Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Competitors of the 2016 Xiangzhou Sci-tech Innovation Competition gained a little extra motivation ahead of their quarter final showdown from Dec 22 to 23 by listening to successful startup entrepreneurs in Zhuhai. 

More than 200 competitors have been whittled down to 80, with 50 from the contest's startup category and 30 from the enterprise category.

Quarter-finalists from Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen toured some of Zhuhai's key innovative enterprises and business incubators ahead of the quarter final to get an insight into what it takes to be a successful startup.

A sci-tech innovation contest gets underway in Zhuhai's Xiangzhou District in response to a national call for innovative development. [Photo / Zhuhai Daily]

Maker Technology, an intelligent logistics service provider located at the Qianshan Industrial Park, was the winner of last year's competition. It has fully utilized its venture capital investment of 20 million yuan ($2.9 million) over a year's rapid growth and has obtained six patents.

"I feel shocked how the intelligent technology has been applied to logistics," said Xu Gang, chairman of the board of Shenzhen Ziqingyun Technology, who led a project on internet-based first aid for the contest.

Xu added that Zhuhai boasts a favorable innovation atmosphere and hoped to have good results at the competition to launch his project in Zhuhai.

Projects entering the quarter final include a tourism app and false fingernail 3D printing service.

It is the second time for Xiangzhou to hold the competition of its kind under the backdrop of national mass innovation and entrepreneurship.