HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The remarkable achievements of past winners of Hangzhou’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents have set a powerful example, inspiring a new wave of international innovators to bring their projects to Hangzhou.

Among this year’s competitors, Huang Yuanhui is an innovator from the Technical University of Munich, who introduced “NeuroMusician,” a wearable device that modulates brainwaves to alleviate stress and improve sleep. “The device uses AI to help users achieve mental calmness and deeper sleep–all within minutes,” Huang explained confidently during his pitch.

Zhang Chengliang, from Michigan State University, presented a targeted oral drug for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. “Our inhibitor of TDP-43 protein activity could fill a major treatment gap,” she said. The judging panel acknowledged the project’s groundbreaking potential.

Yang Yu, representing Rockefeller University, shared advances in antibody screening technology with applications in HIV and cancer treatment. “We’ve significantly improved efficiency and reduced costs in nanobody development,” Yang noted. One judge, drawing from personal experience, affirmed: “Biologics and antibody therapies represent the future of medicine.”

With its open policies, efficient governance, and unique blend of natural beauty and technological ambition, Hangzhou offers an environment where the world’s brightest minds can thrive — nearly 80% of the participants have expressed interest in establishing their ventures in Hangzhou.

As the Hangzhou’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents 2026 has launched a global call for participation, the city extends an open invitation to innovators around the world: Come, and belong.

HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As the “Creating the World • Sailing to the Future” Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents 2025 • Hangzhou concludes its semifinals, 72 projects across six tracks have advanced to the final round. Since its launch in March, this year’s edition has attracted over 2,000 projects from more than 30 countries and regions.

This year’s edition of “Creating the World • Sailing to the Future” Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents has attracted over 2,000 projects from more than 30 countries and regions.

A significant number of participants hail from the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and other leading innovation ecosystems. The competitors are highly educated, with nearly 60% of overseas returnees holding doctoral degrees. Among them, 95 are from top-tier universities such as MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard, while 77 are alumni of C9 League institutions like Peking University and Tsinghua University.

Now in its 11th year, the competition has continuously adapted its tracks to align with Hangzhou’s industrial development goals. As the city focuses on strategic technological talent and enhancing corporate innovation, this year’s edition features four main tracks–Digital Economy, Biomedicine, Advanced Industries, and a special track for foreign talents–along with four specialized contests in Artificial Intelligence, Humanoid Robotics, Digital Medicine, and Brain-Like Intelligence.

To encourage more projects to take root in Hangzhou, the competition offers a comprehensive support package, including policy incentives that provide up to RMB 20 million in funding for winning projects. Additionally, participants benefit from mentorship programs, tailored entrepreneurial training, recruitment events, and networking sessions designed to facilitate their transition into the local ecosystem.

What draws talents from across the world to Hangzhou is not only its advanced industrial infrastructure and financial support, but also its profound ability to make global innovators feel at home. The stories of past winners illustrate how the competition serves as a gateway to long-term growth.

HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Meng Jintao, winner of the 2024 Hangzhou’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents, exemplifies this journey. His project on “All-Iron Redox Flow Battery Technology”–dubbed a “giant movable power bank”–has already secured letters of intent totaling over RMB 2.5 billion. But his success extends beyond the competition.

“As a Zhejiang native, Hangzhou’s mix of strategic location, academic resources, and pro-innovation policies has made the city obviously attractive,” Meng reflects. Since winning, his company has become the first in China to offer integrated solutions in this cutting-edge energy storage field, serving major clients like China General Nuclear Power Group and PowerChina.

Meng’s story is far from unique. Just one year earlier, Dr. Zhang Yongwei captured the jury’s attention with his groundbreaking work in regenerative medical materials. His “ultra-high hydrostatic pressure decellularization technology”–which enables the use of animal tissues for human transplant purposes–won third prize in the 2022 competition.

“The real turning point wasn’t winning–it was the follow-up,” Dr. Zhang notes. “Right after the awards ceremony, I was approached by representatives from multiple districts in Hangzhou. They weren’t just offering incentives; they were offering partnerships.” In early 2023, he established Hangzhou Haofan Biotechnology Co.,Ltd in Lin’an district, attracted by the area’s talent policies and scenic research environment. “The local government supported us at every step–funding, lab space, talent housing, even helped with the visas for international experts. This ‘full-chain service’ allowed us to focus purely on R&D.”

Zhang’s work addresses a critical global challenge: shortage of transplantable organs and tissues. Using his technology, the company processes animal-derived tissues to remove immunogenic components while preserving structural functionality, offering new hope for patients awaiting corneal and vascular grafts.

