Recently, "Riding the Wave of Innovation, Sailing into the AI Era" - 25th THU EE Alumni Forum & Symposium on Development AI-Era Electronic Innovation took place successfully in Yangpu District. This event was guided by the Yangpu District People's Government, organized by the Department of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University (THU EE), the THU EE Branch of the Tsinghua Alumni Association, and the Yangpu Science, Technology and Economy Commission, and co-organized by the Electronic Information Committee of the Tsinghua Alumni Association (Shanghai) and TusStar (Shanghai).

With the theme "Development of AI-Era Electronic Innovation", the forum featured keynote speeches by distinguished guests, aiming to ignite academic exchanges, share valuable experience, and deepen alumni bonds. The event was chaired by Qian Yanmin, a professor from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, a Changjiang Scholar, and Secretary General of the Electronic Information Committee of the Tsinghua Alumni Association (Shanghai).

Liu Jinyuan, Deputy Head of Yangpu District, noted in his address that Yangpu is a dynamic central urban area in Shanghai, rich in talents, university resources, and innovation spirit. For years, it has made significant strides in the digital economy and AI, achieving notable results in industrial development and technological innovation. Yangpu will remain committed to the people's city concept proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping at Yangpu Riverside in 2019. In collaboration with the Department of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University, it will support universities and enterprises in addressing key technical challenges, foster new quality productive forces, and drive the innovative development of emerging technologies and industries like AI. The district is endeavoring to develop the "Digital Yangpu" New Quality Innovation Zone, setting a new benchmark for innovative urban development.

Wang Yu, Dean of the Department of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University and President of the THU EE Branch of the Tsinghua Alumni Association, stressed that electronic information technology is fundamental to AI's progress. Since 2020, the department has been bridging basic research and industrial application through a strategy of digitalization, socialization, and internationalization. The department has witnessed a remarkable surge in research funding and a consistent expansion of its academic community in recent years. Moving forward, it is poised to play a key role in reshaping the AI talent development system, strategically advance frontier technologies to drive industrial transformation, and foster cross-disciplinary innovation. He also appealed to alumni to collaborate on integrating AI with electronics, particularly in domains like robotics and smart devices to amplify innovation-driven initiatives in Shanghai.

Han Wei, Vice President and Secretary General of the Tsinghua Alumni Association (Shanghai) and Vice President of TusHoldings, recounted his personal journey and encouraged alumni to pursue opportunities in Shanghai. Moving forward, the Electronic Information Committee of the Tsinghua Alumni Association (Shanghai) will enhance cooperation with the Yangpu District People's Government to create a comprehensive empowerment system spanning policy support, platform incubation, and industrial deployment, supporting the Yangtze River Delta's endeavor to become a global hub for integrated circuits and AI.

Zhang Pengfei, Chairman and CEO of Beken, reminisced about his Tsinghua days and highlighted the enduring spirit of Tsinghua's electronic alumni. He stressed that that their goal is not to chase trends but to create them, not to follow the flow but to lead it. He also shared the opportunities and challenges in the integrated circuit sector, calling on everyone to strive for victory and chart a path to success.

Zhou Bowen, Director and Chief Scientist of the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and Huiyan Chair Professor at Tsinghua University, highlighted the swift evolution and robust innovative drive of global AI technologies. He stressed the pressing need to explore the future of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and cordially invited Tsinghua's alumni to join forces with the laboratory. Embracing the ethos of "deeds over words", he called for active participation in groundbreaking innovation and standard development, leveraging a synergistic framework of technology transformation, scenario opening, and capital empowerment to co-create a robust "AI+" innovation ecosystem.

Ren Qiwei, Executive Vice President of Unigroup, CEO of UNISOC, and Director of the Electronic Information Committee of the Tsinghua Alumni Association (Shanghai), noted in the committee's 2024 annual report that the committee has organized nearly 20 events since its inception in March 2024. These events attracted nearly 1,200 alumni members and department members on the site and engaged over 100,000 alumni members online. In the coming two years, the committee aims to develop a multi-dimensional electronic information alumni ecosystem, encompassing personnel, regions, and professional domains. By introducing innovative initiatives like career planning and team building, it seeks to establish a holistic "electronic information+" ecosystem. Furthermore, it will synergize with Tsinghua's global framework to deepen industry-education collaboration in areas such as chips, AI, and new energy, while strategically fostering new quality productive forces.

