Nanning Hosts Final of 9th Overseas Talent Innovation Competition with Focus on AI and ASEAN Cooperation

9th China·Nanning Overseas Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition Concludes

The final round of the 9th China·Nanning Overseas Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition concluded on September 22, 2026, as part of the AI Empowering Industries Super League, with 50 leading teams competing for prizes and commercialization opportunities in the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The competition received 824 innovation and entrepreneurship projects this year, with 581 passing the official eligibility review. AI-related projects accounted for more than 33.9 percent of the total submissions, reflecting the growing importance of artificial intelligence in the region's economic development strategy.

Since its launch in 2018, the competition has attracted more than 1,200 talents from over 30 countries and regions including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Australia, with more than 20 projects settling in Nanning for further development. This year's edition featured four core tracks covering artificial intelligence; next-generation electronic information and advanced materials based on critical metals; new energy, high-end equipment manufacturing and the low-altitude economy; and biomedicine and healthcare.

International Participation and Strategic Focus

Participating teams included researchers and entrepreneurs from leading universities worldwide, including Harvard University, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and the University of Hong Kong. The competition reached major innovation hubs including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, as well as international cities such as Paris, Singapore and Bangkok.

A dedicated ASEAN AI track was introduced this year, aligning with Nanning's strategic position as China's primary gateway to Southeast Asia. The city hosts the annual China-ASEAN Expo and serves as a crucial platform for economic diplomacy and trade relations with the ten ASEAN member states. Vietnam is currently Nanning's leading trading partner, with trade volume accounting for a large proportion of the city's total trade with ASEAN.

The competition's development model follows the approach of

R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and the Greater Bay Area, integration in Guangxi (Nanning), and application in ASEAN

Evaluation Process and Awards

At the final, 50 leading innovation teams competed before a judging panel comprising university and research institute experts, technical leaders from major companies, experienced venture capital investors and industrial park specialists. Projects were assessed across multiple dimensions, including technological innovation, team expertise, industrial relevance, market potential, growth prospects and social impact.

The competition awarded six first prizes, 10 second prizes, 14 third prizes, 20 excellence awards and five ASEAN Cooperation Potential Awards. Many of the entries demonstrated strong potential for industrialization and localization in Nanning, while also targeting opportunities in ASEAN markets.

Commercialization Support and Infrastructure

Nanning is offering comprehensive support measures to help winning projects transition from competition to commercialization. First-prize projects that establish operations in Nanning may be directly included in the city's Yongjiang Plan for leading talent teams and receive up to 5 million yuan in special funding. Second- and third-prize projects that settle in the city may apply for no less than 150,000 yuan in research and entrepreneurship funding.

Qualified projects can also access workspace in industrial parks, entrepreneurship mentoring, investment and financing services, technology transfer assistance and housing support for talent. An industry matchmaking session was held alongside the final, giving participating teams opportunities to meet directly with industrial parks, key enterprises, incubators and investment institutions in Nanning to explore potential cooperation.

The city's commitment to innovation infrastructure is substantial. Nanning has established the China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Innovation Cooperation Center, which has signed over 60 projects as of August 2025 and collected more than 450 AI application scenario cases across sectors including smart healthcare, transportation and social governance. The Guangxi China-ASEAN AI Innovation Cooperation Centre has developed 84 AI applications based on real-world scenarios spanning six key sectors: public services, smart agriculture, logistics, healthcare, education and energy.

Regional Economic Context

The competition's focus on the low-altitude economy reflects broader regional development priorities. In October 2024, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region set a target to achieve a low-altitude economic scale of over 50 billion yuan, with Nanning and Guilin positioned to establish low-altitude economic research institutes facing ASEAN countries. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country's low-altitude economy is expected to reach a market size of 1.5 trillion yuan by the end of 2025 and soar to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

Nanning is constructing the China-ASEAN Cross-border Integrated Industrial Development Cooperation Zone and aims to become a science and technology innovation center facing ASEAN member countries, an initiative officially announced during the 15th Nanning Municipal People's Congress in February 2023.

The competition takes place within the context of broader China-ASEAN cooperation on artificial intelligence. In May 2026, the ASEAN-China Artificial Intelligence Industry Innovation Center was inaugurated in Beijing as a flagship project under the 2026-2030 China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on joint research, industrial AI deployment and regional capacity building.

The Nanning Publicity Department stated that the city will continue to support follow-up matchmaking, project incubation and policy implementation for the winning teams, while expanding international exchanges in technology and talent and creating more opportunities for innovators from around the world.