With 97 competing projects and over 300 experts serving as judges, the seventh ShanghaiTech Innovation & Entrepreneurship Summit (techIES), successfully concluded on July 18. The techIES featured three specialties—physical science, information science, and life science—bringing together innovative teams from 38 renowned domestic and international institutions, including Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Stanford University, to compete and collaborate.
In his opening address, Jiang Ge, vice president of ShanghaiTech, highlighted the techIES as a flagship platform that consistently introduces market-oriented perspectives to innovative projects, effectively driving technology transfer and embodying the core values of enabling transformation and experiential education. He noted that the summit’s market-driven evaluation mechanism, involving joint reviews by investment institutions and enterprises, provides early-stage projects with opportunities for roadshow, funding, and growth. This year, consultations regarding entrepreneurship among faculty and students surged significantly, and engagement with prospective investors reached new heights, fully highlighting the techIES’s unique value as a second class for experiential education. Jiang emphasized that ShanghaiTech will continue to collaborate with government, industry, and capital to foster a synergistic innovation ecosystem, actively contributing to China’s innovation-driven development strategy.
Vice President Jiang Ge gives speech at the techIES’s opening ceremony
The physical science specialty focused on new materials, renewable energy, intelligent manufacturing, and high-end equipment, with 31 projects showcasing cross-institutional collaboration and deep integration of academia, industry, and research. The participation and success of international teams, such as those from the University of New South Wales, underscored the platform’s global appeal while providing local entrepreneurs with valuable opportunities for exchange and benchmarking. Eventually, 12 projects received awards, with 42% from external teams.
Group photo of participants in physical science specialty
The information science specialty centered on next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, and integrated circuits, with 25 teams delivering compelling pitches. One student team stood out with innovative presentation formats, showcasing self-developed prototypes in an interactive demo zone outside the venue. By inviting judges to test their products through “subscription,” these teams transformed their pitches from mere explanations to immersive experiences, significantly enhancing their projects’ persuasiveness and appeal. This became a distinctive highlight of the conference. Eventually, nine projects won awards, 44% of which were from external teams.
Group photo of participants in information science specialty
The life sciences specialty spanned biomedicine, medical devices, and smart healthcare, with 41 projects competing fiercely. Solutions leveraging deep AI applications garnered significant attention. Student teams that participated in the “Startup School” for a pre-summit pitch training excelled during the techIES, effectively articulating their projects’ value and securing awards, demonstrating the efficacy of training in “Startup School.” At the end, 12 projects were awarded, with 25% from external teams.
Group photo of participants in life sciences specialty
Beyond its vibrant pitches and competitions, this year’s summit served as a convergence of innovative forces, a demonstration of experiential education outcomes, and a catalyst for a collaborative innovation ecosystem. It continues to inject dynamic momentum into the entrepreneurial explorations for people at ShanghaiTech and the broader research community, unlocking boundless possibilities.
Since its inception in 2018, the techIES has been held for seven times, steadfastly adhering to the principles of “public benefit, openness, fairness, and impartiality.” It provides a non-profit platform for early-stage entrepreneurial projects from universities and research institutes to gain visibility and secure funding for technology transfer. Several past projects have successfully completed multiple rounds of financing and accelerated industrialization, underscoring the platform’s pivotal role in promoting technology transfer and nurturing entrepreneurial talent.