On November 7, the 2023 Sino-Nordic Sustainable Cooperation Forum and the 8th Shanghai Yangpu Startups Competition Launch Ceremony was held in the Innovation Incubation Zone of the North Hall of the China International Import Expo (CIIE). Cao Yuanfeng, Deputy Director of the Organization Division and the Talent Office of the CPC Shanghai Committee, Xue Kan, Secretary of the CPC Yangpu District Committee, Mikael Hemniti Winther, Consul General of Denmark to Shanghai, and Ning Feng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., attended the event and delivered speeches. Zhou Haiying, Deputy Secretary of the CPC District Committee and mayor of the district, presided over the launch ceremony, and Zhou Rong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC District Committee, made an introduction of Yangpu District and the promotion of the Startups Competition. Gu Min, a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Jiang Daorong, member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Organization Division of the CPC District Committee, and Shi Fang, Deputy Mayor of the District, attended the ceremony.

Cao Yuanfeng pointed out that Shanghai is accelerating the construction of a high-caliber talent hub in accordance with the requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the central government, and making every effort to build a major world center of talent and innovation. In the future, it is necessary to expand the opening up of talents to the outside world at a higher level, take the construction of a high-caliber talent hub as an opportunity to further highlight the internationalization of the talent orientation, and strive to make Shanghai a better place of choice and ideal city for overseas talents to come to China for development. To support the innovation and entrepreneurship of talents in a more vigorous manner, further optimize the policy environment, and strive to solve the financial support policy issues of concern to the majority of entrepreneurs, it is hoped that Yangpu can continue the effectiveness of the Startups Competition in attracting and gathering talents, and facilitate the implementation of policies concerning talents, projects, funds, and so on. To more comprehensively improve the comprehensive services for talents, Shanghai will provide all-round, full-process preferential services to attract global talents and their teams to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship in Shanghai. It is hope that Yangpu will inherit, use and carry forward the advantages of Shanghai's openness and service advantages to build the talent hub with all efforts.

Xue Kan said, Yangpu is focusing on high-quality development which is the top priority, constantly activating innovation which is the primary driver of growth, grasping the reform and opening up which is the key move, and opening up a new journey of innovation and development to set out again. More than ever, Yangpu is looking forward to young talents and entrepreneurial stars from all over the world to create the future with Yangpu. In the future, Yangpu will enhance the capability of driving scientific and technological innovation in the whole process, improve the competitiveness of innovative industries in all aspects, stimulate the growth of innovative ecosystems in all elements, and highlight the attractiveness of innovative environment in all fields, so as to innovate passionately, move forward to pursue dreams, and thrive together. He sincerely hoped talented people at home and abroad to identify with Yangpu, work in Yangpu, fit in with Yangpu, settle in Yangpu, pursue their innovative dreams, and release their entrepreneurial passion on this amazing land.

Mikael Hemniti Winther said that years of cooperation between Venture Cup China and Yangpu District have successfully promoted the integration of Danish and Nordic companies into the Chinese market, and he hoped that the two sides will continue to deepen their cooperation and bear fruit again in the future. Innovation is the driving force behind the development of the Danish and Nordic life sciences sector. This year, the Danish Consulate General to Shanghai and the Danish Center for Science and Technology and Entrepreneurship help three innovative companies of life sciences participate in the CIIE for the first time, and they look forward to their contribution to the development of sustainable medical care solutions in China. In the future, it is hoped that more Nordic partners will join hands with their local counterparts in China to launch high-level innovation activities, carry out high-quality physical projects, and push international cooperation to a higher level.

Ning Feng said that the CIIE attaches great importance to scientific and technological innovation and is committed to promoting global exchanges and collaboration on scientific and technological innovation. It has created new opportunities and opened up new paths for the development and cooperation of a wide range of innovative enterprises. This forum and the launch of the 8th Shanghai Yangpu Startups Competition is an important way for Yangpu District of Shanghai to undertake the "spillover effect" of the CIIE, rely on the platform of the CIIE to recruit talents, and educate people with the competition. Venture Cup China serves as a bridge to promote the combination of the competition's capital and the projects in the Innovation Incubation Zone, bringing new opportunities for Nordic companies. The 6th CIIE provides a high-quality platform for the innovation achievements of all parties, allowing innovative technologies and products from all over the world to drive to the "fast lane" of high-speed development. In the future, Nordic enterprises are welcome to participate in the 7th CIIE to share the opportunities in China and realize greater development.

At the scene of the event, the participating leaders pressed the key together and launched the 8th Yangpu Startups Competition.

Since 2016, Shanghai Yangpu Startups Competition has attracted 6,200 high-level talents and teams from home and abroad to participate, and selected 818 stars of entrepreneurship, of which 34 people have grown to become Shanghai's overseas high-level talents, and 10 people have grown to become national-level overseas high-level talents. 7 enterprises have grown to be Shanghai giants of science and technology, and 11 of them have been selected as Yangpu giants of innovation and entrepreneurship. As an important measure to help build a high-caliber talent hub in Shanghai, the Startups Competition has become a key brand of Yangpu to attract talents and has injected vivid energy into the economic and social development of Yangpu.

On the basis of previous competitions, this year's Yangpu Startups Competition leverages the influence of the China International Import Expo platform to enhance the brand influence and competition level, and opens up five major fields, including green and low carbon, intelligent manufacturing, life and health, creative design and artificial intelligence, with a total investment of 38 million yuan, of which the prize money is about 2 million yuan, and the rest 36 million yuan is the special fund for the supporting talent program. Yangpu is attracting talents from all over the world, and making every effort to create the "intelligent engine" and the "talent show belt" with talents and the city complementing each other.