This supportive environment also attracted Dr. Cui Di, the 2021 champion and founder of Dessight Biomedical. Her team specializes in ophthalmic surgical robots and biological therapies for retinal diseases. “Winning the competition gave us immediate visibility and credibility,” Cui says, “and it was Hangzhou’s existing strengths in digital healthcare and strong investor network that helped us secure tens of millions in funding last year.”

Cui values Hangzhou’s balance of ambition and quality of life. “It’s a city that encourages innovation and offers a living environment that inspires. The government doesn’t just give you a policy document–they sit down with you, solve problems with you, and help you run faster.”

HONG KONG, Nov. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ViaBTC announced a donation of HKD 3 million to the Hong Kong SAR Government to aid emergency relief and community reconstruction following the fire incident at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The contribution aims to assist affected residents in restoring normal lives as quickly as possible.

ViaBTC Founder and CEO Haipo Yang expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, stating:“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims and pay the highest respect to the firefighters and rescue personnel who bravely stood on the frontlines.”

He emphasized that ViaBTC will closely monitor the recovery efforts and remains committed to collaborating with all parties to help residents rebuild their homes and overcome the challenges ahead.

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HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hangzhou’s annual Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents, themed “Creating the World • Sailing to the Future”, is a concentrated demonstration of this comprehensive service system. The competition not only features dedicated sessions for overseas-educated talents and foreigners, but also provides entrepreneurial mentors, customized training programs, and facilitates connections with investors through job fairs, startup salons, and events such as the Maker Rainbow Bridge.

More importantly, to encourage greater participation from overseas talents, projects that win the competition not only receive prize money, but also enjoy comprehensive policy support after landing, including tax incentives, rent subsidies, financing guarantees, and interest-subsidized loans.

To date, Hangzhou has established 11 entrepreneurship parks for overseas-educated talents, spanning national, provincial, and municipal levels. In addition, the municipally operated “Overseas Returnee Town Entrepreneurship Park”, led by private capital, has further expanded the capacity for overseas-educated entrepreneurs.

Hangzhou’s consistent ranking over 14 years as the “Most Attractive Chinese City for Foreign Talent”, along with its leading net inflow of overseas talents nationwide, owes a good deal to its favorable entrepreneurial environment and strong alignment with industry needs.

The “Creating the World • Sailing to the Future” Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents 2025 • Hangzhou closely follows the city’s industrial development trends, covering key sectors such as the digital economy, life and health, and advanced manufacturing, while also introducing cutting-edge industries including artificial intelligence, humanoid robotics, brain-inspired intelligence and digital medicine, helping overseas-educated projects integrate into Hangzhou’s dynamic growth.

Over the past eleven years, the competition has attracted more than 12,000 projects, with nearly 400 of them landing in Hangzhou and a total registered capital exceeding 3 billion RMB. PhD holders and teams from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany have chosen Hangzhou as their first stop for entrepreneurship, further demonstrating the city’s international influence and strong appeal to global talent.

Hangzhou’s ‘first choice for overseas-educated entrepreneurs’ has evolved from a slogan into a genuine option for a growing number of international talents. This environment offers both robust policy support and unparalleled industrial opportunities. In the future, the city is set to become a shining landmark on the global innovation map.

The Hangzhou’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Talents 2026 has launched a global call for participation, and we are looking forward to your joining.

HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In the global landscape of innovation and entrepreneurship, Hangzhou is emerging as the destination of choice for a growing number of high-level overseas talents, thanks to its distinctive policy advantages, comprehensive service system, and favorable entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Since introducing its first policy to support overseas-educated talent in entrepreneurship in 2001, Hangzhou has remained at the forefront nationwide. Over the past two decades, Hangzhou has continuously upgraded its talent policies, expanding from initial financial support to more than 20 areas including residency, housing, social security, children’s education, entry and exit, business registration, and patent applications, thereby creating a full-chain system that covers both entrepreneurship and daily life. Data shows that the governments have provided more than 330 million RMB in support for 1,186 overseas-educated talent projects, serving as solid support for business growth — Hangzhou has created unprecedented opportunities for overseas-educated talent to grow and thrive.

In Gongshu district, the China-Europe Talent Exchange and Innovation Cooperation Center has shortened the integration timeline of overseas projects from 12 months to just 3 months, while helping talent-led enterprises secure nearly 300 million RMB in financing.

Yuhang district through its “Golden 20 Policies”, has advanced the “Global Talent Partnership”, offering up to 100 million RMB in support for top-tier talent projects.

Xihu district, positioned as the ‘first stop’ for young talents to stay in Hangzhou, has introduced the “Xihu Talent” fast-track mechanism, with a total talent pool of over 400,000. Meanwhile, Binjiang district’s “5050” policy has led the trend for 15 consecutive years, fostering dozens of unicorn enterprises.

Beyond policy support, Hangzhou has also earned the praise of overseas-educated entrepreneurs through its attentive and comprehensive services.