Organizer: CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee, Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government.

Host: Talent Management Office of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee, Hangzhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Hangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau.

Supporting Authorities: Shangcheng District, Gongshu District, Xihu District, Hangzhou High-Tech Zone (Binjiang District), Xiaoshan District, Yuhang District (Future Sci-Tech City/Haichuang Park), Linping District, Qiantang District, Fuyang District, and Lin’an District (Qingshan Lake Science and Technology City).

Co-sponsors: Alibaba Group, Ant Group, Geely Group, etc.

Tracks

The 2025 Competition consists of two sessions - the one for the Chinese candidates back from overseas (the Chinese Session) and the one for international contestants (the International Session). The Chinese Session will feature three categories, namely digital economy (e.g. hardware chips, software programs, cloud computing, big data), bio-medicine (e.g. biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceutics), and advanced industries (e.g. high-end equipment, new materials, green energy, the service industry, and modern agriculture). The International Session will not have specific divisions.

There will be four additional competitions for four specialties as follows: Artificial Intelligence, Brain-inspired Intelligence, Digital Medicine, and Humanoid Robots. These will be hosted by the city's key development zones and industrial platforms.

Evaluation Rules

The process of entry evaluation will be open, fair, and competitive for the better. Entries will be assessed based on factors such as technology, product, business model, industry and market potential, team composition, and feasibility for landing in Hangzhou, in line with the city’s future industrial development goals.

Preliminary Round

Approximately 120 entries will be selected to enter the semi-finals (90 from the Chinese Session and 30 from the International Session).

Semi-Final Round

The top 12 entries from each of the three categories in the Chinese Session will be qualified, totaling 36 projects, while 12 projects from the International Session will also proceed to the next stage.

Final Round

There will be only 2 entries qualifying for the grand final from each category of the Chinese Session, together with another 2 entries from the International Session. The grand final will have 8 entries.

The “Revitalize the West” Special Competition (RWS)

Entries for the RWS shall come from those disqualified for the Chinese Session’s finals, particularly the projects intending to start and grow in Fuyang District, Lin'an District, Tonglu County, Chun'an County, or Jiande City. An invitation for RWS participation will be sent based on the ranking of the semi-finals. Upon confirming the projects’ preference for their future locations, 12 projects will be invited to appear in the RWS. The special competition, with no category required for entries, will be a project roadshow. The final ranking shall be made on the basis of the review and recommendation of the judge panel.

Contestants and project representatives of the 48 entries to the finals are required to attend the competition during the 2025 Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchanges and Cooperation Conference in the city of Hangzhou. Failure to appear at the event in person will be considered withdrawal from the competition. The RWS will be held concurrently in Hangzhou.

Specialized Competitions

Four additional specialized competitions on Artificial Intelligence, Brain-inspired Intelligence, Digital Medicine, and Humanoid Robots will be hosted by the city’s key development zones and industrial platforms based on its economic goals. The top two entries from each of the four specialized competitions will proceed to the grand final.

The Grand Final

Scheduled to be held during the 2025 Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchanges and Cooperation Conference, the grand final will cover 16 entries, including 6 from the Chinese Session, 2 from the International Session, and 8 from the Specialized Competitions. The first, second, and third prizes will be granted after the comprehensive evaluation of the judge panel.

Contestants must be overseas Chinese students or non-ethnic Chinese foreign nationals interested in innovating and starting a business in Hangzhou. They are supposed to have a master's degree or above from overseas, with a startup experience abroad, and own innovative technologies or findings with a broad market prospect. If a contestant has already moved to China, he/she shall be under 50 years old and has been in China for no more than four years.

Someone owning a company as the legal person or holding shares in this company, thus with a paid social security record in Hangzhou before January 1, 2025, or anyone who has participated in the previous Competition two or more times, is not eligible for the 2025 Competition.