This forum featured a "1+2" structure: one main forum and two parallel sessions. The morning's main forum was attended by Wu Lifeng, Executive Deputy General Manager of Beijing Empyrean Inc.; Ge Ning, Professor at the Department of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University; Cheng Taiyi, CEO of Beijing SemiDrive Technology Corporation; Huang Minlie, Tenured Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Technology of Tsinghua University, Deputy Director of the Foundation Model Research Center of Tsinghua University, and Founder of Ling Xin Intelligence; Li Maokun, Deputy Dean of the Department of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University and IEEE Fellow; Yao Maoqing, Partner at AgiBot and Head of the Embodied Business Division; and Dai Guohao, Associate Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Co-founder of Infinigence. These esteemed alumni from academia and industry shared their profound experience and forward-looking perspectives on electronic information and AI, while unveiling cutting-edge technological advancements, thereby painting a vivid picture of innovation at the intersection of electronic information and AI‌.

The afternoon sessions comprised two distinctive parallel forums, in the forms of roundtable discussion, project roadshow, and closed-door meeting. The first sub-forum, "Foresee the Future: Tsinghua Electronic Innovation Roadshow No. 038 & CQH • X Series Roadshow - AI Application Special", featured a roundtable discussion hosted by Sang Yu, Vice President of Yunqi Partners. Panelists included Huang Lan, Deputy General Manager of CICC Capital; Liang Junzhang, Founding Partner of Kinzon Capital; Wang Wei, Managing Director of TusStar Shanghai Fund; and Zhang Han, Partner of Sequoia China, who engaged in an in-depth exploration of AI and emerging industry trends.

Next up, seven tech startups took the stage for a roadshow, with Li Yikang from FFT Investment as the host. The participating projects - PimChip Technology, Qingbei Intelligence, Articares, Lohas+, Neolix, Xunfeiyan, and Huaxia Shuke provided comprehensive presentations covering project backgrounds, industry trends, technological and product strengths, industrial applications, and cooperation opportunities. The roadshow also engaged dozens of institutional investors to delve into the core technologies, market potential, and funding requirements of each project, offering strategic advice for project development and exploring collaborative prospects.

The second sub-forum, "Work Meeting of the Electronic Information Committee of the Tsinghua Alumni Association (Shanghai)", planned the committee's activities for the coming two years. Discussions revolved around engaging a broader alumni network, contributing to the academic and talent development of the Department of Electronic Engineering of Tsinghua University, and fostering collaborative innovation within the alumni community and industry.

In a concerted effort to enhance project alignment at the "Riding the Wave of Innovation, Sailing into the AI Era" - 25th THU EE Alumni Forum & Symposium on Development of AI-Era Electronic Innovation and to accelerate the deployment of more high-caliber entrepreneurial endeavors by Tsinghua's alumni in Yangpu, the Yangpu Science, Technology and Economy Commission, alongside TusStar (Shanghai), spearheaded a dedicated project matchmaking session during the 25th THU EE Alumni Forum. This session brought together key stakeholders, including the Yangpu Health Commission, the Yangpu Administration for Market Regulation (Yangpu Intellectual Property Office), the Yangpu Commission of Commerce, the Yangpu Bureau of Talent Affairs, ZF, and Fosun International.

During the seminar, the attendees from Qingbei Intelligence, Articares, Lohas+, Xunfeiyan, Huaxia Shuke, Zhisuan Technology, Lianxu Boundary, Sephonchi, and Radio Dynamic took the stage to present their projects and articulate their needs. On-site responses were provided by various commissions, offices, bureaus, and entities, which also detailed a suite of supportive policies tailored for enterprises in Yangpu. These encompassed the opening of medical scenarios to enterprises, talent housing policies, expedited patent application channels, and subsidies for computing power. Looking ahead, the Yangpu Science, Technology and Economy Commission will collaborate with TusStar (Shanghai) to monitor the progress of these projects. Moreover, TusStar (Shanghai) will be supported in its efforts to create a professional service platform that not only empowers industries but also embraces internationalization and ecological development, with a focus on high-quality incubation for future-oriented industries and an enhancement of the platform's overall level.