Haikou Ignites! Over 300 Global Projects Compete as the First "Volcano Smart Hub Cup" Finals Conclude
After intense competition, the finals of the 31st edition of "Chinese Talents Returning Home" — Haikou National High-Tech Zone stop and the first "Volcano Smart Hub Cup" Hainan Free Trade Port Global Innovation Elite Competition — concluded successfully in Haikou on 28 August.
Officially launched in June, the competition reached five regions in China and abroad and attracted more than 300 high-quality innovation projects. After the pre-selection and semifinal rounds, 100 outstanding projects gathered in Haikou to compete across three core tracks, showcasing the hard-core strength of innovation talent at home and abroad.
A total of 18 winning projects across the three tracks were revealed one by one —
3 First Prizes, each awarded 150,000 yuan in enterprise-development funds.
6 Second Prizes, each awarded 100,000 yuan in enterprise-development funds.
9 Third Prizes, each awarded 50,000 yuan in enterprise-development funds.
The First Prizes across the three tracks went to —
Biomedicine: "Research and Development of KK801, a Therapeutic Drug for Chronic Inflammation"
Artificial Intelligence: "Coordinated Unmanned Surface Vessel System for Smart Waterway Operations"
Digital Economy: "Development and Application of High-Precision Quantum-Communication Polarizing Mirrors"
Hainan Huitong Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. — Tong Yanan
"We hope events like this will be held regularly. As a key hub of Hainan FTP's pharmaceutical industry cluster, Haikou National High-Tech Zone enables more companies to showcase their projects through competition, helps us reach overseas markets, and we hope it will also attract more talent to Hainan to support the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port."
Planetary Gear (Wuhan) Technology Co., Ltd. — Gong Leifeng
"Through this competition we have also learned much more about Hainan and Haikou National High-Tech Zone. We plan to make this place a key gateway for serving South China and going global, and we hope to cooperate further in the future."
Haikou National High-Tech Zone is the only state-level high-tech zone under the Hainan FTP and home to the province's largest pharmaceutical industry cluster, the "Haikou Drug Valley," which accounts for more than 80% of Hainan's total pharmaceutical output. The zone has built an industry system where biomedicine, digital economy, and advanced manufacturing develop in synergy — closely aligned with the three competition tracks. To support the landing and conversion of outstanding projects, the zone has rolled out a package of attractive measures: rent-discounted startup space, "invest first, equity later" matchmaking, one-stop services for talent settlement, housing and education, open sharing of public technology platforms and pilot-scale resources, and one-on-one dedicated handling throughout.
After the competition, the organizing committee will arrange visits for representatives of projects intending to land in Hainan to key parks and carriers including Maiteng Innovation Park, Haipin International · Haikou High-Tech Zone Medical Device Industrial Park, and Hainan Talent Building, so that companies can gain a more direct understanding of the zone's industry ecosystem and development environment and move faster from "intent" to "landing."
Wang Hongting said he hopes companies will bring their projects to Hainan, where the province will roll out supportive policies to safeguard their growth. He welcomed everyone to leave their projects in Haikou and their careers in Hainan, growing together with the FTP to build the future.
From over 300 global applicants
to a hundred competing on one stage
this edition of the competition
has shown its initial results in
"attracting talent through competition, gathering industries through competition, and accelerating conversion through competition."
It is steadily becoming a
regular platform for global elites
to understand, visit, and put down roots in Hainan.
Haikou National High-Tech Zone
will keep polishing the "Volcano Smart Hub Cup" brand
to build the FTP's premier annual innovation competition,
letting the spark of innovation pass on year after year, burning brighter with each edition.
Source: Haikou National High-Tech Zone
