I flew to Shanghai to meet a guy who's bringing 2,000 builders to China for 28 days

I kept telling people they need to come to China. Then I found someone who's actually making it happen — for 2,000 people at once. Here's how I ended up helping organize it.

How it started

I'd been in China for a while and couldn't stop talking about it. The technology, the speed, the pragmatism. The fact that things just work here in ways I wasn't used to from Europe. I felt at home. And I kept wanting to bring people here — friends, founders, anyone who'd listen — because I knew that what they read in the news had almost nothing to do with reality.

Through various detours I met Dan Thompson from Noma Collective. Dan organizes gatherings for nomads, entrepreneurs, and techies. I wanted to support what he was doing. At some point he mentioned someone he knew who had been planning a big event in China — but it had to be postponed. The internet situation would have made it impossible to run.

That made me curious. Who plans something that ambitious in China? What kind of event needs unrestricted internet to work?

Finding Sun

That's how I found Sun. He runs The Mu, an organization that's been doing pop-up cities around the world — Argentina, Thailand, Africa, the Middle East. Over 300 events, 2,500+ builders. Now he was planning his biggest one yet: a month-long tech immersion in Shanghai. 2,000 builders. Factory tours at DeepSeek and Unitree. AI, biotech, robotics, gaming. $149.

I wanted to understand what he was actually building. Not the landing page version. The real version.

His pitch was simple: China needs more international talent coming in. The world needs access to China's manufacturing, supply chains, and tech ecosystem. But when people arrive in China, they don't know who to talk to. They can't find the right co-founder, the right manufacturer, the right government contact.

muShanghai is supposed to be that bridge. One month. One campus. The people you'd normally spend years trying to meet, all in one place.

The ratio is what got me: 50% international, 50% Chinese builders. Not a conference where foreigners talk to foreigners about China. An actual mix. The kind of thing I'd been looking for since I moved here.

So I flew to Shanghai to meet him.

What I found

The venue is in Shanghai's tech district. Unrestricted internet — Google, GitHub, X all work, which matters more than you'd think when you're trying to get work done in China. Shanghai government is involved. Alibaba is a partner.

This isn't some random conference room. It's a purpose-built campus — co-working zones (silent and social), a tiered classroom for talks, workshop space, a media room, call booths, a game room, outdoor dining areas, and a cinema/chill zone. The kind of space where you bump into the right person over coffee at the beverage bar and end up building something together.

The muShanghai campus layout. Full venue guide with all spaces →

The format isn't a typical conference. It's four themed weeks:

• Week 1: AI — where East meets West on how AI reshapes everything
• Week 2: Biotech & Longevity — connecting global health research with China's biotech ecosystem
• Week 3: Robotics & Automation — factory tours, hardware builders, the physical side of AI
• Week 4: Gaming & Entertainment — the creative side of China's tech scene

You don't have to stay the full month. Drop in for a day, a week, or whatever fits. The ticket is $149. Living costs in Shanghai are around $1,500/month — less than most people spend in San Francisco in two weeks.

Why I got involved

I've been in China for months now. I've met factory owners in Shenzhen, professors in Shanghai, robotics founders who build humanoid robots that cost less than a used car. Every single time, the same thing happens: they're surprised a foreigner showed up. They're happy about it. And they want more of it.

On the other side, I talk to founders in Europe and the US who are desperate to understand China but have no idea where to start. They read articles. They watch YouTube videos. They still don't get it. Because you can't understand China from the outside. You have to come here.

muShanghai is exactly the kind of thing that makes both sides better. Chinese builders get access to international markets, perspectives, and partnerships. International builders get access to China's speed, manufacturing, and talent pool. Everyone learns something they couldn't have learned alone.

That's why I help organize it. Not because someone asked me to fill a role. Because I've seen what happens when these two worlds actually mix, and I want more of it.

Who this is for

If you're a founder, developer, researcher, or investor who wants to understand China — not from a news article, but by actually being here — this is the easiest entry point I've found.

You don't need to speak Mandarin. You don't need to know anyone. You probably don't even need a visa — most Europeans get 30 days visa-free, Americans and Brits get 240-hour transit (full breakdown here). You just need to show up.

The application takes five minutes. They're selecting for builders — people who make things, not people who talk about making things.

I help organize muShanghai. For the full breakdown — tracks, companies, FAQ, who's coming — check the complete guide. Questions? Reach out.