The Chengdu Talent Work Leading Group Office and Chengdu Human Resources and Social Security Bureau in partnership with International Technology Transfer Network (ITTN), successfully held the Chengdu International Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in London in the Royal Albert Docks on 29 October 2018. As ITTN international committee member, GlobalTech IP also made a great contribution to this competition.
The opening remarks by Jiang Sunan, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the UK (Chinese Embassy in London), Liang Boshu, General Representative of General Representative Office in the UK, Li Xi, Party Secretary, Chengdu Municipal Organisation Department, Jin Xiaoming, Former Director, Department of International Cooperation, MOST and Klaus Nielsen, Professor of Institutional Economics at University of London, Birkbeck put the spotlight on the crucial place technology innovation plays in both countries’ economies at the governmental, industrial, academic and institutional levels.
London Newham Council is supporting the Chengdu authorities’ UK Talent incentive programmes aimed at identifying, developing and commercialising British technology companies in China. The leading technology businesses were selected from a broad range of industries in a four-stage evaluation process conducted both in the UK and China. The most innovative companies selected by the highly acclaimed British-Chinese jury presented their unique solutions in sustainable technologies and new energy, biotechnology, digital healthcare, artificial intelligence applications, software, creative industries, inclusive design, new materials, diagnostic and medical devices, waste reduction and financial technologies.
Several members of the diverse group of honourees discussed exceptional programmes designed by the Chengdu government organisations, placing the Chengdu International Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition at the centre of conversation about joint collaborative research, development and commercialisation of new technological advances in both countries. The Chengdu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Environment Promotion section of the event saw presentations from Chengdu municipality, Tianfu New District, Chengdu High-Tech Zone and Wuhou District Committee leaders.
Representatives of the leading business enterprises, research institutes, Universities and government agencies joined a working lunch with the leader of Chengdu authorities to discuss legislation and best practices in knowledge exchange and technology transfer in the UK and Chengdu in China.
Judges from the leading UK’s Universities including Imperial College, Birkbeck, University of London, University of Essex and others, as well as business and investment specialists, evaluated the participating companies and their technologies to select the most promising developments.
Through intelligent facilitating mechanisms built by the support network, existing industry databases and professional company-oriented business strategy advice, the Competition participants are now able to connect to the leading technology research facilities, access funding and development resources, and establish new trading enterprises in China and the world beyond.
In addition to the technology showcase, a four-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Chengdu Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, ABP London, International Technology Transfer Network and GlobalTech IP to support the aspiration of the Chengdu government to build an effective UK Innovation and Investment platform to increase the quality and volume of effective cross-border innovative technology deals between Chengdu and the UK. Plans of creating an online platform to provide solid IP protection, technology evaluation and market access, as well as public and private investment have been outlined in the MoU and agreed on by all signees.
The Competition winners were announced on the day:
- 1st Prize: Betalin Therapeutics
- 2nd Prize: Ambicare Health
- 3rd Prize: Wasware Limited & Unifi
