CityU organizes 929 Challenge to stimulate entrepreneurial spirit among students and startups in China and Portuguese-speaking countries
An annual competition focused on stimulating entrepreneurial spirit among university students and startups between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, the 3rd 929 Challenge will be held in Macao this October. The event is jointly organized by the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), City University of Macau, University of Macau, Macau University of Science and Technology, University of Saint Joseph, United Nations University Institute in Macau, Shenzhen University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong University of Technology, and Rio de Janeiro State University in Brazil.
The 929 Challenge is a competition focused on the entrepreneurial field and start-up companies in China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Its goal is to connect business ideas and promote cooperation among Macao, the Greater Bay Area, and Portuguese-speaking countries. By participating in the competition, start-ups have the opportunity to increase their international exposure, establish a network of contacts, attract potential investments and business partners, and receive guidance from professionals. The organizers aim to bring potential start-ups to Macao, promote cultural exchange, create a friendly and inclusive entrepreneurial atmosphere, and generate new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation. Through this competition, they hope to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit in China and Portuguese-speaking countries, foster sustainable business innovation, and strengthen cross-border trade relations.
The competition will invite entrepreneurial teams from nine major cities in Guangdong Province (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing), two special administrative regions (Macao and Hong Kong), and nine Portuguese-speaking countries (Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste) to participate. Continuing the previous editions, participating teams will be divided into two tracks for university teams and start-up teams. Interested teams can submit their applications from June to September, and the selected teams will present their project proposals to the investor judging panel at the final stage in October.
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José Alves, Dean of the Faculty of Business at CityU and co-founder of the competition, put together the achievements of the previous editions. He noted that the second edition saw a significant increase in the number of participants and sponsors, indicating that the competition has gained wide recognition. The expert team provided online training for participants to analyze the business environment, deploy marketing strategies, and identify commercial opportunities in China and Portuguese-speaking countries. They also offered guidance and recommendations for the commercial proposals of the teams to create more promising business projects that are attractive to investors. Award-winning teams also have the opportunity to be matched with investors and connect with forward-looking business strategies to expand their market and achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.
Dean José Alves also highlighted that the participating and award-winning teams in the previous two editions of the competition were from renowned universities in China, Portugal, Brazil, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and other countries. This promotes academic exchange and cooperation between universities in Macao, mainland China, and Portuguese-speaking countries, which is beneficial for creating an innovative and entrepreneurial-oriented economic ecosystem, developing Macao’s innovation platforms, and nurturing international business leaders. Moreover, the competition provides business opportunities for Macao companies to expand their import and export trade in Portuguese-speaking countries and regions and attract investment from Portuguese-speaking companies in Macao. The event also deepens the understanding of Portuguese-speaking countries about Macao’s economic development and creates more employment opportunities and international employment platforms for Macao university students.
CityU, as one of the organizers of the competition for three editions, works in collaboration with other institutions to promote economic and trade cooperation and cross-border business connections between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, facilitate in-depth exchanges between universities, and contribute to accelerating the integration of economic and trade education in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The competition provides an innovative and entrepreneurial platform and support for participants from home and abroad, and CityU students have actively participated in the past two editions of the competition. They have demonstrated positive performance, gathered professional and practical experience, and broadened their international perspectives, which has been beneficial in clarifying their career planning and enhancing their employability competitiveness.
For interested parties, please visit 929 Challenge website: https://929challenge.org/
