PolyU International Future Challenge (Shanghai region) yields top four teams

The final of the PolyU x Flair Capital International Future Challenge (Shanghai Region) was held in Shanghai’s Xuhui District on 8 August. Fifteen outstanding teams vied for a range of awards and cash prizes totalling RMB 270,000. The top four teams will qualify for the Grand Final, which will be held in Shenzhen in December, together with leading teams from all regions.

Sponsored by Flair Capital, founded by PolyU alumnus Mr Benny CHAN, the Competition is supported by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Xuhui District People’s Government, Science and Technology Commission of Xuhui District, and Party Working Committee and Office of Hongmei Sub-district, Xuhui District. This collaboration aims to connect global I&T talents and inject new vitality into the technological development of both Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Xuhui District is an important high-ground for innovation and technology (I&T) in Shanghai. Home to a large number of multinational corporations, R&D institutions, and renowned universities, it has made remarkable achievements in domains such as artificial intelligence (AI), biomedicine, and fintech. Industrial clusters valued at hundreds of billions RMB strategically emerged from within its confines, continuously providing driving force for Shanghai’s development into a globally I&T centre.

Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation) said, “This competition holds great significance for deepening industry-academia-research collaboration between PolyU and Xuhui District, fully embodying their profound synergy. The focus areas of the competition align precisely with Xuhui’s I&T development blueprint. It underscores the active role of the challenge in gathering I&T talent and advancing the translation of cutting-edge technologies.” Prof. Chao encouraged all teams to cherish this valuable hands-on experience, drive technological breakthroughs through innovation, leverage the competition platform to connect with other participants, share achievements, and work together towards a better tomorrow.

The Competition focuses on four core domains: blockchain, low-altitude economy, AI-empowered medical, and digital transformation, as well as AI applications in these domains. In addition to cash prizes, winning teams will be able to access support from PolyU Mainland Translational Research Institutes (MTRIs) and the PolyVentures startup ecosystem, as well as the opportunity to enter the high-quality incubators in Xuhui District to expand their business in Shanghai.

The Competition attracted more than 70 projects, with participating teams from Shanghai and overseas. This fully demonstrated Shanghai’s vitality in innovation and entrepreneurship, achieving the competition’s goal of “bringing in and going global”. Following a rigorous selection process, 15 projects advanced to the final to compete for multiple awards. The Shanghai Region award-winning companies/projects are as follows: