You may have seen signs around Shenzhen advertising "The 2nd Shenzhen Maker Week," or an "Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week." Both refer to a weeklong series of events (October 12-18) that involves hosting the biggest names in tech – Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Bill Gates and Ma Huateng, among others – and displaying the latest and greatest in homegrown innovation.
If you're an average office worker hoping to catch a glimpse of Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, though, you may be out of luck. The big-name celebrities are said to be visiting the main venue, located in Shenzhen Bay, yet the area is closed off to the public today. When we tried to get past security ourselves, we were told that foreigners would have to wait until October 13 to get inside. The situation appeared to be the same for Chinese citizens without special entry badges.
Tim Cook also paid a visit to the Apple store at Window of the World
According to an insider, Yee Ping Law of Hong Kong Innovation Services, it's because of all the famous visiting innovators and policymakers that security has been tightened so much. She recommends that would-be visitors try to enter on Thursday morning, when the area should be less crowded. By that time, however, most of the celebrities will likely be gone.
If the 'Shenzhen Maker Week' seems oddly inaccessible to the general public, that's because it's mostly meant for entrepreneurs and investors. As Yee Ping explained, 'Maker Week' is actually a misnomer; the conference organizers' main goal is to promote local companies on the rise, such as the drone maker DJI.
Still, there should be lots to see for the amateur tech enthusiasts among us. Tantalizing pictures of the main event show VR gaming, fancy drones, and robots galore. Even if you can't get the selfie with Tim Cook you always wanted, that's no reason to write off the event entirely.
Below is our short guide on how to get to the main event venue, and how to get in:
What to Bring:
A form of ID; either a passport or Chinese identity card should work.
When to Go:
Thursday morning is recommended. The venue should also be open for the rest of the day, though, and every day until the event ends on the 18th.
How to Get There:
Don't drive, or taxi, or bus. The area surrounding the Shenzhen Bay venue has largely been closed off to traffic. Instead, head to Keyuan subway station (Line 2), Exit C, or Hi-tech Park station (Line 1), Exit C. From there you can take a shuttle bus directly to the venue, free of charge.
If you can't find the correct bus stop, look for volunteers in red vests. They'll point the way.
The last stop, 双创周主会场, is the site of the events. You'll know you've reached it when everyone else gets off the bus. From there, follow the crowds and the signs pointing to the "Shenzhen Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week." You'll need to go through a security checkpoint first, underneath some white tents. Show the guards your ID and you should be able to get in for free.
[Images via Bailey Hu, WeChat, Southern Metropolis Daily]
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