Zhangjiang High-Tech 895 Incubator (Season 9) DEMO DAY: Showcasing Cutting-Edge Health Innovations
On November 18, 2020, the Healthcare Special Session DEMO DAY of Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Startup Camp (Season 9) will be held at Zhangjiang Building in Shanghai. As the highlight of the 895 Startup Camp, eight projects will take the stage to fully showcase their potential to the public during the DEMO DAY.
On the day of the event, numerous renowned industry experts and investment institutions will gather at DEMO DAY to watch project presentations and score the shortlisted projects. Dozens of leading domestic healthcare investment firms, including Hillhouse Capital, Sequoia Capital, Tonghe Yucheng, Volcano Stone, and Northern Light Venture Capital, will engage in interactive Q&A sessions with presenters on-site. Through expert evaluations and real-time bidding by investors, DEMO DAY will ultimately determine the “Startup Star” of this season’s Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Entrepreneurship Camp. The winner will receive complimentary office space and talent apartments provided by Zhangjiang Hi-Tech, as well as access to the “Chinese Manager” course offered by the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University, valued at RMB 128,000, thereby supporting enterprises in achieving sustained innovation and high-quality development.
In each season of the Entrepreneurship Camp, the DEMO DAY event has garnered widespread attention and active participation from investment institutions and industry professionals. Themed “Co-building a Healthy Future,” this season’s Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Camp spanned six months. Through initial screenings and camp activities, eight projects officially emerged from a pool of 60 candidates to advance to DEMO DAY, bringing the Entrepreneurship Camp to its climax. The Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Entrepreneurship Camp operates as a virtual incubator, with Zhangjiang Hi-Tech providing full-lifecycle product support ranging from seed-stage nurturing to R&D and headquarters development. It serves as a platform within Zhangjiang Science City to cultivate star projects, focus on high-potential enterprises, promote model innovation, and accelerate ecosystem refinement, thereby becoming a new source of innovative momentum for Zhangjiang Science City.
The selected projects span multiple cutting-edge fields in healthcare, including new drug development, AI-driven precision non-invasive therapies, minimally invasive energy-based devices, genetic testing, and early disease screening. The founding teams hail from top global research institutions, multinational pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and leading domestic enterprises. Several projects have already secured early-stage financing from premier investment firms and are either conducting clinical trials for their core products or preparing to enter the clinical trial phase.
The registration channel for investors attending the Healthcare Special Session DEMO DAY of Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Startup Camp (Season 9) is now fully open. Investors may register by scanning the QR code in the image at the end of this article. All participating investment institutions will be included in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech’s database of healthcare-focused investors, enabling them to jointly engage in future activities and project-sharing initiatives within this sector.
Overview of the 8 Finalist Projects at the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech 895 Startup Camp (Season 9) DEMO DAY (listed in no particular order):
A biopharmaceutical company independently developing novel-mechanism therapies for neurological disorders such as chronic pain
Sai Luo is an original drug R&D company focused on chronic pain, with a complete new drug development platform and research team. Currently, one drug has entered Phase Ib clinical trials, and four drugs are in the IND (Investigational New Drug) research stage. The products under development have the potential to replace first-line clinical drugs such as pregabalin (annual sales of $5 billion) and traditional medications like morphine (annual sales of $25 billion).
Founder Background:Founder and CEO Li Shuai, formerly Deputy Director of the Shanghai Clinical Research Center/Pain Medicine Center at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, brings 18 years of hands-on basic research experience. Over the six years since the company’s establishment, it has built comprehensive preclinical and clinical frontline teams.
Industrialization of a Series of Products Featuring the New Generation of Domestically Produced Phased-Array "Magnetic Wave Knife" AI-Powered Precise Non-Invasive Treatment Technology
Shende Medical was established in May 2013, jointly funded by Academician Chen Yazhu and Professor Shen Guofeng from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The company focuses on the industrialization of a new generation of domestically produced phased-array “Magnetic Wave Knife” AI-based precise non-invasive treatment technology. It is dedicated to the research, development, and manufacturing of high-end domestic non-invasive medical equipment with independent intellectual property rights, for the precise non-invasive treatment of major diseases such as tumors and neurological disorders.
Founder Background:Founder Shen Guofeng is a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; an Associate Visiting Fellow at Harvard University in the United States; Chair of the Program Committee for the 13th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound; and a Shanghai Technical Leader.
Conducting Phase 1b/2a Clinical Studies on a Globally First-in-Class Novel Anti-Cancer Drug
Jesse Bio is dedicated to the research and development of original small-molecule anticancer novel drugs, with R&D centers established in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, and Boston, USA. Adopting a “dual-wheel drive” business model that integrates independent innovation with strategic in-licensing, Jesse Bio conducts pioneering global research on novel anticancer therapies, striving to address the significant unmet clinical needs of oncology patients both in China and abroad.
