What Silicon Dragon Ventures does

Silicon Dragon Ventures is a privately held media and events company founded in 2010 by journalist and author Rebecca Fannin, headquartered in New York. Its core business is convening the global venture capital and startup community through annual in-person forums held in leading tech hubs including Silicon Valley, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York, London, Bangalore, Sydney, and Manchester, with programming comprising panel discussions, tech chats, networking receptions, and pitch contests. The company complements these forums with the Ask A VC online video series, the Silicon Dragon Circle membership program, and a regular newsletter archive spanning back to 2010.

The company's revenue is diversified across event ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, recurring membership subscriptions, book publishing royalties (Tech Titans of China, Silicon Heartland, Startup Asia, distributed via Amazon, Penguin Random House, and Hachette Book Group), public speaking engagements by the founder, and select premium-priced workshops such as a $1,500 Robotics Workshop Retreat. Long-tenured strategic partners—KPMG, Morrison & Foerster, DLA Piper, NASDAQ OMX, Silicon Valley Bank, Wells Fargo, Deloitte, and Forbes—provide sponsorship, content, and distribution support, while the founder's Forbes contributor role and recurring media appearances in Bloomberg TV, NBC Bay Area, Newsweek, and NPR extend the company's reach.

The underlying "technology" is event curation, content publishing, and community management rather than software or AI; there is no proprietary platform, API, or machine learning capability disclosed. Customer segments span venture capitalists, tech entrepreneurs, corporate venture executives, and professional service providers, with a horizontal rather than vertical specialization. Ownership is founder-controlled with no institutional investors, parent company, or acquisition signals, and the firm has operated continuously for over 15 years on a stable, event-driven commercial model.

Name

Silicon Dragon Ventures

Legal name

Silicon Dragon Ventures

Website

https://silicondragonventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Silicon Dragon Ventures is a founder-led media and events company that convenes global venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives through annual forums, online video series, a membership program, and books focused on China, Asia, and cross-border tech investment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Media and Events

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Engineering & Technology Congresses (THAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Venture capital events
• Tech investment forums
• Startup networking conferences
• China tech insights
• Business media publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue generated from event attendance fees charged to participants and sponsorship packages from corporations, law firms, banks, and venture capital firms. Events range from free to premium ticket prices.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Silicon Dragon Circle membership program provides exclusive access to events, content, and networking opportunities for subscribers.
3. Book Sales and Speaking Engagements: Revenue from book sales (Tech Titans of China, Silicon Heartland, Startup Asia) and public speaking engagements by founder Rebecca Fannin.
4. Workshop Retreats: Premium-priced curated workshops such as the Robotics Workshop Retreat at $1,500 per attendee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Silicon Dragon Ventures operates a media and events platform that hosts annual forums in major global tech hubs (Silicon Valley, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York, London, Bangalore, Sydney), connecting venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and tech innovators. The company also publishes books and newsletters on global tech trends, runs the Silicon Dragon Circle membership program, and produces video series such as Ask A VC featuring venture capitalists.

Product overview

Silicon Dragon Ventures operates as a media and events company connecting innovators and startup investors globally. The core offerings include the Silicon Dragon Events Forums series (annual conferences held across major tech hubs including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Silicon Valley, New York, London, Bangalore, and Sydney), the Ask A VC online video series, and a membership program (Silicon Dragon Circle). The company also publishes authoritative books on global tech trends through founder Rebecca Fannin, including 'The New Tech Titans of China' (2026 revised edition), 'Silicon Heartland' (2022), and 'Startup Asia'. A complimentary newsletter provides ongoing coverage of venture capital and technology innovation trends worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Silicon Dragon Circle: Membership program for technology entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, and startup stakeholders

