All relevant units,
Since 2022, the China Science and Technology Exchange Center and the Department of Science and Technology of Hubei Province have jointly hosted three sessions of the China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. To act in the spirit of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and carry out the tasks of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center (CAICC) plans to launch preparatory work for the 4th China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, the details of which are as follows:
Ⅰ. Theme and content of the event
With the theme of “Creating new opportunities for a shared future of China and Africa”, the event focuses on digital economy, artificial intelligence, healthcare, modern agriculture, green and low-carbon technology, and advanced manufacturing etc. The competition aims to further stimulate the innovation and entrepreneurship vitality of Chinese and African youths, broaden the space for innovation and entrepreneurship cooperation, and build a platform for China-Africa youth exchange and cooperation to facilitate China-Africa economic development and people-to-people exchanges.
Ⅱ. Requirements of the entries
(Ⅰ) Categories of entries
The entries are divided into two categories: (1) those intended to be or already put into practical application in African countries and (2) those intended to be or already put into practical application in China. With regard to the projects intended to be or already put into practical application in China, their teams should include citizens of African countries.
(Ⅱ)Fields of entries
The entries are divided into several fields: digital economy, artificial intelligence, healthcare, modern agriculture, green and low-carbon technology, and advanced manufacturing, etc.
(Ⅲ) Other requirements
- In principle, the entries should be the start-up projects with conditions for establishing a company to operate, or science and technology start-up companies registered in China or Africa after January 1, 2020. The entries can be inventions or patented technologies, or conceptual products or services realized through relevant research and development.
- The entries should be innovative scientifically and technologically to some degree, with good market prospects and predictable economic benefits. Individuals or teams participating in the competition should hold clear intellectual property rights for the products, technologies, and related patents of the project, and there should be no intellectual property disputes with any other units or individuals.
(3) The winning projects of the 1st to 3rd China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition are not allowed to participate in this competition.
Ⅲ. Requirements of participants
(Ⅰ) Participants should be citizens of China or African countries under 40 years old (born after January 1, 1985), and abide by the rules of the competition and the laws and regulations of China.
(Ⅱ) Participants should be proficient in using Chinese or English to communicate during the competition.
(Ⅲ) Participants can be individuals or teams, but each individual and team can sign up for only one entry. In the case of team participation, the number of members of each team shall not be less than three or exceed six, and people from different organizations (universities, enterprises, etc.) and different nationalities are allowed to form teams. If members of a team are from different countries, it should be determined that the team represents one of the countries.
Ⅳ. Agenda of the event
(Ⅰ) Registration (June to September, 2025)
Since the release of the preliminary notice in June, participating projects are collected. Participants are required to send the registration form to the email address of their competition zone according to their location (see contact information for details. Overseas projects can choose any one competition zone to register. All projects cannot choose multiple competition zones, and once discovered, the eligibility to participate will be canceled).
(Ⅱ) Preliminary Competition (October, 2025)
In October 2025, the preliminary round of the competition will be held in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Wuhan. Please pay attention to the specific notifications from co-organizers for detailed schedules.
(Ⅲ) Final (November, 2025)
In November 2025, the qualified individuals and teams will be invited by CAICC to come to Wuhan to participate in the final, doing project presentations and Q&A online or offline. In the competition, there is 1 first prize; 2 second prizes; 3 third prizes. The competition also has awards such as Best Creative Awards, Awards of Excellence, etc.
Ⅴ. Contact information
(Ⅰ) Competition Zone 1 (Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang)
Co-organized by: Zhongguancun the Belt and Road Industrial Promotion Association
Contact: Zhang Yijia
Tel: 17396367813
Email: zbra@zbra.org.cn
(Ⅱ) Competition Zone 2 (Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi)
Co-organized by: China University of Geosciences
Contact: Luo Wenxu
Tel: 13545224686
Email: 770977645@qq.com
(Ⅲ) Competition Zone 3 (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong)
Co-organized by: Tongji University
Contact: Zhang Linhua, Zhu Yanxia
Tel: 021-65987003
Email: Tongji2023Africa@163.com
(Ⅳ) Competition Zone 4 (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan)
Co-organized by: Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
Contact: Yu Jin
Tel: 18620738063
Email: africagdufs@163. com
(Ⅴ) Competition Zone 5 (Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Xizang, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang)
Co-organized by: Tianfu International Technology Transfer Center
Contact: Sun Lujie
Tel: 18402887895
Email: alexis@ittcgroup.com
(Ⅵ) China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center (CAICC)
Contact: Xiong Ziyun
Tel: 027-87310267
