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NEW R&D Data Reveal US Slipping As
A Global Tech Power While China Rises

In yet another telling indicator of America's slide as the uncontested global tech power, a new report by the  National Science Board
 finds that while the U.S. remains the top spender in research and development, its share of R&D investments globally has declined to 25% while that other superpower ─ China ─ has gained to 23%.
Since 2000, the U.S. global share of R&D has declined from 37%, growing modestly by an average 4.3% annually. China's dramatic increases in R&D spending, meanwhile, contributed one-third of total growth globally. China bypassed Europe, Japan, Germany and France in R&D expenditures.
It's hard to ignore that while that the U.S., once the uncontested leader in science and engineering, is now playing a less dominant role.
" To remain a leader," said NSB Chair  Diane Souvaine,
"we need to tap into our American 'can do' spirit and recommit to strong partnerships among government, universities, and industry that have been the hallmarks of our success. I believe we should react with excitement, not fear, because we are well positioned to compete, collaborate, and thrive."
Read more here, US R&D share slipping

But US keeps ahead of China in VC funding in 2019, 
as reported exclusively in our Jan. 13 issue.
.
IPOs
Chinese Podcaster Platform Funded by Who's Who In Venture Aces Nasdaq IPO

Chinese podcasting-plus player  LIZHI  rang the bell at NASDAQ on January 17, 2020,  becoming the first stock among Chinese audio players. As an investor of  LIZHI 's Series B and Series C, Morningside Venture Capital noted that the firm "is honored to accompany and participate in the growth for years." Other backers were TPG, Xiaomi, Orchid Asia and Matrix
LIZHI , an interactive audio-streaming platform for user-generated content in China, raised $45 million by offering 4.1 million shares at $11, the low end of the range of $11 to $13.  Shares in the Chinese podcasting and interactive platform  soared by 25% on its Nasdaq liftoff. 
Here are some key metrics about  Lizhi, based on my interview with CFO  Catherine Chen. Read more here: China IPO liftoff

DEALS
A livestreaming sub-brand of Chinese edtech startup VIPKids, which offers online classes for primary and middle-grades, has raised $80 million in a Series A round led by Tencent Holdings, Sequoia Capital China and Hammer Capital .

Cash-strapped NYSE-listed Chinese electric vehicle maker NIO, a rival to Tesla in China, looks to accept $150 million investment from state-owned Guangzhou Automotive Corp (GAC). Caixin

Qingteng Cloud Security, a Saas-based startup in Beijing, has raised $44 million in series B+ financing round led by Greater Bay Area Homeland Investment Limited.

Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial from China pumps $150 million more in Zomato, an Indian online food delivery service, at a valuation of $3 billion.  

INDIA
Samya.ai, a SaaS platform that helps the consumer packaged goods industry optimize supply chain inefficiencies and scale revenue, has raised $6 million from Sequoia India Capital

India-based digital bank epiFi , co-founded by ex-Google pay execs,  has raised $13.2 million in a seed round of funding led by Sequoia India and Ribbit Capital, with Hillhouse Capital

INDONESIA
Asian conglomerates lead $32 million round for blockchain remittance firm Lightnet in Indonesia. 

    NOTEWORTHY
With the Year of the Rat celebrations next week, Chinese firms prepare to give away millions to attract new customers. SCMP

Trump's trade deal secured gains for tech firms operating in China. But the end result of the two-year conflagration may end up being more damaging for them. NYTimes

China's long relationship with Davos Economic Forum. (I once spoke at the Davos forum in Dalian.) Here's why Davos is also held in China, by  Keith Bradsher.  

14 Tech Trends to Watch Closely in 2020, courtesy of research firm CBI Insights. One is q uantum supremacy,  a reference to using quantum computers to quickly solve a problem that would take conventional computers an ungainly amount of time to tackle.

The future of America's contest with China: the underlying conflict, by Evan Osnos in The New Yorker.  

QUOTED Silicon Drago n
The Economist Life is getting harder for foreign VCs in China

CKGSB Knowledge Magazine: A Rising Rivalry