champions in North Macedonia.
Denis Berberović, the lead researcher of our new global Hidden Champion Research in rising economies, talked about initial research results. This marks the third CEEMAN research initiative dedicated to Hidden Champions, involving researchers from 50 countries spanning Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
The 2nd International Conference on Hidden Champions proved to be an invaluable platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas, highlighting the pivotal role of innovation and visionary leadership in the journey of Hidden Champions worldwide.