Last week, the Louken team was on the ground in Chongqing to officially kick off Lighthouse China (Chongqing) — a brand-to-market initiative developed under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI).

This launch marks an exciting next step in our broader Lighthouse vision, which aims to support enterprises across Asia in scaling regionally through a combination of branding, business strategy, and cross-border readiness.

Observations from the Ground

During our visit, we met with a wide range of stakeholders spanning retail, agriculture, lifestyle, F&B, manufacturing, B2B commerce, and technology. From strawberry farms and craft alcohol producers to retail innovators and tech startups, a common thread emerged — a growing appetite for overseas expansion, particularly into Southeast Asia.

For many of these enterprises, markets like Singapore and Indonesia represent exciting frontiers. Yet, it was clear that expansion comes with questions: How do we localise our business model? How do we position our brand meaningfully in a foreign market? What do consumers in Southeast Asia really want?

The answer, as many founders acknowledged, lies not just in export strategy — but in strategic branding, operational alignment, and cultural understanding.

At the same time, not all businesses are ready to make the leap. Some are still refining their core offerings or navigating regulatory and logistical complexities at home.

A Pathway for Every Stage

This is exactly where the Lighthouse Programme comes in.

Structured as a two-part framework — comprising an Incubation Programme and an Acceleration Programme — Lighthouse supports enterprises at different stages of international readiness.

In Chongqing, the focus will be on running incubation at scale, helping brands explore cross-border potential and strengthen their internal capabilities. A smaller group of high-potential companies will be selected for acceleration, receiving hands-on support as they move toward Southeast Asian market entry.

By meeting enterprises where they are, we ensure that the journey toward internationalisation is both realistic and strategic.

Strengthening the Cross-Border Ecosystem

Our visit also underscored the importance of ecosystem building. In addition to engaging brand owners, we held discussions with financial institutions, logistics providers, government-linked platforms, and Singapore enterprises based in Chongqing.

The goal: to create an integrated, cross-border support system that enables sustainable expansion — covering everything from compliance and financing to supply chain, distribution, and local partnerships.

With the right support network in place, Chinese brands can scale into Southeast Asia with greater clarity and confidence. At the same time, this collaboration opens the door for regional brands to explore Chongqing’s fast-developing business landscape, which is increasingly open to innovation, lifestyle, and consumer brands.

Building on Lighthouse Indonesia

Lighthouse China (Chongqing) builds on the success of our Lighthouse Indonesia programme, which has already supported multiple brands in navigating the complexity of cross-border growth.

The vision remains the same: to provide a trusted, strategic bridge between emerging and established markets — helping founders expand not just faster, but smarter.

With strong momentum and shared purpose on both sides, Lighthouse China (Chongqing) is now officially underway. We’re excited to continue working alongside our partners in Singapore and China to shape the next chapter of brand-led regional growth.