Tan Yifan

cicitan2011@gmail.com

A TOTAL of 150 local startup projects joined the preliminary competition of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition on Tuesday and Wednesday in Qianhai, aiming to gain popularity and win handsome bonuses.

The two-day competition required enterprises and startup groups to compete in separate categories, and 40 projects were selected to join the final.

Deng Xiaokun, vice director of the general affairs office of PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institution, which is one of the organizers, said the competition has won support from many incubators and colleges. For instance, the sixth entrepreneurship competition held by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology will send its 12 finalists to the final competition.

“Most of the entries have strong technological competence. Thus, we have adjusted the standards for judgment. This year the judges will focus on both the creativity and the core technologies of each project,” Deng said. He also added that a special camp will be held to help finalists polish their projects.

Qiao Leizhang, general manager of a drone company, said his team expects to draw some attention at the competition and win support from the government and the market.

“My company registered in Qianhai last year with the aim of taking advantage of the resources and policy preferences here. By joining the competition, hopefully, we can also showcase, to our opponents in Hong Kong and Macao, our advanced technology,” Qiao said.

According to the rules, the three cities will organize separate preliminary competitions, with the top 40 projects from the Shenzhen preliminary, 20 projects from the Hong Kong round and 10 projects from Macao entering the final round. The competition in Macao wrapped up June 25.

The competition’s first-prize winner will receive 180,000 yuan (US$26,694), the runner-up will win 120,000 yuan and the third-prize winner will get 6,000 yuan.