e final round of the 9th Yangpu Global Startups Competition wrapped up on April 2 after three days of intense competition, where both international and local startup teams showcased remarkable innovation and technological strength.

A total of 129 high-potential projects from across the globe competed for top honors across six cutting-edge categories: cultural creativity and agritech, life and health, future intelligence, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and green and low-carbon development.

The final round adopted a dynamic "10-minute roadshow + 8-minute Q&A" format, bringing together global visionaries from countries such as Singapore and the United States with China's most promising innovators in a shared arena of entrepreneurial excellence.

This year's edition featured an upgraded panel of 30 judges, including academicians, professors, industry experts, and investment professionals. They evaluated projects from multiple dimensions — technical feasibility, market potential, and return on investment — while offering strategic guidance to support further development.

As one of the most influential entrepreneurship competitions in the Yangpu district, this year's event saw a total investment exceeding 100 million yuan ($13.9 million). This included around 1 million yuan in prize money and, for the first time, a 70-million-yuan market-oriented direct investment fund. An additional 36 million yuan was allocated for dedicated talent programs, creating an integrated support framework combining policy, capital, and industry resources.

Sources: Shanghai Observer and official WeChat account of Shanghai Yangpu District News Center at "shanghai-yangpu"