Hangzhou's 2025 Global Innovation Competition

The competition can be participated in remotely up to the Semi-Final phase. However, finalists are expected to attend the event in Hangzhou in person to present their pitches, including those advancing to the Grand Final. The Final and Grand Final, along with the Hangzhou International Talents Exchange Conference, will all take place during the same week.

To assist with travel costs, applicants coming from outside Asia will receive a travel subsidy of approximately 7,000 RMB, while those from within Asia will receive approximately 3,500 RMB. These amounts may vary from year to year.

Please note: the applicant whose information is registered on the application form must make the trip in person. One additional team member may join the trip, but cannot replace the applicant or travel on their behalf.

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All stages of startups, from ideation to pre-IPO, are eligible to apply. Post-IPO companies cannot participate.

Even if you haven't registered an entity yet, you can still participate. Companies already registered in Hangzhou are not eligible.

Yes, startups from anywhere in the world without a presence in China are welcome to participate. You may win the cash prize without any entity registered in China.

However, you will benefit the most from this event if you have a keen interest in commercializing and implementing your solution in China.

For example, the landing support layer of the benefits will only be given to winners who subsequently register an entity in Hangzhou.

There are two layers of prizes you may gain from this competition: cash prizes and landing support.

‍Cash prizes have no requirement related to entity registration or expansion into China, with amounts ranging from 10K to 200K RMB. All the 120 individuals or teams advancing to at least the semi-final will receive at least one award, with varying amounts.

No accumulation is allowed; you will receive the highest amount according to your final ranking.

Landing Support can only be obtained if you register an entity in Hangzhou within 2 years from the award announcement date (no re-evaluation required if within 1 year, and re-evaluation is required if it is in the 2nd year). The amount starts from 200,000 RMB, going up all the way to 5 million RMB.

Both Cash Prizes and Landing Support are equity-free grants, do not involve taking your equity.

If your startup attracts additional investment interest during the competition process, those terms and conditions are to be negotiated separately on a case-by-case basis with the interested parties. China entity registration is not necessarily required.

Only English and Chinese are accepted languages for the application. For non-Chinese nationals, we recommend you use English.

To apply, submit your application before the registration deadline.

After the submission, your entry will go through Registration Review. During this time, if there are any missing, inaccurate, or contradictory details in your form, we will contact you to address those issues.

In general, you can expect the timeline listed on this website. You will receive a notification via email or SMS at the end of each round to inform you about the outcome.

Yes, you are eligible to compete, even without immediate plans to launch in China.

The competition is designed to be inclusive and recognizes the potential of diverse global ventures.

As you progress through the competition—especially if you advance to the semi-finals and finals—you can still win cash prizes regardless of your entity status.

Additionally, your project will be showcased to a wide audience, providing valuable exposure to leading venture investors, both in China and globally. The Hangzhou Competition places a significant media spotlight on its winners, giving you visibility and promotion within the investor community.

Having said that, startups that are open to exploring the China option upon winning the prize could benefit the most from the competition—especially from the networking and connections made through this event.

After all, Hangzhou is not only the birthplace of Alibaba, but also the home of rising AI stars like DeepSeek. You could be among the next wave of global ventures to grow from this powerful innovation hub.

The Competition welcomes startups from a wide range of fields. If you believe your offering has potential but doesn't fit into the specified verticals, you can still apply under "Others". The competition is open to innovative ideas from diverse industries.

We recommend applying as early as possible.

Chinese public fund sponsored competitions often have quotas for each month, and they accept a limited number of applicants into the next stage based on the monthly quota filing status. Therefore, the later you wait to apply, the slimmer your chances become, and the competition becomes more competitive.

Applying early maximizes your chances of success.