Nike Sport Research Lab, the first of its kind in Asia, will be established in Yangpu District, Shanghai as part of a cooperation memorandum signed between Yangpu District and Nike during the sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The initiative aims to promote innovative development, boost consumption, and empower the digital economy. The lab's target audience is everyday consumers, and it seeks to leverage the region's ecosystem to foster its development.

The Deputy Vice President of Government Affairs for Nike's Greater China Region, She Duanzhi, stated that since relocating to Yangpu District in 2014, the company's business had rapidly grown and flourished, with China's operations already accounting for 20 percent of its global operations.

He added that the ecological system of Yangpu District is highly conducive to Nike's development, highlighting collaborations with Shanghai University of Sport and Tongji University, as well as e-commerce and social media companies based in Yangpu.

The lab's entry into the Chinese market is set to enhance Nike's understanding of consumer needs in the region, subsequently informing its product design and innovation departments.

The agreement seeks to also strengthen the collaboration between Nike and the Yangpu District administration in promoting sports consumption, implementing national strategy, and co-building a people-centered city.