1. The contestant must be the primary owner of the entry project, and may apply to include up to three core team members to assist in the competition at different stages. They are required to appropriately share correlated and complementary academic knowledge on their project and can stay in cooperation for a lone time. As the main contestant, the owner of the project must represent the team at all stages of the event and throughout the commercialization of the project. His/her failure to attend any part of the Competition will be considered withdrawal from the Competition. Special Competition policies, like subsidies or talent selection help, will be granted to projects taking roots in Hangzhou once they are eligible for the high-level talent startup funding application accordingly.

2. Each contestant is allowed to submit only ONE project.

3. No change is allowed during the Competition once the contestant and his/her registered project have been approved.

4. Product or service specified in the entry project can either be an invention or a technological patent in which the contestant is involved or authorized. It can also be a concept likely to be materialized. The entry shall be in alignment with our city’s economic growth strategy, fall under the category of either high-tech or strategic emerging industry, and be technologically advanced. The contestant and his/her team should legally be in possession of the intellectual property rights of the entry project or be authorized to use it.

5. The contestant and his/her team should have a complete and detailed business plan that, based on all-out market surveys, can probably allow the project to gain a foothold in the market. It should be an account of any technology applied, market prospects, business strategies and funding request, and contain a description of all team members and a future growth plan. The business model must be clear and well-stated.

6. An entry project in semi-finals is required to contestant in at least one business matchmaking session of the Competition. The plan and schedule will be confirmed based on the specific event arrangements.

7. All contestants are required to pledge the accuracy and truthfulness of the data and information provided to the Competition. The intellectual property rights related to the project should be clear. Contestants shall be solely responsible for any legal consequences arising from inaccurate information or disputes over intellectual property rights. In addition, the Organizing Committee of the Competition reserves the right to make a necessary inquiry on the authenticity of data and information provided by the contestants.

参赛项目于大赛结束一年内来杭落地实施转化且符合落地转化条件的，可不经评审获得与所获奖项对应金额的市级高层次留学回国人员在杭创新创业项目资助；于大赛结束两年内来杭落地实施转化且符合落地转化条件的，可申请对项目进行复评，经复评确认项目仍保持先进性的，可获得与所获奖项对应的市级高层次留学回国人员在杭创新创业项目资助。其中：进入大赛复赛阶段的项目根据所获名次分别对应资助金额20万元，进入大赛决赛阶段的项目以及获得各专项赛3-5名的项目对应资助金额100万元，获得大赛总决赛一、二、三等奖的项目对应资助金额分别为500万、300万、200万元。参赛落地项目享受注册所在地的人才、项目及产业政策按照相关规定执行。

“西部振兴”特别专项赛项目在富阳区、临安区、桐庐县、淳安县、建德市落地并完成注册手续后，符合条件的项目可根据“西部振兴”特别专项赛比赛结果获得对应的市级高层次留学回国人员在杭创业创新项目资助，其中：“西部振兴”特别专项赛1-3名的项目对应资助金额100万元，“西部振兴”特别专项赛4-12名的项目对应资助金额50万元。如项目最终选择杭州市其他区落地，将按照复赛名次享受对应资助金额20万元。

同时，进入大赛复赛阶段的优秀项目在杭落地实施转化的，可不经评审获得企业注册所在地相对应的扶持政策。

来杭落地并实施转化的项目，可享受所在园区房租补贴、融资担保、贷款贴息等优惠政策。

对大赛获奖项目在杭落地情况进行统计跟踪和落地服务；兑现落实大赛各项奖励及政策，做好获奖项目申请各类项目资助资金及其他配套政策的相关工作；为项目团队配备创业导师，为大赛参赛者量身定制创业培训课程，进行创业指导；举办大赛落地企业人才招聘会、创业沙龙等活动。

全程项目对接

大赛组委会与各特别支持单位一起会同省市创投协会组织头部风投机构，通过举办“创客彩虹桥”活动，开展大赛参赛项目的全周期常态化路演。

Miscellaneous