Products and services

• Silicon Dragon Events Forums Annual in-person and virtual forums held across major global tech hubs (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Silicon Valley, New York, London, Bangalore, Sydney) for technology entrepreneurs and investors, featuring panel discussions, tech chats, networking receptions, dealmaker sessions, and pitch contests.
• The New Tech Titans of China (Book) A book by Rebecca A. Fannin exploring China's tech sector, featuring profiles of top Chinese tech companies, sectors driving China's ambitions, and predictions for China's tech dominance. Published by Hachette Book Group.
• Silicon Heartland (Book) A book by Rebecca A. Fannin published by Penguin Random House in 2022, documenting a tech comeback for America's Rust Belt and examining the transformation of heartland cities through technology and innovation.
• Startup Asia (Book) A book by Rebecca Fannin providing strategies for capitalizing on Asia's innovation boom, covering startup ecosystems across Asian markets. Published by Wiley.
• Silicon Dragon Circle Membership A subscription-based membership program offering access to exclusive content, events, networking opportunities, and community engagement for innovators and investors in the global tech ecosystem.
• Ask A VC Series An online video series featuring venture capitalists and tech titans from leading global hubs, providing insights and discussions on venture capital and technology trends.
• Silicon Dragon News & Newsletter Regular news coverage and newsletter publications covering global tech innovation, venture capital trends, China tech news, and industry insights, with archives dating back to 2010.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• KPMGmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPMG has been a consistent sponsor of Silicon Dragon events since 2010, providing thought leadership content and serving as a knowledge partner for forums in Shanghai, Beijing, London, Hong Kong, and other locations.
• Morrison & FoerstermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm Morrison & Foerster has been a regular sponsor and supporter of Silicon Dragon events, providing legal expertise and content for panels on venture deals and corporate matters.
• DLA PipermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLA Piper sponsors Silicon Dragon events and provides speakers for dealmaker panels covering venture capital and corporate transactions.
• NASDAQ OMXmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASDAQ OMX has partnered with Silicon Dragon on events including New York forums held at Nasdaq MarketSite, providing IPO expertise and market insights.
• Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSVB has been a sponsor of Silicon Dragon events and provides banking and finance expertise for panels on venture financing and cross-border transactions.
• Wells FargominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWells Fargo has sponsored Silicon Dragon Valley events and participated in panels on venture capital and financial services.
• DeloitteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeloitte has supported Silicon Dragon events as a sponsor and provided professional expertise on venture accounting and tax matters.
• ForbesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerForbes serves as a media partner for Silicon Dragon events and founder Rebecca Fannin is a contributor to Forbes.com, providing content distribution and brand amplification.
• Asia SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAsia Society has partnered as a marketing supporter for Silicon Dragon events, helping reach audiences interested in Asia business and innovation.
• AAMA (Asia America Multi-Technology Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAAMA has served as a marketing partner and event supporter for Silicon Dragon programs in various locations.
• InvestHKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInvestHK has partnered with Silicon Dragon for Hong Kong events, supporting promotion of Hong Kong as a startup and finance hub.
• Cyberport Hong KongminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCyberport has served as venue partner for Silicon Dragon Hong Kong events, supporting the startup ecosystem.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• StrictlyVC (now part of The Information): StrictlyVC runs invite-only intimate events and editorial coverage for the global VC community, closely mirroring Silicon Dragon's combination of curated investor gatherings, content, and subscription access. Both monetize a tight VC/entrepreneur network via events plus recurring membership or subscription.
• The Information: The Information is a subscription-based tech business news outlet that has expanded into exclusive events and community programming for tech executives, VCs, and founders. Silicon Dragon shares the same hybrid paid-content + paid-event + community model targeting similar investor personas.
• DealStreetAsia: DealStreetAsia provides news, data, and events covering startup funding and venture capital across Asia, with a similar geographic and thematic overlap to Silicon Dragon's Asia-tech focus. Both serve investors seeking deal flow and intelligence on Asian tech ecosystems.
• e27 (Echelon): e27 operates a media platform plus flagship Echelon conference series connecting Southeast Asian startups, investors, and corporates. It competes for the same founder and VC attention in Asia as Silicon Dragon, with a regional events + content + community model.

Regional players

• TechNode (TechCrunch China predecessor): TechNode is a leading English-language media and events platform focused specifically on China's tech and startup ecosystem, providing direct topical overlap with Silicon Dragon's China-tech reporting and book content. Comparable in mission but concentrated on China rather than pan-Asia.
• MoneyShow: MoneyShow is a long-running investor education and conference company that has partnered with Silicon Dragon for ticketed events such as the Masters Symposium. Comparable in hosting paid investor conferences and serving similar retail and professional investor segments.

Broad incumbents

• TechCrunch (Crunchbase, Inc.): TechCrunch is a large-scale tech media outlet that runs Disrupt and other major tech conferences plus paid newsletters, overlapping heavily with Silicon Dragon's events + content + paid community stack. Operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• CB Insights: CB Insights is a tech market intelligence platform with subscription research, proprietary data, and industry events serving enterprise buyers, VCs, and corporates evaluating tech investments. Comparable buyer personas and monetization approach to Silicon Dragon's premium intelligence offerings.
• Web Summit: Web Summit is one of the world's largest tech conference operators running flagship events across multiple continents and serving the same founder, investor, and enterprise attendee base as Silicon Dragon. Operates at materially larger scale across overlapping event categories.
• Crunchbase: Crunchbase provides startup and investment data, news, and hosted events for the global VC and startup ecosystem. Targets similar investor and corporate innovation buyer segments as Silicon Dragon with a subscription data product layered onto editorial and events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/silicondragon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RAFannin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silicondragon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Silicon Dragon Ventures