"High Innovation and High Value!" 2023 Pingshan High-Tech Zone Cup Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition Successfully Concludes

Created in Pingshan, Infinite Future.

On September 23, the Pingshan Preliminary Round of the 15th China Shenzhen Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, along with the finals of the 2023 “Pingshan High-Tech Zone Cup” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and the 2023 “Pingshan High-Tech Zone Cup” Open Challenge, concluded successfully at the Pingshan Innovation Plaza. The projects “Thulium Fiber Laser Therapeutic Device for the Consumer-Grade Medical Market,” “Industrialization of Low-Cost, Long-Life Sodium-Ion Batteries,” and “Depu Five-Axis CNC Machine Tool” won first prizes in the biomedical, new energy (automotive), and next-generation information technology tracks of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, respectively. The project “Integrated Solution for Precise Pathological Diagnosis Empowered by Digitalization and Intelligence” secured the first prize in the Open Challenge. These projects demonstrated strong innovation content and high commercial value, showcasing brilliant achievements in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The “Pingshan High-Tech Zone Cup” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, guided by the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, the Torch High-Tech Industry Development Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Commission, and hosted by the Pingshan District People’s Government, has been held for many years in accordance with high-quality and high-standard principles. It has gradually grown into an important competition platform for Pingshan District to link national innovation resources, guide social forces from all sectors to support innovation and entrepreneurship, and stimulate regional vitality in innovation and entrepreneurship.

To fully leverage the brand demonstration effect of the competition and its role as a platform for technology transfer and commercialization of achievements, Pingshan District has deeply explored an “industry-empowered” competition model this year. By forging close collaborations with industrial enterprises, research institutions, industry organizations, and investment firms, and partnering with Shenzhen Qianhai Bangqin Investment Co., Ltd., the district has launched prize challenges targeting two key growth areas: “Brain Science and Brain-inspired Intelligence” and “Medical Aesthetics.” Through this new approach—where the government provides the platform, institutions offer prizes, and capable entities take up the challenges—the district aims to tackle critical industry bottlenecks and secure a competitive edge in emerging tracks for future industrial development.

The “dual-competition linkage” between the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and the Prize Challenge is a key highlight of this year’s “Pingshan High-Tech Zone Cup.” Both competitions focus on innovation-driven contests closely aligned with the development of Pingshan’s three leading industries. With government support, corporate participation, and financial institution backing, these events are injecting new strength and momentum into the development of Pingshan’s “9+2” strategic emerging industries and future industry clusters.

Since its launch in June, the competition has focused on three key tracks: “Intelligent Vehicles,” “Innovative Drugs,” and “Chinese Chips,” attracting nearly 400 project registrations. After two rounds of preliminary and semi-final evaluations, 40 outstanding projects advanced to the finals of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, while 10 excellent projects competed in the finals of the Prize Challenge.

Open roadshows, keynote speeches by industry luminaries, incisive commentary from industrial and investment experts, and a dynamic clash of “intellect” and “appeal”… On September 23, at the finals, each innovation team competed on stage with their outstanding projects and entrepreneurial dreams, vying in ideas, products, and technology. After fierce competition, 21 projects ultimately emerged as award winners. Many of these awarded projects originated from Pingshan, featuring not only high technological content but also project leaders with overseas research backgrounds or degrees from top Chinese universities.

The project presented by Mir Medical Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., a company from Pingshan, is the “Thulium Fiber Laser Therapeutic Device for the Consumer-Grade Medical Market.” By mastering core technologies, the company has driven innovation in medical devices and achieved import substitution. This project won the first prize in the biopharmaceutical track of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Ji Encai, the company’s founder, stated that thanks to the professional platform provided by the competition, they had the rare opportunity to engage in face-to-face exchanges with numerous industry experts, investment institutions, and outstanding competitors.

Zhang Dan, an academician of the Russian Academy of Engineering Sciences and Chief Scientist at Shenzhen Xingwan Biological Development Advisory Co., Ltd., served as one of the judges for this competition. He noted that the quality of projects in the field of medical device diagnostics has improved significantly among this year’s entries. Several award-winning projects demonstrated strong innovation, combining commercialization potential with international scalability. Leveraging the platform provided by the innovation competition, these projects can attract attention from the Greater Bay Area and across China, creating a win-win situation for both corporate growth and industrial development in Pingshan.

This is not only a grand stage for competitive rivalry but also an excellent platform for fostering collaboration. A dedicated project exchange zone was set up on-site, inviting investment and financing institutions as well as related enterprises to participate in matchmaking negotiations. This initiative aimed to precisely align technological innovation outcomes with market demands, thereby facilitating project implementation and commercialization. This year’s competition received strong support from China Merchants Bank. Outstanding award-winning projects secured a total credit line of RMB 50 million from China Merchants Bank on-site, while winners of the challenge-based competition signed letters of intent for investment with Shenzhen Bangqin Capital, the sponsoring organization.

To support the growth of outstanding entrepreneurial ventures, Pingshan District, as the event organizer, has meticulously planned and arranged a range of services during the competition, including practical roadshow training, policy briefings, and mentoring sessions. Ten special “Industry Empowerment” service activities were conducted to help participants comprehensively address their entrepreneurial weaknesses and promote the high-quality development of competing projects. After the competition, Pingshan District will continue to leverage the platform’s role in integrating innovation and entrepreneurship resources, providing sustained support to high-quality projects through settlement incentives, matchmaking with innovation and entrepreneurship policies, promotion via relevant innovation platforms, and opportunities to participate in large-scale high-tech exhibitions and events. These efforts aim to fully facilitate the localization and robust growth of more innovative achievements in Pingshan.

Innovation Leads the Way, Gathering Momentum to Empower. Although the competition has concluded successfully, Pingshan’s attentive services continue. In the future, Pingshan District will leverage the competition platform to further identify high-quality projects and serve outstanding talents, enabling every “dream chaser” to realize their aspirations in Pingshan.