The Grand Final of the 2021 PHBS-CJBS Global Pitch Competition was held on November 12 in Shenzhen, China. Marked as one of the key events of the "2021 National Mass Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week Shenzhen Venue & the 7th Shenzhen International Maker Week ", the event attracted more than 3,000 investors, startup entrepreneurs, and audience, both on-site and online.

 

 

Jointly initiated by the innovation and entrepreneurship centers of Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) and the Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS), the competition involves nearly 150 high-quality startups from around the world in a variety of fields such as medical and health care technology, agricultural technology, advanced manufacturing, and new consumption technology. Participating entrepreneurs and investors come from regions in Europe, North America, as well as the greater China area. After a series of competitive pitching sessions over the last year, a total of ten startups made it to the final round.

 

Wayne Chen, Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at PHBS

 

Wayne Chen gave a welcome speech detailing the history of the competition and expressing his gratitude to the guests, supporters, and partners for their participation.

 

Hai Wen, Vice Chairman of Peking University Council and PHBS Founding Dean
 

Professor Hai Wen, delivered the keynote speech highlighting that, because of its location with in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, PHBS has a special historical mission to help the construction of the area’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecology, and that his would focus on cultivating innovative talents, introducing international innovation and entrepreneurship resources, and building a platform for university-enterprise cooperation. 

Stelios Kavadias, Associate Dean of the Cambridge Judge Business School and Director of the Innovation Center
 

Dean Stelios Kavadias sent his greetings via video, recalling the joint endeavors between CJBS and PHBS in organizing the competition. He also expressed his congratulations to the finalists and his sincere gratitude to PHBS colleagues for their efforts in the finals. He emphasized that this collaborative effort highlighted the important and unique position of Shenzhen and Cambridge in the economic ecology, and that the startups in both places were creating new values and bringing new economic prosperity. He hoped that both sides would continue to host exciting competitions in 2022 and looked forward to participating.

 

The Finalists
 

After a fierce competition, the first prize went to MAGIC WEAVER "3D Digital Human Engine". Shenzhen-based startups BionicM and QYSEA won second prize with their "AIoT-based Intelligent Electric Prosthetic Robots" and "Underwater Robots". "R&D and Industrialization of Modular Intelligent Combined Mobile Cold Storage" from CIMC Cold Chain, "Power Exoskeleton to Consumer" from Enhanced Robotics, "Non-invasive Liver Fibrosis Precision Digital Diagnosis" from Precision MedCare, "Optical Active Alignment System" from AIT-PRIME and "Self-healing Concrete" from MIMICRETE, won the third prize. "The Breast Pumping Massage Bra" from Lilu won the Outstanding Startup Award.

 

The Award Ceremony
 

The Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Advisory Board of Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS), consisting of well-recognized scholars, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs, was officially established and held its first meeting. According to Dean Hai, the newly-established advisory board will further strengthen the connection and cooperation with renowned innovative enterprises, venture capital institutions, and experts and scholars in innovation and entrepreneurship. It aims to promote the development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Greater Bay Area by facilitating the growth of innovative and entrepreneurial enterprises, enhancing talent cultivation, and conducting related research.
 

The Inauguration Ceremony
 

The following Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Forum featured keynote speeches given by renowned entrepreneurs as well investors, including such topics as investment, entrepreneurship, technology and innovation.

 

Chen Wei , Chairman of Oriental Fortune Capital
 

Chen Wei shared his insights on investment by giving examples from four aspects: Investing in policies, trends, tracks, and people. He pointed out that China has entered the era of large-capitalization companies, and it is important to believe in the miracle of innovation.
 

Wang Qiang, the Co-founder of Zhen Fund 
 

Wang Qiang talked about how to select entrepreneurs and startups, saying that successful founders are those who think for the long-term and navigate through the challenges of the era. He also mentioned the investing philosophy upheld by Zhen Fund. 
 

Bo Lianming, CEO of Appotronics
 

Bo Lianming believed that technology and innovation enterprises in Shenzhen have their own unique features. Analyzing the growth logic of small and middle-sized enterprises (SME) in Shenzhen, he elaborated a unique model of enterprise growth. Bo said that enterprises should adhere to values, technology, and the long-term, insist on technological innovation and value creation, and build the growth of enterprises from small to large.
 

Wu Shichun, Founding Partner of Plum Ventures
 

Wu Shichun pointed out that entrepreneurship is challenging and uncertain, but glorious path. He proclaimed that a great leap forward of new technology was happening in China, and exhorted listeners not to be bystanders of the times: The era of new technology entrepreneurship has arrived, and entrepreneurs should seize the dividends of the times.
 

 

Mao Daqing focused on three aspects："Opportunities and Challenges in China", "Technology Trends and Entrepreneurial Opportunities, " and "Why do we want to start a business?". He asserted that entrepreneurship was the best form of investment and that entrepreneurs should understand that the power of the tide can determine the shape of the wave.
 

The success of the competition reflected PHBS and CJBS’s endeavors in innovation and entrepreneurship. The two schools are committed to further strengthening their collaboration, integrating resources of first-tier investment institutions and industry leaders, as well as creating an ecosystem that engages in cooperation, empowerment, and cultivation.