2023 TR35 Global and Asia-Pacific Innovators Unveiled in Yuhang, Hangzhou

On November 2–3, 2023, the Asia-Pacific announcement ceremony for MIT Technology Review’s “Innovators Under 35” (hereinafter referred to as TR35) and the Youth Science and Technology Forum were successfully held in the Future Sci-Tech City of Yuhang District, Hangzhou. The event brought together nearly 80 leading academics, tech business leaders, and capital representatives from China and abroad, offering profound insights and valuable assessments on the direction of frontier technologies and the development trends of the economy and society.

At the launch ceremony, speeches were delivered by Liu Ying, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Yuhang District Party Committee; Ning Guang, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Wang Zili, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Researcher and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Reliability and Systems Engineering, Beihang University; and Elizabeth Broadbent, Professor at the University of Auckland and Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Xue Qikun, an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences who recently received the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize, the highest international honor in condensed matter physics, also extended his congratulations to the conference and delivered an insightful presentation via video link.

Since its inception in 1899, MIT Technology Review has been a champion and witness to technological innovation, consistently focusing on technological breakthroughs and their commercialization. Since 1999, it has annually scoured the globe to identify innovators under the age of 35, giving rise to the “Innovators Under 35” (TR35) list. At the conference, the newly selected global and Asia-Pacific honorees for the 2023 TR35 were officially announced, awards were presented to the recipients, and the special title of “Honorary Resident of Dream Town” was conferred upon the TR35 selectees. The newly appointed TR35 Asia-Pacific young scientists showcased their latest research findings and innovative ideas, as the technological landscape shaping the future world gradually unfolds.

The Yuhang International Talent Month is not only an annual talent gala in Yuhang but also a significant window for showcasing the district’s achievements in talent development. At the launch of the 2023 Yuhang District International Talent Month, Li Jie, Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Administrative Committee of Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City, joined guests in officially launching the Hangzhou Yuhang “Global Future Scientists Program” and the opening of registrations for the “2024 TR35 Asia Pacific.”

Notably, the event featured a high-end roundtable session titled “Peak Dialogue.” Four distinguished scientists—Professor Elizabeth Broadbent, Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi (New Zealand) and Professor at the University of Auckland; Professor Antonio H. Castro Neto, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physics, and Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Director of the Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research, Co-Director of the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials; Professor Seeram Ramakrishna, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK), Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the Academy of Engineering Singapore, and Professor at NUS; and Dr. Lingwen Hu, Senior Research Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Fellow of the American Nuclear Society—engaged in an in-depth discussion on the theme “How Technology Empowers Development.”

It is reported that the two-day event will feature four thematic sessions scheduled for November 3: “Infinite Lifespan,” “Infinite Energy,” “Infinite Space,” and “Infinite Intelligence.” More distinguished scientists and entrepreneurs actively engaged on the front lines of technological innovation and startups will share their insights.

As the host city for the TR35 Global Asia-Pacific selection announcement ceremony for three consecutive years, Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City is one of the four national Future Sci-Tech Cities designated by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. It is among the first batch of regional demonstration bases for mass entrepreneurship and innovation in China, and serves as the core, demonstration, and leading area of the Hangzhou West Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, a key initiative of Zhejiang Province. Furthermore, it acts as the source of future technological innovation, the leader in future industries, and the model for future urban development in Yuhang District.In recent years, Future Sci-Tech City has deepened its collaboration with DeepTech, consecutively hosting top-tier forums and summits such as the TR35 announcement ceremony and the “10 Breakthrough Technologies” summit. These efforts have further enhanced the international influence of local innovation capabilities, promoted the deep integration of global young scientific and technological talent and cutting-edge technologies with local industrial development. To date, a total of 5,760 high-level overseas talents have been introduced and cultivated, and nearly ten TR35 awardees have embarked on their entrepreneurial journeys in Yuhang.Moving forward, Future Sci-Tech City will continue to adhere to the development strategy of “talent-led, innovation-driven, and industry-city integration,” always upholding the service philosophy of “We provide the sunshine and rain; you focus on thriving.” It is committed to creating an ecological environment conducive to talent innovation, creation, and entrepreneurship, continuously providing the strongest talent support for enhancing the capabilities of the West Science and Technology Innovation Corridor and accelerating Yuhang District’s construction as an important new center of Hangzhou.

Yuhang District is a highland for scientific and technological innovation in Zhejiang Province and across China, as well as the home of Alibaba’s global headquarters. It hosts four provincial-level laboratories—Zhijiang, Liangzhu, Hupan, and Tianmushan—and boasts a wide array of research and innovation platforms, including the Sino-French Aviation Institute of Beihang University and Zhejiang University’s High-Gravity Large-Scale Scientific Facility. The district is home to 33 listed companies and 2,180 national high-tech enterprises. Currently, Yuhang’s total talent pool has exceeded 390,000, with its talent development efforts leading the province for 13 consecutive years.

Currently, Yuhang District is making every effort to build a vital new center for Hangzhou. It has never been more eager for talent, nor better positioned to help individuals achieve their full potential. As the development of this new center accelerates, Yuhang District will continue to optimize its business environment and entrepreneurial ecosystem, alleviate difficulties faced by enterprises, and create pathways for talent growth, ensuring that every entrepreneur in Yuhang can work with peace of mind, satisfaction, and comfort.