What Now Shenzhen does

Now Shenzhen, founded in 2001 by Brent Deverman and operated under the legal entity 戴百润投资顾问（深圳）有限公司 (Dai Baire Investment Consulting (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.), is an English-language digital media platform serving the expatriate community in Shenzhen, China. Headquartered in Futian District with a team of 1-10 employees, the platform operates a WordPress-based content management system distributed across a main website (nowshenzhen.com) and three specialized subdomains: apartments.nowshenzhen.com, jobs.nowshenzhen.com, and events.nowshenzhen.com. The platform delivers daily news, a 459-venue lifestyle directory, business services directory, city guides, and venue listings across categories including restaurants, hotels, schools, healthcare, and professional services. Its technology stack is standard CMS with WeChat integration as the primary social channel for the Chinese market, supplemented by Facebook and Instagram presence.

The platform addresses information asymmetry for English-speaking expatriates navigating Shenzhen while simultaneously providing local businesses a channel to reach foreign customers. Revenue is generated through two primary streams: advertising and sponsored content (banner placements, sponsored articles, featured listings) and subscription/recurring directory and listing fees (premium placements, featured business profiles, upgraded venue profiles). Its go-to-market is community-led, leveraging social platforms and an Ambassador Program that extends reach through influential local figures. The platform maintains media partnerships with 22+ organizations including major international chambers of commerce (AmCham South China, British Chamber, European Chamber, German Chamber, CanCham, BenCham, CCI France China) and expat support organizations. Distribution channels include self-service web submissions for listings, events, and job postings, alongside enterprise sales for advertising partnerships. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The platform has expanded content coverage beyond Shenzhen to include Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao, reflecting its positioning as a Pearl River Delta / South China regional English-language resource.

Name

Now Shenzhen

Legal name

戴百润投资顾问（深圳）有限公司

Website

https://nowshenzhen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Now Shenzhen is an English-language digital media platform serving Shenzhen's expatriate community with daily news, apartment listings, a jobs board, events calendar, and a 459-venue lifestyle directory, monetized through advertising and directory listings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Expat Community Media

NAICS

Information (51)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Neighborhood Community Platforms (MPACAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

POI, Local Listings & Business Directory Platforms (BPAMANAD)

Keywords

• Expat media platform
• Community news portal
• Online directory listings
• Jobs and classifieds
• Event advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsored Content: The platform generates revenue through banner placements, sponsored articles, featured listings, and advertising campaigns for businesses targeting the expat community in Shenzhen. The website explicitly mentions 'Media kit on Advertise with us' page.
2. Directory and Listing Fees: Revenue generated from premium directory listings, featured business placements, and upgraded venue profiles on the platform's directory section which lists 459 venues.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Now Shenzhen is an English-language community media platform that publishes daily news, lifestyle articles, and local guides for expatriates in Shenzhen. It operates a set of vertical directories and listing products covering apartments, jobs, events, lifestyle venues (459 listings), and business services, monetized through advertising, sponsored content, and premium directory placements sold to local businesses targeting the expat audience.

Product overview

Now Shenzhen is a unified media platform that aggregates and delivers local news, community information, and directory services for Shenzhen's expatriate and international community. The core platform is the news portal at nowshenzhen.com, supplemented by specialized sub-products including an Apartments Directory for housing searches, a Jobs Board for employment opportunities, an Events Calendar for community activities, City Guides for local navigation, and a Lifestyle Directory for discovering venues and services. All these products share a common content management infrastructure and are accessible through a unified navigation structure on the main site.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Now Shenzhen Apartments: Apartment listings portal covering Futian, Nanshan, Qianhai, and Shekou districts
• Now Shenzhen Jobs
• Now Shenzhen Events

