Applications open · ITEC 2026
向新 · 向智 · 向朝阳 Toward innovation · intelligence · Chaoyang
The 14th Chaoyang International Talent Entrepreneurship Conference · Beijing
Startup
starts here.
Build the future from Beijing. Compete for a 50+ million RMB prize pool and enter an ecosystem built to help global founders land, connect and grow.
LIVE INNOVATION FIELDMove through the spiralHover to shift the field · select a node to explore
AI & intelligent agentsGlobal foundersDeep techCapital & market accessBuild in Beijing
01 / The opportunity
A competition engineered to help startups move.
ITEC is Chaoyang’s global platform for innovators, entrepreneurs and investors—connecting standout teams with capital, policy, workspace, partners and a real path into China’s most connected business district.
Enter the Startup Alliance ecosystem
BEIJING CBD
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
WHY CHAOYANG
Beijing’s global front door.
Beijing is China’s capital and one of Asia’s deepest technology ecosystems. Chaoyang is its eastern central district—home to the CBD, the embassy area, international communities, global companies, major parks and the partners who help startups enter the market.
Explore Chaoyang’s English portal99%of foreign embassies in China
80%of Beijing’s international organizations
70%of multinational regional headquarters
50%of Beijing’s expatriate community
02 / Find your route
Where do you fit?
Start with your company stage. ITEC will match your profile to the strongest entry route before you choose the most relevant industry field.
Priority recruitment · Industry route
Industry Track
For startups with validated products, proven technology and a clear business model ready for China.
03 / Eligible industries
Technologies we welcome.
Select a field to explore its focus.
TRACK / 01 · SIGNAL 01.1001
Industry track
Artificial Intelligence
Advanced computing, foundation models, intelligent agents, multimodal systems and trusted AI applications.
AgentsMultimodalAI governanceAdvanced computing
See every eligible field Also exploring aerospace, data elements, smart hardware, industrial AI, metaverse and special tracks.
04 / Inside ITEC
More than a pitch.
A room that moves ideas forward.
Global founders meet decision-makers, investors, industry partners and peers—then turn the conversation into a practical route for landing and growth.
05 / Competition guidelines
Know the rules.
Build the strongest case.
THE PITCH FORMAT
05minutes
to present
to present
05minutes
judge Q&A
judge Q&A
05minutes
founder questions
founder questions
01AGE / STAGE
Established after 1 January 2016
The entity must be within its first ten years. Talent Track projects must be Series A or earlier and meet the field requirements.
02FOUNDER
Founder-led with at least 30% ownership
Applicants should generally be the main founders; the founder and founding team should retain at least 30% of original shares after penetration and consolidation.
03STATUS
The participating entity cannot be listed
Publicly listed companies are not eligible to participate.
04CONDUCT
Lawful operation and professional integrity
All members must comply with PRC laws, have no major dishonesty record, be of good character and demonstrate professional ethics.
05IP
Clear intellectual-property rights
The entity must own or lawfully use its core IP and show meaningful innovation and commercialization potential.
06ENTITY
Application and award entity must match
Projects already operating in Chaoyang must use that entity. Others must demonstrate a genuine intention and plan to develop in Chaoyang.
07RETURNING
Previous winners must achieve a higher result
Former ITEC or OTEC winners may return, but cannot receive the same or a lower-level award.
08PHOENIX PLAN
Recognized Phoenix Plan talent may compete
Entrepreneurs recognized as Chaoyang Phoenix Plan high-level or high-end business talent may participate, but are not eligible for awards.
HOW PROJECTS ARE JUDGED
Independent experts from technology, industry and investment.
Talent Track Innovation, growth potential and cross-disciplinary strength.
Industry & Special Tracks Market prospects, team, technological innovation, business model, investment value and industry fit.
Market prospects
A credible market, clear customer need and a realistic route to scale.
Team capability
Founder commitment, relevant expertise and the capacity to execute.
Technological innovation
Originality, technical defensibility and measurable advancement.
Business model
A coherent model for value creation, delivery and sustainable growth.
Investment value
Traction, financing readiness, risk profile and long-term return potential.
Industry fit
Alignment with the selected track and the ability to create value in Chaoyang.
06 / Competition awards
Every award.
Clearly on the table.
TOTAL PRIZE POOL¥50M+approximately US$7.35M+
90+ RECOGNIZED TEAMSFrom ¥100K to ¥5M
Six award levels. One of China’s most substantial startup-competition prize pools.
