Leveraging its first global flagship experience center — Dolby House Shanghai — Dolby, a global technology major in audio, imaging and voice, said it will deepen its cooperation with partners in China, as the country has become a key innovation hub for the company, said a senior executive.

"Chinese consumers are actually teaching us what's ahead because they're the first ones to experience it and to embrace it," said Javier Foncillas, vice-president of commercial partnerships and global sales at Dolby Laboratories, during an exclusive interview with China Daily.

The company has established cooperation with Xiaomi, Douyin, Bilibili and Tencent Music, and provides support for emerging creators through the Dolby Institute. To date, Dolby has 35 automotive partners in the domestic market, most of which are local Chinese brands.

Dolby House Shanghai, its new strategic global unit, was unveiled in March. This venue marks Dolby's first fully realized large-scale immersive flagship experience, aimed at expanding its presence in China, which is positioned as a global innovation hub for the company.

Foncillas said the Shanghai venue redefines the traditional "product showroom" concept for tech brands.

"The Dolby House is actually more than just a place to show our technology. It's a place where we want to do things with our partners, showcase things we create together, and also a space for locals to create a community to do things."

Spanning two floors with 11 experiential zones, Dolby House Shanghai showcases Dolby's audio-visual technologies across diverse scenarios, such as in-car, living room and gaming.

"China is where we can actually demonstrate every single one of our unique experiences," Foncillas said, underscoring China's pivotal role in Dolby's strategy.

"Dolby House Shanghai is a powerful expression of our vision to make immersive experiences more accessible and impactful," said Todd Pendleton, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer of Dolby Laboratories.

Looking ahead, Foncillas said he expects the center to become a creation hub that could be replicated worldwide.

This ambition is supported by China's high-tech prowess and consumers' openness to cutting-edge audio-visual experiences. The synergy between Dolby and its Chinese partners is expected to yield innovative solutions that can be scaled globally, he said.

"Dolby House Shanghai has proven to be a revolutionary venue to bring artists' work to life and create unique entertainment moments for fans," said Ross Liang, CEO and board member of Tencent Music.

Expressing confidence in developing unprecedented immersive experiences, Foncillas said, "China is a place where I think it's all happening right now, and I'm sure we'll develop incredible immersive experiences that we can't even think of right now."

Li Junfeng contributed to this story.

heqi@chinadaily.com.cn