First Edition of 928 Challenge between University Students from China and Portuguese Speaking Countries hails success
928 Challenge, organised by Forum of Macau, City University of Macau, Shenzhen University, and the United Nations University Institute in Macao, hailed a major success. The team from the University of Porto stood out in the final round, which was held at the Service Platform Complex for Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. Mr. Paulo Jorge Rodrigues do Espírito Santo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, and Mr. Zhou Wanlei, Vice-Rector of the City University of Macau, delivered an opening address.
The name “928 Challenge” alludes to 9 cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Great Bay Area (Great Bay Area), 2 Special Administrative Regions, and 8 Portuguese-speaking Countries. The startup competition aims to unleash entrepreneurial spirit from students, inspire sustainable business ideas, and strengthen cross-border business links between China and the lusophone countries.
The competition called for application from September. About 800 students from 89 teams stood out from the selection. They were granted the chance to participate in the online Bootcamp, which allowed students to learn about the economic development and business opportunities in the lusophone countries and the Great Bay Area.
At the end of the Bootcamp, all teams were required to submit a business proposal. 16 teams and their outstanding business proposal were granted access to the finals after the elevation made by 20 mentors and judges.
The judges considered all projects presented in the final could develop further and encouraged teams to pursue their ideas. The winner of the last round was the team from the University of Porto that proposed the development of a ProBio Vaccine for aquaculture; The Lusofona University of Guinea Bissau took second place with the business idea about developing a solar energy system in the remote Gabu regions; two teams tied up in third place: Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University and Rio de Janeiro State University.
The 928 Challenge took two months to complete. Organisers of the competition believe that entrepreneurship support is critical to developing Macau as an innovation platform and creating tomorrow's leaders. The sponsors of the competition are: CESL Asia, Banco Nacional Ultramarino, , Millenium BCP, Fidelidade Seguros, ISA Tantec, Luso Bank International, Bank of China, Companhia de Electricidade de Macau, and MdME Lawyers.
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