Competition overview

The 10th Yangpu International Startup Competition, themed "Decade of Foundation Gathers Talent, Fuxing Pioneer Creates Future", was launched in December.

The competition has expanded beyond Shanghai to the world, establishing a platform for attracting talent and promoting innovation through competitions. It aims to foster integration across industries, capital, talent, and innovation, while encouraging youth-driven scientific innovation to cultivate new, high-quality productive forces.

 

Registration website

https://www.yptalent.cn/home

 

Competition categories

1. Entrepreneurship category

- Artificial intelligence

- Intelligent manufacturing

- Information technology

- Life and health

- Creative design/Agricultural technology

- Green and low-carbon

2. Innovation category

- International innovation special project

- University achievement transformation special project

3. "Decade Tribute" showcase category

This category invites former award-winning entrepreneurs to return, share their experiences, and serve as entrepreneurship mentors.

 

Competition regions

The competition is divided into two zones: overseas zone and Chinese mainland zone.

It targets global outstanding talent and high-quality projects, extending to innovation and entrepreneurship hotspots across Europe, Asia, North America, South America, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Russia.

Eligibility

1. Basic requirements

• Participants must have obtained their degree abroad and possess relevant work or entrepreneurial experience (including postdoctoral researchers and visiting scholars).

• Projects must demonstrate innovation and growth potential, core technology, market prospects, and independent intellectual property rights that are free of disputes.

• Participants must express intent to innovate and establish their ventures in Yangpu district.

• Projects that have previously won awards above an honorable mention in past competitions or have received support under Yangpu's "3310" High-Level Talent Introduction and Cultivation Action Plan (2026-2030) are ineligible to participate.

2. Participation stages

• Seed stage:

Projects for transforming scientific and technological achievements and studios not yet registered as enterprises.

• Angel stage:

Enterprises registered within the last three years (after Dec 1, 2022).

• Growth stage:

Enterprises registered between three to eight years (Dec 1, 2017, to Dec 1, 2022).

Note: Enterprises registered or relocated to Yangpu district must have been established or relocated after June 30, 2024.

3. Special invitations

1. Gold, silver, and bronze winners of the third, fourth, and fifth "Shanghai Talent+" competitions who have not received "3310" support and have established operations in Yangpu may bypass the competition and directly qualify for "3310" policy support (excluding competition prize money).

2. After online due diligence, winners of second prize or above in renowned competitions such as "Chunhui Cup" (including the Chunhui platform) and "Stay in Shanghai" within the last three years may advance directly to the semifinals and finals.

3. Projects that received Category A, B, and C support from the Yangpu district postdoctoral innovation practice base in the last three years may advance directly to the finals and semifinals. Note: Applicants must be the postdoctoral researchers themselves.

 

Competition schedule

1. Project registration

Registration period: December 2025 to February 2026

Registration method: Online registration

2. Preliminary round

Time: March 2026

Form: Expert online review of materials

3. Semifinals

Time: March 2026

Form: Online and offline roadshows, including an eight-minute project presentation and a five-minute Q&A session with judges.

4. Finals

Time: April 2026

Format: Primarily offline roadshows, including a 10-minute project presentation and a five-minute Q&A session with judges.

5. Award ceremony

Time: June 2026

Awards

1. First prize

- Awards: six

- Prize money: 50,000 yuan (about $7,104) per project

- "3310" Category A support, up to 2 million yuan.

2. Second prize

- Awards: 12

- Prize money: 30,000 yuan per project

- "3310" Category B support, up to 1 million yuan.

3. Third prize

- Awards: 24

- Prize money: 20,000 yuan per project

- "3310" Category C support, up to 500,000 yuan.

4. Innovation award

- Awards: 20

- Prize money of 20,000 yuan and financial support of 30,000 yuan per project

- Upon registration and establishment in Yangpu, an initial subsidy of 20,000 yuan is granted. After one year of operation and a successful evaluation, an additional 30,000 yuan fund is provided.

Note: The awards for Seed Stage, Angel Stage, and Growth Stage projects will be distributed at a 1:1:1 ratio.

5. Talent scout award (for talent-introduction institutions)

- A maximum of 10 awards, with prize money of 100,000 yuan per recipient

- Eligibility: Open to individuals, enterprises, or social organizations that have recommended 30 or more valid projects for this year's competition.

- Restriction criteria: Intended for enterprise legal entities and social organizations with outstanding contributions to talent recommendation and attraction; publicly funded personnel and institutions are excluded.

6. Additional support

• Talent policies: Office space subsidies, personal rental subsidies, loan interest discounts, and other benefits under Yangpu's "3310" talent plan.

• Talent services: Residency facilitation, children's school enrollment assistance, medical green channels, priority for visa and permanent residence permit, and other services.

• Project incubation: Registration and landing services, incubation acceleration, media promotion, academia-enterprise collaboration recommendations, and other support.

• Recommendation opportunities: Priority recommendations for the "Shanghai Talent+" competition and other national-level talent programs.

• Financial empowerment: Talent credit loans of up to 30 million yuan and resource matchmaking with hundreds of investment institutions.

Note: Winning projects must meet the criteria of the "3310" talent program to qualify for additional support.

 

Contact

Competition organizing committee:

Zhang: 153-0083-0870

Yangpu District High-Level Talent Development Service Center

Competition complaints and supervision:

Xu: 189-1711-9032

Ding: 139-1861-6924

 

For detailed information, visit the official competition website at https://www.yptalent.cn/home, or follow the official WeChat account of Yangpu District High-Level Talent Development Service Center (ID: "yptalent").

 

Sources: Official WeChat account of Yangpu District High-Level Talent Development Service Center (ID: "yptalent"), official WeChat account of Shanghai International Talent website (ID: "sh-italent")