Interview: Award-winning virtual lab company eyes Chinese market for expansion

ZURICH, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Labster, a fast-moving and award-winning company for virtual labs and science simulations, said China would be a key focus for its global market expansion.

The educational technology start-up, which won this year's Digital Economy Award in the category "Next Global Hot Thing," has developed a software platform which enables virtual simulations and 3D visualizations of laboratories in order to teach life sciences to students online.

"We are very excited about entering the Chinese market and work with partners in China to bring this cutting-edge learning technology to the Chinese markets, so we would love to partner and identify local partners," Michael Bodekaer Jensen, the company's founder and CEO, told Xinhua Thursday on the sidelines of the award ceremony in the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland's largest city.

"I really like how forward thinking and fast moving the players are in the Chinese market," Jensen said. "It allows for very fast and rapid innovation and adoption of digital tools in education."

The Swiss company offers simulations in multiple languages, featuring diverse characters on screen, and accommodations for hearing and visual impairments.

Its virtual science labs have so far been used by several world-renowned universities including California State University, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to its website.

According to the CEO, the company aims to create more awareness about high quality education and inspire more students around the world to solve important global challenges.

Dalith Steiger, a member of the jury, said what Labster is doing has helped promoted the accessibility to education across the world, a sustainable development goals of the United Nations. "They do have a global growth strategy, and especially a go-to-market strategy for Asia," Steiger said.

The annual Digital Economy Award recognizes top digital achievements in the Alpine nation. The digital pioneers of the year are selected by a 40-person jury.