Shanghai’s Pudong New Area recently held the "Innovation Pudong" competition for Chinese graduates returning from abroad at the Zhangjiang Science Hall on May 11, drawing attention to cutting-edge developments in the region.

More than 200 returning entrepreneurs interacted at the competition venue, with 25 founders of semiconductor enterprises from the 895 Entrepreneurship Camp participating in the event.

The event focused on developing new quality productive forces, emphasizing "high technology, high efficiency, high quality", promoting technological innovation and development, attracting top-tier young entrepreneurs from across the globe, and gathering global innovation resources.

Central to the occasion was the official launch of Pudong's ambitious Global Circle of Friends Incubation Program. This new program aims to offer entrepreneurs an international, multi-level, diverse, and efficient platform for sharing scientific and technological innovations, connecting them with global innovation resources, and providing services to drive the high-quality development of scientific and technological innovations.

"We will bring partners from across the industrial chain into the circle. Startups possess the technology but require more connections with upstream and downstream partners to explore market opportunities for their products, refine their business models, and secure suitable investors. We aim to empower them within this 'circle'," said He Dajun, vice chairman and general manager of Zhangjiang Hi-Tech.

The event also featured the commencement of the 895 Entrepreneurship Camp's 14th season, which kicked off a special session dedicated to wide-bandgap semiconductor innovations. This session aimed to fuel the emergence of new quality productive forces. Founders from 25 wide-bandgap semiconductor companies took the stage to showcase their leading-edge scientific and technological capabilities and market potential.

During the roadshow segment of the innovation and entrepreneurship competition, representatives from six returnees’ entrepreneurial enterprises delivered impressive project presentations and received on-the-spot evaluations and scores from professional judges.

Following intense competition, the titles of "Star of Scientific and Technological Innovation", "Most Innovative Enterprises", and "Most Promising Enterprises" were awarded to the enterprises.

The competition marked the second appearance of the "Innovation Pudong" brand and served as a significant platform for bringing together outstanding entrepreneurs at the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Incubator. The award-winning enterprises will receive one year of free usage rights for premium spaces in Zhangjiang provided by Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Development Co Ltd. Additionally, 12 enterprises were awarded the "Innovation Pudong" Excellent Achievement Award.

During the event, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech also introduced the 2.0 version of the 895 Incubation Handbook, placing a significant focus on the investment aspect of the 895 Incubator. This updated version highlights the "895 Incubation Fund" as a key investment mechanism. The fund, formed through the consolidation of resources from Zhangjiang Hi-Tech's "895 Entrepreneurship Camp" and "895 Innovation Base", in conjunction with social capital, will prioritize investments in technological enterprises within the 895 Incubator to bolster technological innovation.

The vibrant development of new quality productive forces relies not only on existing technological achievements and industrial foundations but also on the relentless pursuit and continuous innovation of generations of entrepreneurs.

Looking ahead, Pudong’s united front work department plans to hold a training camp in July to continue supporting entrepreneurial talent from home and abroad in establishing and expanding their presence in Shanghai. Zhangjiang Hi-Tech will also continue to deepen its efforts to create innovative platforms, provide tailored incubation services for innovative enterprises, and bolster the region's reputation as a hub of scientific and technological innovation.