The application period for the 6th Shanghai Global Talents Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition runs from April 7 to May 31, 2026.

This year's edition features a range of incentives to attract global talent. Below is an overview of the supportive policies.

Financial incentives

1. Investment and financing matchmaking:

Winning projects will be included in the "Shanghai Talent+" venture capital fund alliance project pool. They will receive at least five free opportunities to participate in the "Shanghai Talent+" roadshows and matchmaking opportunities with no fewer than 10 venture capital investment institutions, along with priority access to investment matchmaking services.

2. Credit support:

- Winning participants and their projects are eligible to directly apply for talent credit loans of up to 10 million yuan ($1.47 million) and enterprise credit loans of up to 30 million yuan.

- Enterprises founded or controlled by winning participants to commercialize their projects, and that have been certified as high‑tech enterprises, can directly apply for enterprise credit loans of up to 50 million yuan.

- Companies recognized as "specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative" (SRDI) small and medium-sized enterprises may apply for enterprise credit loans of up to 100 million yuan.

3. Policy guarantees:

- Enterprises founded by participants who advance to the semifinals or above, if they meet the operating rules and review criteria for SMEs, may obtain guaranteed loans of up to 20 million yuan.

- Enterprises meeting the criteria for large enterprises may obtain guaranteed loans of up to 100 million yuan.

4. Personal financial services:

- Winning participants and employees of their enterprises may obtain low‑interest personal credit loans of up to 1 million yuan.

- Winning participants are entitled to preferential housing rental services and customized personal insurance protection services.

- For winning participants, the interest rate and down payment requirements for purchasing their first market-priced residential property in Shanghai will be set at the lowest permissible level, in accordance with regulatory requirements and prevailing market conditions.

5. Exclusive financial services:

Winning participants will have access to exclusive financial services provided by banks, including dedicated relationship managers, professional service teams, exclusive service windows, wealth management services, and global business matchmaking support.

Industrial incentives

1. Office space:

- Winning participants who have not yet registered an enterprise in Shanghai are eligible for up to 300 square meters of free office space.

- Participants who advance to the semifinals or above and have not yet registered an enterprise in Shanghai may be recommended to various makerspaces, incubators, or similar platforms, and will receive priority access to rental subsidies or rent reductions.

2. Project support:

Winning participants' enterprises will receive direct access to policy services.

- Those meeting the basic application criteria for technology SMEs may be directly assessed and included in the relevant database.

- Those meeting the basic application criteria for high‑tech enterprises will receive priority recommendation for certification of the status.

- Enterprises founded by winning participants that meet the basic application criteria for SRDI and SMEs will receive corresponding points on the "differentiation indicator" evaluation based on their award level.

- When winning participants apply for municipal or district‑level industrial policies and project support, they will receive priority recommendation.

3. Intellectual property services:

Winning projects and enterprises will receive IP services, including assistance in establishing IP management systems, preventing infringement risks, developing core IP strategies, and formulating dispute strategies, helping enterprises mitigate potential business risks.

Talent incentives

1. Talent programs:

Eligible winning participants may be selected for the Shanghai Magnolia Talent Plan (Entrepreneurship Track) and the Shanghai Oriental Talent Plan (Entrepreneurship Track, Leadership Track, and Youth Track). They will receive corresponding support for living allowances, social insurance participation, and taxation, as well as priority recommendations for national‑level talent programs.

2. Talent attraction:

Non-Shanghai-registered winners of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards and their core team members who have stable jobs in Shanghai and participate in social insurance may apply for talent household registration. The maximum number of applicants is five for Gold Award winners and their core team members, three for Silver, and two for Bronze.

3. Talent housing:

Winning participants and their core team members, who do not own property in Shanghai, either personally or among their family members, may be given priority access to municipal‑ and district‑level talent apartments. Each winning project team may apply for up to three talent housing units in total for the participant and their core team members.

4. Membership services:

Winning participants and their core team members will be eligible for membership in the Shanghai Talent+ Development Promotion Association, along with exclusive services such as international exchange, policy consultation, and entrepreneurship training.

5. Participation subsidies:

Gold Award: 100,000 yuan

Silver Award: 50,000 yuan

Bronze Award: 30,000 yuan

Excellence Award: 5,000 yuan

Additional incentives

1. Industry exchange:

Winning projects may participate in regular industry matchmaking meetings free of charge and gain direct opportunities to engage with leading companies in their respective sectors.

2. Summit promotion:

Winning projects will have opportunities to showcase their projects and invitations to the "Shanghai Talent+" summit.

3. Media promotion:

Winning projects will receive support in connecting with various media outlets for multi‑channel promotion.

Talent referral incentive program

1. Project categorization:

Talent innovation and entrepreneurship projects will be assessed through the "Shanghai Talent+" competition and classified into three classes (A, B, C) based on the evaluation results.

2. Evaluation criteria:

- Class A: At least two projects qualify for the finals in the same edition of the competition.

- Class B: At least three projects qualify for the semifinals in the same edition.

- Class C: At least 15 projects participate in the preliminary round in the Shanghai division, or a minimum of 10 projects compete in non-Shanghai divisions in the same edition.

Note: Individuals who are participants or team members of a competing project are not permitted to recommend their own project.

3. Reward standards:

(1) Class A: A one-time reward of 200,000 yuan for recommending at least two projects that qualify for the finals. In addition:

- 100,000 yuan for each project that wins a gold prize.

- 50,000 yuan for each project that wins a silver prize.

- 30,000 yuan for each project that wins a bronze prize.

Note: The number of Class A awards per edition shall not exceed 10.

(2) Class B: A one-time reward of 150,000 yuan, with up to 30 Class B awards granted per edition.

(3) Class C: A one-time reward of 20,000 yuan, with up to 100 Class C awards granted per edition.

4. Important notes

(1) If the number of eligible individuals or organizations exceeds the award quotas, rewards will be granted based on the project's advancement in the competition, with priority given to the higher-achieving projects.

(2) The total reward for any single organization or individual for recommending projects in the same competition edition shall be capped at 500,000 yuan, even if the total calculated reward exceeds this amount.

(3) For projects from outside Shanghai or in the seed stage that advance to the semifinals or above, the reward fund must be applied for only after the project has completed registration and commenced actual operation in Shanghai within six months of receiving the award. Applications not submitted within one year shall be deemed to have abandoned the fund.

(4) Specific policies are subject to officially issued documents.

 

Source: Official WeChat account of the Shanghai Talent+ Development Promotion Association at "shgtda"