Founder Background:Founder Dr. Zhang Jintao holds a Ph.D. from the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and completed his postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago in the United States. He previously served as a Division Director at a NASDAQ-listed company in the U.S., and was Co-founder and CEO of Shanghai Medicilon Inc. He was awarded the First Prize of the National Natural Science Award of China in 2002.
R&D of Energy-Based Devices for Minimally Invasive Surgery
Shengzhe Medical boasts a Class 10,000 cleanroom compliant with GMP standards and a production line for bioresorbable coronary stents. It is equipped with chemistry, physics, and microbiology testing laboratories, and has established a production quality management system in accordance with CFDA regulatory requirements. Key processes in the production line utilize imported equipment that represents the leading level within the industry.
Founder Background:Founder Hu Zhe published multiple papers in SCI-indexed journals during his academic studies and received full scholarships from the German Research Foundation (DFG) for three consecutive years. In October 2011, he was awarded the Most Outstanding Contribution Award at the World Hypoxia Summit held in Monte Verità, Ascona, Switzerland. He returned to China in 2014 and joined the China R&D Center of a renowned multinational medical device company. In 2018, he founded Shengzhe Medical.
R&D of Innovative Monoclonal Antibody Drugs for Respiratory Diseases
Shanghai Maiji Biotechnology Co., Ltd.’s TEADA antibody discovery platform, based on high-throughput hybridoma screening technology, focuses on the research and development of innovative antibody drugs in the fields of respiratory diseases and autoimmune disorders. Through years of collaborative efforts, the team has advanced multiple domestically leading innovative antibody drugs into clinical trials. The company’s first independently developed antibody drug for severe asthma and atopic dermatitis has entered clinical trials, and it plans to file global Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for one to two new innovative antibody projects annually in the future.
Founder Background:Founder Zhang Chenghai holds a Ph.D. from the Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, completed postdoctoral research at the Van Andel Institute in the United States, and is recognized as an Outstanding Technical Leader in Shanghai. He has previously led and participated in the full-cycle development of multiple antibody-based therapeutics.
Committed to Becoming a Leader in the Field of Genetic Testing
Weihans Biotechnology, located in the Shanghai International Medical Zone, is a nationally recognized high-tech enterprise and has successfully obtained approval to operate as a Shanghai Medical Laboratory. The company has made early strategic investments in the tertiary prevention of genetic defects and assisted reproductive technologies, leveraging technological innovation to establish product advantages and accelerate market commercialization. Currently, it is a leading enterprise in the field of genetic testing in East China. Weihans is committed to becoming a more specialized company in China for genetic prevention and control through genetic testing.
Founder Background:Founder Gao Pengfei, with a background in biotechnology, was among the earliest practitioners in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and clinical molecular cytogenetics. A pioneering spirit, he possesses comprehensive strategic thinking and keen market sensitivity in the fields of genetic disease screening, diagnosis, and eugenics, demonstrating well-rounded professional competencies. He has successfully built a team, made early strategic investments in birth defect prevention and control as well as assisted reproductive technologies, achieved technological breakthroughs and product innovation, and led the company to rapid, comprehensive growth.
Non-invasive Early Screening Devices and Service Platform for Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Zhongjia Hengtai specializes in early screening services for chronic diseases, health assessments, risk intervention, and health management. The company is committed to exploring early screening standards for various chronic diseases, establishing effective channels, and selecting and promoting advanced screening equipment, thereby providing systematic solutions for the early stages of lifecycle health management.
Founding Team Background:The founding team of Zhongjia Hengtai has clear team objectives and extensive industry experience. The founder was a core senior executive in the startup team of MicroPort Scientific Corporation (HK00853). Heads of key departments, including R&D, production, and quality assurance, each have over ten years of industry experience, and all team members hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
Informatics-Guided Drug Discovery and Development
Yinuo Pharmaceuticals is committed to source innovation. By leveraging an informatics-guided R&D strategy, the company addresses diseases with high prevalence in the Chinese population, such as immune-inflammatory disorders, metabolic complications, and tumors. It has established a sustainable R&D system and built core technology platforms encompassing drug design, in vitro and in vivo evaluation, and bioinformatics. Currently, there are seven projects under development, with multiple candidates poised to enter clinical trials in succession.
Founder Background:Dr. Lei Jiang, Founder and General Manager, holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He previously held positions at Novartis and Haihe Pharmaceuticals. His primary focus is on new drug development, having led clinical and preclinical R&D programs for multiple targets. He served as the principal investigator for major projects under the National Major Science and Technology Program for New Drug Development. Dr. Jiang has published more than 20 research papers and filed over 100 patent applications.