A total of 747 projects have successfully advanced to the semifinals of the Innovation Nanshan 2024 Entrepreneurs Star Contest, including 387 in the enterprise group and 360 in the team group. The contest's preliminary round has been concluded recently.

Since its launch, the competition has attracted a total of 1,750 applications, an increase of 250 compared to last year.

This year, the innovation contest is offering a whopping 7.45 million yuan (US$1.05 million) in prize money. The contest is divided into various categories, including industry competition, artificial intelligence challenge, future competition, international competition, and out-of-town competition.

The five major competitions are divided into different categories based on the content of the competition, targeting startups and growth enterprises. Open to the whole country and the world, innovative startups and growth enterprises were encouraged to participate in the contest.

The winning projects can receive a package of entrepreneurial bonuses including policy support, talent recruitment, scientific research funding, household registration rewards, venue support, and financial resources.

Guided by the China Association for Science and Technology and the Shenzhen Municipal Government, the innovation contest is hosted by the Nanshan District Government, Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau, and Shenzhen Association for Science and Technology, and organized by the Nanshan District Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau.