JD.com's new accelerator focuses on blockchain startups

JD.com, one of China's largest e-commerce companies, is launching a new Beijing-based accelerator program for artificial intelligence and blockchain startups. Called AI Catapult, its first batch includes six companies: Bankorus, CanYa, Bluezelle, Nuggets, Republic Protocol and Devery. In an announcement, JD.com said startups will work with its operational teams to "test real-world applications of their technologies at scale." This includes its logistics unit, which recently raised $2.5 billion and claims to run the largest last-mile logistics network in China. Though Alibaba Group is probably better known outside of China, JD.com is a formidable rival.