With curly hair lightly bounced on the shoulders of her red suit, she walked energetically from side to side on the stage. A strong voice, clear intonation and diction, and eyes wide open as if speaking on their own revealed her presence as a TED Fellow and someone who genuinely loves inspiring others.

It was my second time seeing Bel Pesce on stage--the first was a talk on entrepreneurship, and this time, she spoke about her university experience at MIT. But it was not the speeches themselves that brought her from Brazil to Hangzhou. She came here to explore new opportunities.

Bel, a Brazilian entrepreneur, author, and speaker with a background in computer science and management from MIT, has spent the last two months traveling through China--visiting cities such as Beijing, Chongqing, Xi’an, Suzhou, and Shanghai. Yet it is Hangzhou that seems to have captured her imagination most deeply.

According to Bel, Hangzhou offers a unique blend of technological innovation and human-centered thinking. “It’s a city that integrates behavior and technology in a way I haven’t seen anywhere else,” she said during a recent interview with Hangzhoufeel. “It doesn’t scream for attention. And that makes it even more powerful.”

A global mindset rooted in education

Bel shares that her work spans more than 200 global projects through her company, FazINOVA, which she describes as a “laboratory for innovation and education”. According to her, the company develops tools--from mobile Apps and online courses to card games and immersive experiences--that are designed to help people develop entrepreneurial thinking.

Her approach often involves partnering with large companies or governments to offer free resources to the public. For example, FazINOVA launched a business course with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Brazil focusing on the business model canvas. Bel says that within months, 50,000 people had completed it, and over 1,000 new ventures were reportedly launched. The course was free to access and was supported by PwC as a way to build stronger connections with a younger, entrepreneurial audience.

Bringing the best of the past into the future

Today, Bel is working on what she calls her most ambitious project to date: the creation of an artificial intelligence (AI) academy. Rather than just teaching AI skills, this platform aims to help individuals use AI tools to build meaningful projects, solve problems, and follow their dreams.

Bel is inspired to use the company’s past tools, such as a card game that encourages creative problem-solving or an App that promotes kindness, as AI-powered agents. The academy is intended to be modular and collaborative, allowing institutions, creators, and entrepreneurs to develop and share their own agents within the platform.

“I don’t want people just to learn AI,” Bel says. “I want them to experience how AI can help them build something--whether that’s a business, an art project, or even a personal growth journey.”

Why Hangzhou?

Bel was currently exploring whether Hangzhou could become the foundation of this AI academy. While the decision hasn’t been finalized, she says the city has made a deep impression on her. She cites Hangzhou’s supportive ecosystem--from large tech companies like Alibaba to innovation hubs such as Hangzhou Dream Town and Hangzou Global Youth Talent Community (GYTC)--as proof of its potential to host such a forward-looking initiative.

According to Bel, even smaller companies in Hangzhou are exploring creative, behavior-driven technology applications. She references one local startup founded by Nikk Mitchell, a Canadian entrepreneur -- “Nikk uses VR to document all kinds of experiences from fashion runways to Chinese opera in a uniquely blended, behind-the-scenes format. It was better than being there in person”, she said, recalling her experience of VR glasses at the company.

During her stay, Bel also participated in a program organized by her compatriot Daniela Sena,an entrepreneur living in Hangzhou, who brought two groups of 30 business leaders from Brazilian business leaders to Hangzhou. As part of the exchange, participants attended classes at Zhejiang Institute of Economics and Trade, covering topics like AI, marketing, and Chinese business culture.

Cultural nuance and strategic patience

Bel’s experiences have led her to reflect on the strategic differences between China and other countries where she’s worked, including Brazil, the U.S., and the UAE. One recurring theme she mentioned is the importance of timing and symbolic communication in Chinese business culture.

“In the U.S., merit is based on speed--hustling and acting. In the UAE, it’s about respect and diplomacy. But in China, it’s what I call ‘water merit’--things flow, but in their own time,” she observes. “You can’t force it. You have to listen and read the codes.”

While she acknowledges the challenges of navigating hierarchy and decision-making processes in China, she expresses her admiration for the country’s ability to align strategy, behavior, and long-term vision. “It could be chaotic, but it’s not. Everything flows.”

Advice for fellow entrepreneurs

For those considering launching a project or business in China, Bel offers one key piece of advice: respect the rhythm. “Learn to observe before you act. Learn the timing, the subtle codes, and the strategy. It’s not just about what you can build--it’s about how, when, and with whom you build it.”

Bel sees her time in China not just as a professional opportunity but as a personal journey. “I’ve been to 88 countries, and China is teaching me something new,” she says. “It’s giving me a challenge that is not about products or ideas, but about understanding a deeper structure of how things truly work.”

Whether or not she decides to launch her AI academy from Hangzhou, Bel’s experience here is already shaping her next chapter--and maybe, by extension, the next wave of global entrepreneurship.