HANGZHOU, China -- The city where Alibaba Group Holding was founded just over 20 years ago has flourished into a tech hub populated by billion-dollar unicorn startups helmed by veterans of China's e-commerce leader.
The city has long held a special place in the hearts and minds of Chinese. Located 150 km southwest of Shanghai, Hangzhou is home to West Lake, a popular tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been celebrated by poets and artists for centuries. But recently, the city's rich past has given way to its notoriety as a startup town.
