The Hongkou branch of the National Science and Technology Park of Tongji University is one of the flagship science parks in the district, supporting international students in starting businesses and providing services ranging from incubation to policy guidance.

Ahmed Maloum Mohamed is a master's student from Mauritania at Tongji University's College of Environmental Science and Engineering. Fluent in Chinese, he said he had just registered a company at the park, fulfilling a long-held dream.

Though still in its early stages, his company has facilitated international trade between China and Mauritania. This has made him a representative figure among international student entrepreneurs in the park.

When Diego David, an Ecuadorian international student, also expressed interest in starting a company in Shanghai, Mohamed recommended the park and described the support he has received, including registered office space, assistance with business license applications, operational support, guidance on science and technology policies, financial and tax advisory, and talent services.

Diego's company name has been approved, and the business is progressing through the registration process, and will soon be established in the park.

Another aspiring entrepreneur, Bunyoni Darlene Alaine, a student from Burundi at Tongji University's School of Economics and Management. Planning to start a cultural technology company, she initially struggled to choose a name. The park's director drew inspiration from her identity and background, and suggested a name that blends her identity as an international student, her African background, and her nationality.

After Alaine's company was established, the park invited entrepreneurship experts to provide tailored guidance and assist her in applying for a visa endorsement for entrepreneurship. This is also one of the facilitation measures outlined in the policy to encourage international students to start businesses.

On Feb 1, 2026, the revised policies to encourage overseas students to work and start businesses in Shanghai came into effect. The policy focuses on attracting high-level international talent urgently needed in pioneering, emerging, and future industries, and on supporting them through equity participation or by establishing businesses. It also calls for the development of entrepreneurship parks for overseas students that offer full-chain services, including registration, taxation, legal advice, and investment and financing.

The new policies further stipulate that the city will provide a range of support, including residence permits, children's education, housing provident funds, and permanent residence applications.

The Hongkou branch of the National Science and Technology Park of Tongji University, in line with the policy, is committed to deepening collaboration with Tongji University to strengthen industry-university-research cooperation and attract more international students and outstanding graduates from leading universities around the world to start their businesses in Hongkou.

Sources: Official WeChat account of the Hongkou district media center (ID: "shhongkou"), the Hongkou branch of the National Science and Technology Park of Tongji University