The HICOOL 2023 Global Entrepreneurs Summit will be held at the China International Exhibition Center (Shunyi Hall) on Aug 25.

Since its inception in 2020, HICOOL has attracted 22,000 entrepreneurial talents and 16,000 projects from 133 countries and regions, resulting in the emergence of 11 unicorn companies and 73 specialized and sophisticated enterprises. The post-competition financing for award-winning projects has reached nearly 30 billion yuan ($4.12 billion).

This year, the HICOOL 2023 Global Entrepreneurship Competition has attracted 5,705 entrepreneurial projects and 7,467 talents from 114 countries and regions, setting historical records for the number of projects and talents. 

Among them, there are 1,999 foreign talents, accounting for over a quarter, with a 29 percent year-on-year growth; there are 3,628 overseas projects, accounting for nearly two-thirds, with a 23 percent year-on-year growth.

The competition consists of seven tracks: Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Financial Technology, Next-Generation Information Technology, High-End Equipment, Medical and Health and so forth. 

Seven first prizes, 21 second prizes, 42 third prizes, and 70 excellence awards have been given out, sharing a total prize of 100 million yuan.

For the first time, this summit has established an International Innovation Exhibition Area, where innovative organizations and outstanding projects from countries and regions such as Brazil, Ireland, Thailand, and Hong Kong, China will participate as a group.

Representatives from international talent organizations, research institutions, well-known global companies like Google and Tesla, international investment institutions, incubation centers, as well as leaders of prestigious domestic and overseas universities such as The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University, will gather at this summit.

During this summit, five parallel sub-stages will be set up. The HICOOL Lounge Stage will create an efficient communication and quick negotiation platform. 

The Investment Connection Stage will feature over 100 outstanding domestic and international projects showcasing their pitches according to their respective track areas. The Overseas Collaboration Stage will host seven events focusing on international innovation cooperation and exchange, fostering global entrepreneurial ecosystem in collaboration with scientific and creative institutions worldwide. 

In terms of the exhibition area, the total area of this summit is 26,000 square meters, with an exhibition area of 18,000 square meters, featuring characteristic exhibition areas such as the Venture Town Exhibition Area, Innovative Ecological Exhibition Area, International Innovation Exhibition Area, and District Exhibitions of Beijing. 

The award-winning projects of this year's HICOOL competition will also be categorized by industry, showcased in themes such as the Biomedical Exhibition Area and Artificial Intelligence/Next-Generation Information Technology Exhibition Area.