"Maker Shanghai 2025" Competition Launches! Supporting SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Providing Financial and Policy Support, Building a New Engine for Technology, 5300+ Projects Have Received 114.3 Billion in Financing, Sign Up Now!
On the afternoon of May 29, the launch ceremony of "Maker Shanghai 2025" and the 10th "Maker China" Shanghai SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, was held at the Caohejing Conference Center. The selection of Shanghai's 50 Most Investment-Worthy Enterprises was also launched simultaneously. Zhuang Mudi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, attended and officially launched the "Maker Shanghai 2025" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Attendees included Pu Yapeng, Deputy Director of the Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; You Yongsheng, Second-Level Inspector of the Municipal Commission of Commerce; Gao Tian, leader of Xuhui District; and Chen Hao, Vice President of Lingang Group.
Over the nine years since the inception of the Maker Shanghai competition, the event has nurtured and served over 5,300 SME innovation and entrepreneurship projects, with 75 advancing to the national competition and several enterprises winning first, second, and third prizes at the national level. The selected high-potential enterprises have collectively secured financing of 114.3 billion yuan, transforming the momentum of technological innovation into a powerful driver for enhancing the city's core competitiveness.
In his speech, Pu Yapeng pointed out that the Maker Competition is an important platform for Shanghai's SMEs to showcase their innovation and entrepreneurship achievements and to deepen the integration of technological and industrial innovation. He proposed three hopes: first, to break through barriers and pool resources for innovation, forging a new engine for development by highlighting SMEs' new technologies, products, achievements, and performance through the competition; second, to leverage policies for precise empowerment and jointly build a new development ecosystem, guiding eligible participants into the specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative ("Little Giant") cultivation system, while strengthening policy reserves and institutional design to better identify and nurture high-growth enterprises; third, to take proactive steps in service optimization to improve the development environment, enhancing targeted services such as space allocation, financing对接, talent cultivation, and market expansion, and leveraging the "service package" mechanism for key enterprises to support their focused growth.
At the launch ceremony, Shanghai Kunyou Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Tianwu Technology Co., Ltd., winners of the previous "Maker China" national finals, shared their competition and award experiences as representative enterprises. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Shanghai Branch, as a partner, unveiled exclusive financial service products for the competition. Antai College of Economics and Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University released the "Shanghai Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Observation Report."
The "Maker Shanghai 2025" competition is divided into two categories: the enterprise group and the startup group, with seven major tracks. From May to September, preliminary, semi-final, and final rounds will be conducted in stages. Winning projects will be recommended for the national finals and receive diverse support, including funding, policies, and investment. During the event, the organizing committee will also host配套 activities such as "Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative"对接会, "One Chain per Month"投融资 roadshows, and the "Puchuang 108" training camp for the 50 Most Investment-Worthy Enterprises, forming a virtuous cycle of "attracting talent, intelligence, and capital through competition" to助力更多 technology-driven SMEs.
Since its launch in 2018, the "Maker China" Shanghai赛区 has attracted over 5,300 projects, with 75 enterprises advancing to the national level, continuously expanding its influence. Leveraging Shanghai's SME service system, the competition integrates resources from chambers of commerce, financial institutions, professional intermediaries, and "industry-academia-research" services to provide全链条赋能 for winning enterprises. The 50 Most Investment-Worthy Enterprises selected over the years have collectively secured 114.3 billion yuan in financing, integrating更多 innovative and dynamic projects and teams into Shanghai's development.
Over a hundred guests attended, including representatives from the Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce, district-level SME authorities, major industrial parks, investment and financing institutions, enterprise service platforms, and participating enterprises. The event was live-streamed on platforms such as the "Shanghai Enterprise Service" video channel, attracting over 10,000 online and offline viewers.
Registration for the competition is now open. Enterprises can participate by visiting the homepage of the "Shanghai Enterprise Service Cloud" website and entering the registration page for the "Maker Shanghai 2025" and the 10th "Maker China" Shanghai SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.