Registration and applications for the Zhuhai division of the 2022 "Maker in Guangdong" SME Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition began on June 1 and will run through June 30.

A launch ceremony of the competition was held that day at Zhuhai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall in Old Xiangzhou, announcing that 15 projects each in the Maker and Enterprise groups will make it to the quarter-finals, while the finals are scheduled on July 13.

Launch ceremony [Photo by Zhao Zi / Zhuhai Daily]

Domestic and overseas higher education institutions, sci-tech research institutions, specialized, characteristic, and emerging enterprises in Zhuhai's industrial cluster, unicorn enterprises in the seed stage, as well as small and medium-sized sci-tech enterprises are encouraged to bring their high-quality projects to the competition.

The panel of judges will be formed by industrial professionals, such as people in charge at industrial giants, well-known investors, senior entrepreneurship tutors, experts, and scholars. 

Award winners will not only receive certificates and rewards, but also be able to attend supporting activities provided by the organizing committee of the competition, such as entrepreneurship training, as well as investment and financing matchmaking fairs.

The competition has been held in Zhuhai for six consecutive years. This year's event is aimed at boosting the integrated development of small, medium, and large-sized enterprises, as well as stimulating the innovation and entrepreneurship vitality of SMEs and makers. 

It will also help support Zhuhai's "industry first" development strategy and speed up the city's construction to become a new engine for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's high-quality development. 

Li Weihui, Party secretary of Xiangzhou District, expressed hope that the competition will promote the integration of innovation, industry, and talent chains in Zhuhai, further attract and cluster innovation elements, as well as ensure strong real economic development. 

Fu Zhi, deputy director of Xiangzhou District's Bureau of Industry & Information Technology, noted that this year's event will also focus on matchmaking between specialized, characteristic, and emerging enterprises and projects to support high-quality regional economic growth. 

As of now, 41 projects from the previous competitions have registered to settle in Zhuhai, with 551 million yuan ($82 million) in total financing. Projects winning national, provincial, or municipal awards can receive an award of up to 1 million yuan ($149,216) for settling in Xiangzhou, according to Wang Wen of the district Bureau of Industry & Information Technology.