The grand final of the 2025 Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS)-Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS) Global Pitch Competition, along with the PKU-Cambridge Bay Area Entrepreneurship and Investment Forum, was successfully held at PHBS on December 11. Marking its fifth anniversary, the competition has solidified its role as a premier platform connecting global innovators with capital.

The 2025 season reached significant milestones, being selected as one of the first partner competitions for Shenzhen's "Kunpeng Plan," expanding its reach through dedicated sessions in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and holding its first-ever offline activities in the United Kingdom.

This season attracted over 500 outstanding entrepreneurial teams from around the world. Nearly 200 enterprises participated in 17 regional and industry-specific roadshow selections, with 57 projects ultimately advancing to the semi-finals. These projects spanned key sectors such as artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, new energy and green technology, and new consumption.

PHBS-CJBS Global Pitch Competition 2025 Final

Since its inception, the competition has received over 2,300 project applications from more than 7 countries and regions globally, facilitating total post-competition financing exceeding 1 billion RMB.

Opening Ceremony

The event commenced with an opening ceremony hosted by Lin Zhiyi, a 2023 master's student at PHBS. The ceremony featured addresses from distinguished leaders who underscored the competition's strategic significance.

From left to right: Hai Wen, Sarah Mann and Zhang Jianpeng

Hai Wen, vice chairman of the Peking University Council and founding dean of PHBS, emphasized the competition's core mission to bridge entrepreneurs and investors, thereby serving broader social innovation, technological advancement, and economic development. He highlighted its tangible impact over five years in catalyzing over 1 billion RMB in funding and reaffirmed the business school's commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial talent.

Sarah Mann, British Consul general in Guangzhou, praised the vital role of educational exchanges in strengthening China-UK ties. Commending Shenzhen's dynamic innovative ecosystem, she encouraged entrepreneurs to view the UK as a key partner for collaboration and global expansion.

Zhang Jianpeng, co-chair of the Shenzhen Alumni Association of Cambridge Judge Business School and senior vice President of ZTE Corporation, reflected on the competition's evolution into a major platform for cross-border innovation dialogue. He noted its success in fostering project growth, entrepreneurial skills, and meaningful investor connections within an open and collaborative culture.

New Appointments and Investor Insights

Wei Wei presents letters of appointment to Fu Weigang and Zhu Jinqiao

A key segment followed, where Wei Wei, vice chairman of the PHBS Council and director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, presided over the appointment of new members to the PHBS Venture Investment Advisory Committee. He presented letters of appointment to Fu Weigang, executive director of Shenzhen Fortune Venture Capital Co., Ltd., and Zhu Jinqiao, founder and president of Efung Capital Company.

Fu Weigang and Zhu Jinqiao give keynote speeches

The new advisors then shared valuable perspectives. Zhu Jinqiao, drawing from his deep biopharma investment experience, counseled entrepreneurs to view their journey as a marathon, prioritizing resilience and long-term value creation over short-term competition rankings. Fu Weigang outlined his firm's focus on "near-field substitution" in hard tech, the strategic importance of global layouts, and the transformative potential of AI, expressing strong confidence in the sustained opportunities within the Chinese market.

Showcasing Innovation: The Roadshows

The roadshows

The core of the event was the finals roadshow, where eight shortlisted teams presented their ventures to a panel of expert judges, followed by rigorous Q&A sessions, demonstrating the depth and quality of this year's contenders.

Forum on High-Quality Venture Capital Development

From left to right: Moderator Zhang Kun (Executive Director, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at PHBS, PHBS-CIE); and Panelists including David Chang (Executive Director, Head of Digital Economy Group, Auto and General Industry, DBS Bank China), Zhu Jinqiao, Fu Weigang, Liu Xiangning (Liu Xiangning, Deputy General Manager of Shenzhen Angel FOF Management CO., LTD.), and Qiao Yuting (General Manager of Skyrim Capital)

A pivotal component of the day was the PKU-Cambridge Bay Area Entrepreneurship and Investment Forum. Moderated by Professor Zhang Kun, the discussion delved into "High-Quality Development of Venture Capital and Opportunities for Innovation in Our Time." Panelists exchanged insights on the core tenets of quality-driven investment, the underlying logic of seizing innovation opportunities, and emerging trends shaping the future of the ecosystem.

 Awards and Recognitions

Ren Ting presents tokens of gratitude to the competition's key partners

Zhang Kun presents tokens of gratitude to the key partners of the PHBS-CIE

A special "graduation" ceremony held for incubatees

Ren Ting, Party Committee secretary and vice dean of PHBS, and Zhang Kun presented tokens of gratitude to the competition's and the Innovation Center's key partners, respectively. A special "graduation" ceremony was also held for four incubatees from Qianhai Institute of China-Britain.

Christoph H. Loch

In his remarks, Christoph H. Loch, professor of Operations and Technology Management at Cambridge University and former dean of CJBS, commended the competition's achievements. He encouraged participants to leverage the commercial acumen gained at PHBS, coupled with Shenzhen's unparalleled tech and capital resources, while maintaining the patience and confidence needed to create sustained customer value and adapt in a dynamic global market.

The awards were then presented. The first prize was awarded to Robotstorm.AI. Second prizes went to DeepKinase, SentinelTech, and Gazer Precision Technology. Third prizes were secured by InnAIO, Petgeno, Explorer AI, and Guangdong Advertising Group (GIMC).

 Loch presents the first prize

The second prizes awarded by Liu Xiangning, Zhu Jinqiao, and Fu Weigang

Ren Ting, Wei Wei, Zhang Kun, and Fu Chengyu (Director of the General Office, School of Innovation and Entrepreneursip, Peking University) present the third prizes

Launch of the 2026 Season

The launch of the 2026 season

The group photo of leaders, guests, and participants

The event concluded as Zhang Kun and Professor Loch launched the 2026 season, underscoring the continued partnership and its goal of empowering future innovators. Zhang Kun introduced the preliminary framework for the upcoming competition, which will align with China's "15th Five-Year Plan" industrial priorities, global innovation trends, and Shenzhen's "20+8" industrial cluster strategy, maintaining its focus on supporting pre-Series B technology ventures.

By Annie Jin

Source: PHBS-CIE and Public Relations & Media Office