Compete for ITEC 2026011 winner
Grand Prize
¥5,000,000≈ $735,155025 winners
First Prize
¥2,000,000≈ $294,0620310 winners
Second Prize
¥1,500,000≈ $220,5460415 winners
Third Prize
¥1,000,000≈ $147,0300520 winners
Rising Star Award
¥300,000≈ $44,1090635 winners
Innovation Recognition
¥100,000≈ $14,703HOW THE AWARD IS RELEASED40% 60% +10%
Capital tied to real progress—not paperwork theatre.
Third Prize and above: first instalment in year one.
Second instalment in year two, based on development in Chaoyang.
Possible additional incentive for projects demonstrating good progress.
AWARD TERMS
- Rising Star and Innovation Recognition awards are paid in one lump sum.
- Global Finals awards include Grand, First, Second, Third and Rising Star.
- Innovation Recognition rewards quality projects in talent, industry and special sessions.
- Winning teams generally establish a legally operating Chaoyang entity to access rewards and services.
- Award numbers may be adjusted to reflect project quality.
- Each project receives only its highest award; rewards are not duplicated.
07 / Beyond the cash
The prize is capital.
The system is leverage.
ITEC is designed to reduce the time between an international founder asking “how?” and meeting the person, policy or partner who can answer it.
Fast follow-up
Within 48 hours after a roadshow, selected teams can be matched to relevant support—and standout projects can continue toward the finale.
Policy matching
Eligible teams can enter the Chaoyang Youth Entrepreneurship 15 Measures support scope and may be recommended for the Phoenix Plan.
Landing preparation
Guidance on compliance, local operations, office choices, industry context and the practical route into Chaoyang.
Workspace & incubation
Introductions to innovation parks, incubators, coworking spaces and the International Talent Entrepreneurship Park.
Investors & mentors
Fundraising preparation, investor introductions, business-model refinement, commercialization and China-market positioning.
Industry scenarios
Connections to enterprise partners for pilots, product testing, proof-of-concept discussions and commercial validation.
Startup service package
Startup Alliance support spanning registration, banking, accounting, tax, trademarks, IP protection and founder community access.
08 / The runway
From application to acceleration.
1
NOWApply online
Share your product, team and traction.
2
JUL—OCTQualifying roadshow series
Monthly online and partner-led sessions match founders to relevant tracks. Strong performers advance toward the Global Finals.
3
48 HOURSService matching
Connect to policy, capital and workspace.
4
LATE OCTGlobal finals
The strongest teams meet in Beijing.
5
EARLY 2027Innovation summit
Winners announced. Momentum begins.
NEXT ROADSHOW Online · 05 August 2026. More track-specific sessions follow throughout the season, organized with ITEC’s official partners.
09 / Innovation Scout
Know a founder
who should be here?
Institutions and individuals can register as Innovation Scouts, recommend qualified startups and earn cumulative, uncapped rewards when those projects win and build stable operations in Chaoyang.
ESTIMATE YOUR SCOUT REWARD
ESTIMATED SCOUT REWARD¥500,000
Normally released 40% in year one and 60% in year two.
HOW IT WORKS01 02 03 Register as an Innovation Scout
Register
Become the named Innovation Scout for your organization or apply as an eligible individual.
Recommend
Introduce a strong startup, help it understand ITEC and identify the right competition track.
Support the landing
Stay connected as the team competes, wins and establishes stable operations in Chaoyang.
COMPLETE REWARD MAP
One referral can open a market—and create a reward.
Rewards depend on project origin and final result. They are cumulative and uncapped, subject to verification, tax and the official Scout rules.
OVERSEAS PROJECTSReward per referred winner
Grand Prize¥500,000
First Prize¥200,000
Second Prize¥150,000
Third Prize¥100,000
Rising / Recognition¥20,000
MAINLAND CHINA PROJECTSThird Prize or above
1 winning project¥150,000
2 winning projects¥300,000
3+ winning projects¥500,000
Two-year stable operation+ ¥100,000
ELIGIBILITY & RULES
Transparent from recommendation to reward.
- Scout rewards are cumulative and uncapped; recipients handle applicable taxes.
- Only one Scout may be assigned to an entity, confirmed during due diligence.
- The Scout cannot be a participant, team member or related institution of the referred project.
- Government/public institutions and financially supported personnel are not eligible.
- Rising Star or Recognition referrals receive ¥20,000; Third Prize+ teams operating for two consecutive years can trigger an additional ¥100,000.
10 / Previous editions
The stage is global.
