Alibaba.com’s flagship CoCreate 2025 event in the US showcased groundbreaking AI tools designed to revolutionise global trade, empower SMEs, and elevate Pakistan’s apparel industry on the international stage, amid new funding initiatives and global expansion plans.
Alibaba.com recently hosted its flagship event, CoCreate 2025, in the United States, marking a significant milestone in the platform’s AI-driven transformation aimed at revolutionising global trade ...
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and enhancing opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide. This event underscored Alibaba.com’s dedication to empowering SMEs with cutting-edge technology, fostering innovation in B2B e-commerce that promises to reshape traditional sourcing methodologies.
Representing Pakistan at CoCreate 2025 was Pace Sports, a Sialkot-based manufacturer renowned for custom sportswear and sublimated team uniforms. The company’s founder, Mr Tehseen Abbas, a seasoned Alibaba.com seller with over ten years of experience on the platform, spoke insightfully about evolving global buyer behaviour and the rise of data-driven apparel sourcing trends. Attending his first U.S. trade show, Mr Abbas highlighted how more than 80% of Pace Sports’ revenue was generated via Alibaba.com, positioning Pakistan as a competitive and reliable sourcing destination in the global apparel market. Reflecting on the event, he stated, “The immediate response of U.S. buyers was outstanding, and my session proved that Pakistan’s apparel industry is increasingly seen as a reliable and competitive sourcing destination. Alibaba.com’s AI tools are expected to help Pakistani SMEs grow more quickly in the coming years.” His comments illustrate both the growing international confidence in Pakistani manufacturing capabilities and the vital role of AI technologies in facilitating these cross-border partnerships.
A key focus of CoCreate 2025 was Alibaba.com’s launch of its most ambitious AI overhaul to date, spotlighting innovations designed to streamline procurement for SMEs. According to Alibaba.com Research, 63% of SMEs globally are turning to AI tools to enhance cross-border trade efficiency. In response, Alibaba.com introduced “Deep Search,” an AI-powered B2B procurement tool with multimodal capabilities that can interpret natural-language queries alongside image-based searches. This advanced engine breaks down complex queries, cross-referencing over 280 million product listings to deliver highly relevant matches between suppliers and buyers, exceeding the precision and speed of traditional keyword search engines.
Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com, emphasised the urgency and inevitability of AI adoption in B2B trade, asserting, “AI isn’t a luxury. It’s survival, especially in B2B, where high-stakes decisions demand innovation.” He noted the evolution from basic keyword searches to sophisticated, long-form, multimodal AI tools as essential for navigating today’s dynamic and fast-paced global market. This strategic technological pivot reflects Alibaba.com’s commitment to transforming its 26-year-old business infrastructure to better serve the needs of SMEs in a rapidly digitising world.
Highlighting Alibaba.com’s broader commitment to global SME empowerment, the CoCreate 2025 event also featured the launch of the CoCreate Pitch competition, a $1 million global initiative to support SMEs and entrepreneurs. The competition invites innovative enterprises from around the world, including a notable inclusion of Pakistani SMEs, to compete for substantial funding and international exposure. Selected participants from Pakistan were given the opportunity to attend the U.S. event in Las Vegas, further demonstrating Alibaba.com’s dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and growth among emerging markets. This initiative aligns with World Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day, reinforcing the global significance of SMEs in economic development.
Moreover, the CoCreate platform is expanding internationally with CoCreate Europe, scheduled for November 14, 2025, in London, signalling Alibaba.com’s intention to sustain and grow its global SME ecosystem beyond the U.S. market. This reflects a coordinated global strategy by Alibaba.com to support regional SMEs with tailored events and funding opportunities, such as the UK’s $750,000 CoCreate Pitch program, ensuring a diverse and inclusive participation across major economic regions.
Additionally, Alibaba.com introduced an AI-powered sourcing agent at a previous CoCreate conference, designed to simplify complex B2B sourcing processes, further validating the company’s sustained efforts to leverage technology in reducing barriers to international trade for SMEs. This agent complements other AI tools by delivering more accurate and efficient supplier-product matchmaking, addressing one of the critical challenges SMEs face in cross-border commerce.
In sum, Alibaba.com’s CoCreate 2025 event not only showcased innovative AI-driven tools transforming global trade but also highlighted real-world success stories like Pace Sports, elevating Pakistan’s profile in the international apparel market. Coupled with substantial financial initiatives and global outreach, Alibaba.com is strategically positioning itself as a pivotal enabler of SME growth worldwide, harnessing technology to create faster, smarter, and more accessible trade pathways in an increasingly interconnected global economy.
Source: Noah Wire Services
