Global Entrepreneurship Week China spotlights innovation, tech startups

The 19th Global Entrepreneurship Week China opened in Shanghai on Tuesday, with organizers pledging to build a more results-oriented innovation ecosystem. The five-day event, aimed at early-stage technology founders, features more than 40 activities designed to foster collaboration and growth.

Chu Junhao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasized at the opening ceremony that technological convergence is driving a new wave of innovation and outlined opportunities in future energy, materials, manufacturing, information and health.

Mi Lei, founding partner of Casstar, called for the acceleration of the development of a national technology-finance pipeline to support frontier research amid intensifying global competition.

Angel investor Paulo Andrez, president emeritus of the European Business Angels Network, told attendees that entrepreneurs who can pair human creativity with AI tools will have a competitive edge and lower risk profiles.

To emphasize practicality, Shanghai Technology Entrepreneurship Foundation for Graduates (EFG), the event's host, showcased two start-ups funded by its Angel Fund, giving early-stage companies a national stage to pitch their innovations.