STARTING last year, the term “maker,” or “chuangke” in Chinese, became a catchphrase in the city. The startup culture or maker frenzy has since been embraced by locals. Startup incubators and various competitions and activities have sprung up around the city.

    The Maker Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences is one such incubator. On Friday, the first Sino-American TMT Maker Competition was held at its Xili’s headquarters. Over 20 teams competed for the award. One project called “Shengmaodou” drew much attention.

    According to Xue Jingping, the head of the institute, “Shengmaodou” — a thermometer you can insert into your smartphone to gauge the outside temperature — was one of the projects her team has incubated. Since its establishment last November, the institute has recruited over 40 local startup teams and offered them free workspaces, high-end equipment, professional guidance and funding. (Tan Yifan)