The outcomes are real.
The latest completed edition brought together more than 5,000 startups from 141 countries and selected 63 winning projects across AI, digital health, intelligent robotics and other frontier fields.
13years of
ITEC legacy
ITEC legacy
5K+startups in the
latest edition
latest edition
141countries and
regions
regions
63winning
projects
projects
SELECTED ITEC 13TH ENTREPRENEURS
See the official recap Meet part of the winning cohort.
01Smartsoil AI02Kapsule03DRIVESEC04beez fm05The NeuroVisionaries06condenZero07NUVI08Arculus Solutions09Glem.ai10Galaxies11Miphic12Sentinan01Smartsoil AI02Kapsule03DRIVESEC04beez fm05The NeuroVisionaries06condenZero07NUVI08Arculus Solutions09Glem.ai10Galaxies11Miphic12Sentinan
11 / The network
Connected to the people
who help startups move.
ITEC brings together innovation spaces, industry operators, service partners and investment institutions across Chaoyang.
ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS
INVESTMENT CONSORTIUM
12 / The signal
Ideas, updates
& field notes.
Pitch your way toward the ITEC Finale
A rolling series of online and partner-led roadshows helps founders find the right track, pitch to the ecosystem and qualify toward the Global Finals.
Read on LinkedIn
15 live support measures for international founders
Subsidised workspace, R&D support, angel incentives, company setup and housing resources—mapped clearly.
Read on LinkedIn
ITEC + 100 Parks of Chaoyang
Twenty-five partners are hosting focused tracks and connecting participants with distinctive industry resources.
Read on LinkedIn
5,000 startups. 141 countries. 63 winning projects.
The 13th edition closed with a record year for global AI, digital-health and intelligent-robotics founders.
Read on LinkedIn
59 projects won. More than ¥17B in disclosed financing.
The 11th edition paired its award ceremony with government–enterprise and venture-capital matchmaking for the winning teams.
Read on LinkedIn
13 / Founder questions
Everything you need before you enter.
Clear answers on routes, eligibility, pitching and what happens after selection.
Ask the ITEC teamTalent Track is designed for young founders and early-stage teams. Industry Tracks suit validated startups with clear products and business models. Special Tracks are co-organized with partners around focused sectors or challenges.
No. A founder may apply to either the Talent Track or one Industry Track. Use the route finder above to identify the strongest fit before submitting.
Teams may pitch online. A standard session includes a 5-minute presentation, 5 minutes of judge Q&A and 5 minutes for the startup to ask the panel questions.
Panels include technology, industry and investment experts. Talent projects are assessed for innovation and growth potential; Industry and Special Track projects are assessed for market prospects, team, value, management and industry fit.
Yes. Previous winners may participate again, but can only receive an award if they achieve a higher result than before.
No. Global founders can apply. Applicants outside Chaoyang should demonstrate a genuine intention and plan to develop their project in the district.
Selected founders enter a service pathway connecting them with workspace, policy support, investors, industry resources, company setup guidance, mentors and the Startup Alliance community.
14 / Land with less friction
ITEC lowers the barrier to building in Chaoyang.
Startup Alliance turns the competition into a practical founder pathway. Combined with Chaoyang’s 15 Measures for young technology entrepreneurs, international teams can move from interest to setup with more clarity, better connections and fewer cold starts.
Support is category-specific and review-based. Final eligibility, amounts and application results depend on official assessment, documentation, timing and the relevant implementing body.
Start and growth workspace
Eligible Qibu space can include a free registered address and shared facilities for up to two years; Qifei support can step from 50% to 30% to 20% for qualifying growth companies.
Research and computing
Eligible laboratory, instrument, computing, model and data-service contracts may receive 50% support, capped at ¥500,000 per year by category.
Angel financing reward
Qualifying technology startups completing an eligible angel round may receive 10% of the financing amount, capped at ¥500,000.
Founder housing support
Options may include three-month transitional housing, longer-term rent support or talent apartments for qualifying founders.
Loan-interest support
Eligible first loans may receive a full interest subsidy; certain other financing routes may receive 30% interest support under the stated caps.
Application scenarios
Chaoyang encourages government and enterprise scenarios that can help founders move from prototype to local proof of value.
ITEC × STARTUP ALLIANCE × CHAOYANGBring the innovation.
Bring the innovation.
We’ll lower the barrier.
Startup Alliance is a founder-support platform connecting international startups with trusted guidance, local partners, market-entry services and a practical community for building in Chaoyang and across China.
Start your application