As part of the Internationalisation activities and the Zhongguancun Enterprise Service Representative Office in Italy, the Italian Office of Beijing's Zhongguancun District, SPICI - Society for Innovation, Cooperation and Internationalisation, together with the International Technology Transfer Network (ITTN), Fabbrica Italiana dell’Innovazione and InnovUp, is coordinating the participation of SMEs, Startups and Spin-offs in the 10th Zhongguancun International Advanced Technology Competition, the international competition dedicated to innovative businesses, promoted as part of the ZGC Forum 2027.

WHAT IS THE ZGC FORUM?

The ZGC Forum is one of the most prestigious events in the world in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation. It takes place every year in the Zhongguancun district, known as the “Chinese Silicon Valley”. Promoted by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Chinese Ministry of Industry and IT (MIIT), the programme gathers government representatives, big tech, universities, research institutes, investors and innovation hubs from all over the world every year to discuss technological development, international cooperation, innovation policies, and to create new business opportunities between China and the rest of the world in high-tech sectors.

THE 2027 COMPETITION

Within the framework of the ZGC Forum 2027, the 10th Zhongguancun International Advanced Technology Competition aims to reward and promote innovative startups with high potential for commercial development and international expansion on an international level.

The winning companies – presenting themselves to a qualified panel of Chinese and international experts – have access to cash prizes, matchmaking services, investment and intellectual property support, privileged access to programmes for attracting talent and foreign companies, and incubation spaces in China.

TARGET AUDIENCE AND INNOVATION THEMES

The Notice is addressed to SMEs, startups and spin-offs operating in the following fields:

1.      Artificial Intelligence

2.      Semiconductors & Integrated Circuits

3.      Life Sciences (e.g. innovative drugs, bioengineering, medical devices, digital health and HealthTech, etc.)

4.      Advanced Manufacturing (e.g. Robotics, high-end equipment, etc.)

5.      Commercial Aerospace & Space Tech

6.      New Materials

7.      Green Economy Technologies;

8.      Cultural & Creative Industries

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES

The selected companies will have the opportunity to:

• Present themselves to a qualified panel of Chinese and international experts;

• Expand their network of international contacts to enter the Chinese market;

• Participate in targeted matchmaking meetings with investors, corporates, industrial parks and technology partners;

• Access investment and industrialisation opportunities;

• Gain wide media visibility in the Chinese market;

• Access incubation opportunities and talent and business attraction programmes;

• Participate in the ZGC Forum free of charge if they reach the Final.

The winning companies will have access to cash prizes, matchmaking services, investment and intellectual property support, privileged access to programmes for attracting talent and foreign companies, and incubation spaces in China.

The following cash prizes are available for the top ten candidate companies:

• Champion: RMB 1,000,000

• First Runner-up: RMB 500,000

• Second Runner-up: RMB 300,000

• 7 Excellence Awards: RMB 150,000 each

The awarding of prizes is subject to a soft-landing process in the city of Beijing.

ACTIVITY ROADMAP

The indicative schedule is as follows:

1.      Submission of applications – by 25 October 2026

2.      Preliminary & Second Round (online) – November 2026 to February 2027

3.      Semi Finals (online) – early March 2027

4.      Finals – late March 2027

HOW TO PARTICIPATE AND DEADLINES

Participation is free of charge. To submit their application, interested companies must fill in the registration Google Form available at the following link (https://forms.gle/tbeesTXMdbaHiMEg6) no later than 25 October 2026.

SUPPORT AND INFORMATION

Throughout the opening period of the Notice, the SPICI team will be available to participants for support and information. For information, contact us via email at startup@spici.eu

FOCUS: BEIJING, THE ZHONGGUANCUN DISTRICT AND THE ITALIAN OFFICE MANAGED BY SPICI

Beijing represents one of the world's main hubs for innovation, scientific research, the digital economy and technological development. With a GDP of nearly 700 billion dollars, the Chinese capital ranks among the country's top economies and constitutes a strategic market for companies, startups and research centres interested in developing technological partnerships, accessing investors, industrial collaborations and soft-landing pathways in China.

The heart of Beijing's innovative ecosystem is the Zhongguancun District, recognised as one of China's most important high-tech districts and often referred to as the “Chinese Silicon Valley”.  The area is developed in close proximity to some of the country's leading academic and scientific institutions, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, Beijing Normal University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and is historically linked to the birth and growth of major Chinese and international tech players.

The District is home to some of China's largest technology companies, including Baidu, Lenovo, Xiaomi, TikTok, Kingsoft,  as well as deep tech and AI enterprises such as DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, Horizon Robotics and Cambricon. The area also hosts the Regional Hubs and R&D centres of numerous international players, including Microsoft, Google, Intel, AMD, IBM, Oracle, Sony, Apple, NVIDIA, TSMC, Samsung, Texas Instruments, HP, Dell, Red Hat, ARM, ASML and GlobalFoundries.

In this context, since 2025 SPICI has been managing the Zhongguancun Enterprise Service Representative Office in Italy, the Italian Office of the Zhongguancun District, which acts as an operational bridge between the Italian ecosystem and the city of Beijing. The Office facilitates scouting, guidance, applications for international programmes and awards, B2B/B2G matchmaking, soft landing and entry into the respective markets.