The finals of the 5^th Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) Phoenix Tree Innovation and Entrepreneurship International Competition recently concluded at the University’s Convention Center.

Ling ZHANG, University Council Vice-Chairperson of SUSTech, and over 180 representatives from leading investment institutions, financial organizations, entrepreneurship service providers, industry partners, and project teams attended the event.

The competition of Year 2025 centered on Shenzhen’s “20+8” strategic emerging and future industries, aiming to create a high-level platform for top innovative and entrepreneurial talent.

Teams featured members from world-renowned universities such as Stanford, Yale, Oxford, and the National University of Singapore; leading institutions in Hong Kong and Macao including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, City University of Hong Kong, and Macau University of Science and Technology; as well as China’s “Double First-Class” universities, among them Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and SUSTech. The strong international presence highlighted the competition’s global outlook, high standards, and diversity.

A total of 176 projects from around the world entered the competition, covering key technology fields such as next-generation electronic information, advanced equipment manufacturing, new materials and green low-carbon technologies, and biomedicine and health. Popular tracks included artificial intelligence, chip technology, low-altitude economy, and biomedical innovation.

After multiple rounds of selection, 12 teams advanced to the finals, where they presented their projects in an eight-minute pitch followed by a five-minute Q&A session. Following a highly competitive round, the judging panel awarded one first prize, two second prizes, nine third prizes, and eight honorable mention awards. The first prize went to BridgeDP (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. for the development of its robot, “Cerebellum”.

The judging panel brought together eight experts from state-owned venture capital institutions, industrial funds, university venture funds, angel investors, and leaders in technology. They evaluated the projects across six key criteria: team strength, technology and product, management, industry and market, business model and implementation plan, and growth potential and influence. The panel also highlighted the standout features of each project and provided constructive feedback to support future development.

Susheng WANG, Chief Accountant of SUSTech and Chairman of the SUSTech Asset Management Co., Ltd., emphasized the competition’s growing impact since its launch in 2021. Over five years, it has attracted 876 angel investment project submissions, with 50 of the 67 award-winning projects from the past four competitions successfully securing post-event financing.

These achievements highlight SUSTech’s distinctive focus on knowledge creation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and position the Phoenix Tree competition as a key platform for connecting high-quality entrepreneurial projects with capital.

The Phoenix Tree Innovation and Entrepreneurship International Competition is the flagship event of the National Demonstration Base for Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the SUSTech Science Park. Over five years, it has continued to promote the high-quality transformation of scientific research achievements, strengthen the integration of technological and industrial innovation, and inject new momentum into industrial development.