New competition to boost GBA technology ventures

The 15th China Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition – Qianhai, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Competition officially launched in Shenzhen’s Qianhai special economic zone on Wednesday, marking a fresh effort to stimulate innovation in technology and encourage youth exchanges across the region.

Co-hosted by the Qianhai Authority and the Torch High Technology Industry Development Centre of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the annual national-level programme is inviting technology projects from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas to apply.

According to China Daily, the competition runs until November and encompasses five frontier technology sectors: artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence; life sciences and health; new energy, energy conservation, and environmental protection; cultural creativity and sports technology; and new materials, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. This year’s event has also introduced a specific invitation channel for technology projects from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies.

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Organisers are shifting their focus towards matching promising technology projects with industrial resources and capital, China Daily says. To facilitate this, a new global investor network launched on Wednesday, designed to bridge tech projects from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and abroad with global investors.

Winning projects stand to receive up to US$1 million in potential investment from funds affiliated with Qianhai Ehub, alongside access to global network partners for entrepreneurial guidance and resource connections.

Technology and the GBA

Peter Mok Wai-hin, general manager of Shenzhen Qianhai Ehub Operation Co Ltd, emphasised that the priority is attracting high-quality entrepreneurial projects rather than simply increasing the volume of entries. “We hope to empower participating startups so they can truly establish themselves in the Greater Bay Area, secure investment and funding, and win business,” Mok said.

Samson Tam Wai-ho, a partner at the Hong Kong Inno Angel Fund, told China Daily that Hong Kong’s international networks and investment capital complement the mainland cities’ supply-chain resources and application scenarios.

“Some of these startups originated in universities, and after establishing themselves in Qianhai, they have developed very quickly,” Tam said. “In Hong Kong, finding engineers and supply-chain support used to take more time. Qianhai and the Greater Bay Area can offer industrial connections and rapid supply-chain iteration, which gives these companies a strong advantage.”

Registration for the competition closes on 22 September.