Shanghai's Brain-Inspired Intelligence Industry Innovation and Development Alliance has launched the Brain-Inspired Intelligence Innovation Contest 2025, calling for entries to drive high-quality advancement in the industry.

The brain-inspired intelligence industry is entering applied trial phases, emphasizing the importance of scalable, commercial viable solutions. The competition seeks to identify leading cases in cutting-edge technology research, practical application solutions, and the development of both software and hardware. Its goal is to build a comprehensive innovation ecosystem that integrates academic achievements, technological breakthroughs, and industrial deployment.

Timeline

Competition launch: August 2025

Registration deadline: Before 4 pm, September 30, 2025

Submission deadline: Before 4 pm, October 10, 2025

Online preliminary review: October 2025

On-site final review: November 2025

Results announcement: November 2025

Awards ceremony: December 2025

Entry requirements

1. Academic Group

Eligible institutions:

Legally registered higher education institutions and research institutes both domestically and internationally.

Core members:

Teams should mainly consist of current students or researchers, with a maximum of six core members. Multiple teams per institution are permitted.

Advisors:

Up to two teachers, researchers, or mentors from institutions may serve as advisors.

Corporate collaboration:

Teams may obtain non-lead support from enterprises, such as equipment, data, or limited funding. However, the academic institution must retain ownership of the core intellectual property, and the team must conduct the primary R&D. If corporate employees play a significant role in the core R&D, the team should register under the Enterprise Group.

2. Enterprise Group

Eligible entities:

Legally registered and operating enterprises in China.

Core members:

Formal employees or key technical employees of the enterprise, with no more than six core team members.

Expert advisors:

Up to one expert advisor from an academic or research institution.

Joint applications:

Enterprises are encouraged to collaborate with academic institutions or other enterprises for joint applications. The lead enterprise, cooperating organization, and contributions of each party must be clearly defined.

Topics

Topic 1: Key technological breakthroughs

1. Brain-inspired computing:

Explore neuromorphic brain-inspired computing chips, based on many-core interconnection architectures that support on-chip learning, to enhance energy efficiency and parallel processing for complex tasks. Investigate low-power, low-latency intelligent algorithms inspired by biology, featuring self-adaptability for computation, decision-making, and control.

2. Brain-inspired perception:

Focus on low-latency, high-dynamic perception in vision, touch, hearing, and other areas. Create perception devices or algorithms based on brain-inspired intelligence tech to reduce power use and latency.

Topic 2: Industry application empowerment

Address practical needs across sectors like embodied intelligence, automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, smart cities, and intelligent terminals. Utilize the benefits of brain-inspired intelligence, including high energy efficiency, low latency, online learning, and self-adaptability—to develop solutions that target industry pain points and foster the adoption and transformation of brain-inspired technologies.

Note: The competition offers reasoning services, such as cloud-based large model APIs inspired by the brain and brain-inspired computing hardware modules.

Topic 3: Software and hardware innovation ecosystem

Concentrate on advancing software and hardware ecosystems in the brain-inspired intelligence sector. Develop shared infrastructure, including frameworks and toolchain platforms, that unify software and hardware to enable smooth integration and effective collaboration across various vendors and hybrid brain-inspired components, promoting a collaborative industry ecosystem.

Awards

Both Academic and Enterprise Groups will award:

First prize: one team

Second prize: two teams

Third prize: three teams

Special awards: Several

1. Honors

Certificates of honor and participation

2. Research support

Cash prizes and computing vouchers worth over 1 million yuan ($139,953).

Priority recommendation of winning projects to the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

Priority access to the public service platform for brain-inspired intelligence industry applications.

3. Incubation support

The brain-inspired intelligence future industry incubator offers rental and service fee discounts of up to 100,000 yuan.

4. Resource support

Promotion through platforms such as the Brain-Inspired Intelligence Industry Innovation and Development Alliance, as well as participating in alliance events.

Participation in the future industry incubator partnership program focused on brain-inspired intelligence.

Priority access to industry funds.

Priority access to application scenarios in Yangpu district, as well as to innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and talent policies.

Entrepreneurship mentoring, market and industry resource support.

Internship and job recommendations

Registration

Please register before 4 pm on Sept 30, 2025, via the official competition website below

http://biic.3incloud.com

You can also scan the QR code below to access the registration portal.

Contact

Email: wangmeiqing@3in.org

Phone: 021-6886-6370

Service hours: Weekdays, 9 am to 11:30 am, 1 pm to 5:30 pm

Note: The organizer reserves the right to amend the rules, withhold or reduce certain awards, and make final decisions regarding the competition.

 

Source: Official WeChat account of Shanghai Science and Technology at "sh_stcsm"