Products and services

• Now Shenzhen News Portal Comprehensive English-language media platform providing daily news, articles, and community information for Shenzhen, covering local events, dining, nightlife, lifestyle, food and beverage, hotels, schools, sports, and business and technology news for English-speaking expats.
• Now Shenzhen Apartments Directory Real estate listing service featuring apartment options across Shenzhen districts including Futian, Nanshan, Qianhai, and Shekou, targeted at expatriates searching for housing in Shenzhen.
• Now Shenzhen Jobs Board Recruitment and job hunting platform categorized by industry including Art & Design, Education, Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Management, Sales & Marketing, and Technology, for both job seekers and hiring businesses in the Shenzhen expat market.
• Now Shenzhen Events Calendar Curated calendar of community events including Afternoon Tea, Arts & Culture, Business, Dining Out, Exhibitions, Family & Kids, Happy Hour, Holidays, Hong Kong, Macao, Nightlife, and Special Promotions, for Shenzhen-area expats and visitors.
• Now Shenzhen City Guides Insider guides covering Shenzhen districts, ferry schedules, and national holidays to help residents and visitors navigate the city.
• Now Shenzhen Lifestyle Directory Business and venue directory featuring 459 listings across categories including bakeries, beauty centers and barbers, fitness and sports clubs, hotels, nightlife, restaurants, serviced apartments, spas and massage centers, retail, and tailor shops.
• Now Shenzhen Business Services Directory Professional services directory including business services, car rentals, chambers of commerce, expat organizations, hospitals and clinics, international schools, legal services, mandarin schools, moving services, real estate agencies, recruitment agencies, serviced offices, and visa agencies.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats (Shekou MSCE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page. Provides services for expats in the Shekou area.
• AIMO Artful Mindfulness StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Bao'an Foreign Languages Association (BAFLA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page. A non-profit NGO bridging foreigners with local communities.
• British Chamber of Commerce GuangdongminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• CanCham PRD (Canadian Chamber of Commerce in PRD)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• CaptivatingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• China Australia Chamber of Commerce South ChinaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• European American Chamber of Commerce & IndustryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• European Chamber South China ChapterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page, with both Guangzhou and Shenzhen offices.
• German Chamber of Commerce in ChinaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Greenwave ChinaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Hong Kong CheapominorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• InterNations (Shenzhen)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Nanshan International Cultural Exchange & Service Center (NSIC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Shenzhen DailyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and CooperationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Shenzhen Spanish ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.
• Shenzhen Women's International Club (SWIC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page. Promotes social and cultural exchange for expatriate women in Shenzhen.
• The American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page. Represents more than 2,300 corporate and individual members, facilitating bilateral trade between the US and China.
• The Benelux Chamber of Commerce (BenCham)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page. The most active Benelux business platform in China with over 350 members.
• The Spanish Chamber of Commerce in ChinaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page. Promotes commercial and economic relations between Spain and China.
• CCI France China (French Chamber of Commerce in China)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a media partner on Now Shenzhen's partners page.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Beijinger: The leading English-language expat media platform in Beijing, offering news, events, listings, jobs, and lifestyle content. Directly comparable to Now Shenzhen as a city-specific expat media portal with advertising and directory revenue model, though operating in Beijing rather than Shenzhen.
• SmartShanghai: Long-running English-language online publication and community platform for Shanghai's expat community, providing news, events, classifieds, and venue listings. Direct competitor model to Now Shenzhen in a parallel Chinese tier-1 city.
• City Weekend: English-language city guide and events platform covering multiple Chinese cities including Shanghai and Beijing. Comparable to Now Shenzhen as a multi-city expat media platform with directory, events, and advertising offerings.
• eChinaCity: Online guide for expatriates in China offering city directories, events, forums, and lifestyle content. Operates as a multi-city expat portal with similar advertising and listing-fee revenue streams to Now Shenzhen.
• That's Shanghai: English-language city magazine and digital platform serving Shanghai's expat community with news, events, dining, and lifestyle content. Closely comparable to Now Shenzhen as a Chinese-city expat media platform with similar editorial and advertising revenue model.

Emerging players

• InterNations: Global expat networking platform with an active Shenzhen community offering events, forums, and local guides. Comparable as an expat community engagement layer that overlaps with Now Shenzhen's community- and events-driven value proposition.
• Hangzhou-Expat: Smaller expat community portal serving Hangzhou's foreign community with classifieds, events, and directory listings. Comparable to Now Shenzhen's niche-city expat portal model but at smaller scale and in a different city.

Broad incumbents

• Time Out Shenzhen: Global media brand covering dining, nightlife, and cultural events in major cities including Shenzhen. Competes for the same expat advertising dollars in Shenzhen but operates as part of a global portfolio rather than a Shenzhen-focused specialist.

Others

• JingDaily: Digital media platform covering luxury, lifestyle, and consumer trends in China with English-language content. Adjacent comparator in the China-targeted English-language digital media category, though focused on luxury/consumer industry rather than local expat community.
• Chinaplas / ReloChina: Relocation and expat-services platform covering China with housing, schools, and lifestyle resources. Adjacent comparator to Now Shenzhen's apartments/jobs/services verticals, but oriented toward relocation transactions rather than community media.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/shenzhenparty
• Instagraminstagram.com/nowshenzhen
• Xx.com/shenzhenparty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shenzhenparty

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 Now Shenzhen