Startups honored as Shanghai launches Global Entrepreneurship Week

Six startups were honored with entrepreneurship awards on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) China.

The event at Fudan University’s School of Management in Yangpu District marks the beginning of a weeklong celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship in Shanghai.

The winners include MT Vacuum Tech, which develops advanced vacuum systems and gas analysis solutions, including battery leakage detection systems.

Another winner, the ZBMEC Co, focuses on intelligent roadside decision systems for connected vehicles, supporting smart city and highway projects.

The event, hosted by the Shanghai Technology Entrepreneurship Foundation for Graduates, runs through November 24 with more than 50 entrepreneurship activities with themes such as embodied intelligence, biomedicine, advanced manufacturing, angel funding and green science.

This year, the foundation introduced “angel fund” concept verification projects, awarding financial support to nine research initiatives.

These projects aim to help researchers bring lab innovations closer to commercial viability by addressing challenges in early-stage development.

Jeff Hoffman, chairman of the board of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, emphasized the importance of global collaboration in his keynote address.

Xue Kan, Party secretary of Yangpu, described the event as a way to foster connections between academia, industry and investment.

The event also included panel discussions on topics such as expanding Chinese tech companies into international markets and the challenges they face.

Entrepreneurs will participate in pitch sessions and networking opportunities throughout the week. The program aims to connect startups with over 500 early-stage investment institutions and corporations.