PRESS RELEASE
Innovfest Suzhou – Advancing innovation and fostering collaboration between companies from Singapore and China
SUZHOU, 25 September 2019 - Innovfest Suzhou returned for a fifth edition from 25 to 27 September 2019 at the National University of Singapore Suzhou Research Institute (NUSRI), connecting over 1,000 entrepreneurs, corporates, investors, technology start-ups, professionals, academics, and government agencies from around the world. This annual event aims to build a key cross-border platform to connect China companies with innovative ideas overseas, especially those from Singapore and beyond.
The event was attended by Ms Indranee Rajah, Singapore Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and Education; Dr Koh Poh Koon, Singapore Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry; Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Chairman of Business China, Singapore; Professor Ho Teck Hua, Senior Deputy President and Provost of the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Themed “Connecting brands and corporations with disruptive technology; Exploring China-ASEAN opportunities”, the event will cover topics such as Modern Aging, Smart Green Technology Application and Ecological Restoration; and will span verticals such as digital medical care, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, green energy and pollution control amongst others.
NUS Senior Deputy President and Provost Professor Ho Teck Hua, gave an opening keynote address, titled “Industry 4.0: Myths and Promises”. Prof Ho said, “In the fields of Industry 4.0, especially in the areas of AI and big data, I believe that NUSRI will collaborate with more universities and companies to contribute to the exchange between China and Singapore.”
The three-day event will spark creativity and active discussion through a rich combination of innovation keynotes, forums, project roadshows, product showcase, closed-door pitching, panel discussions, workshops and industrial visits. Delegates can choose to attend any of the eight parallel sessions, close-door pitching, and close to 100 keynote speeches. More than 100 cutting-edge technology projects and technologies will be on display. Over 300 global companies and investment agencies such as Huawei, Wilmart, COFCO, Tencent, Boston Scientific, Sembcorp and GGV Capital are participating in Innovfest Suzhou.
In conjunction with the 25th Anniversary of Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) this year, a special Sino-Singapore Entrepreneur Forum, which promotes innovation, collaboration and market access in China, Singapore and beyond, is organised as part of Innovfest Suzhou. The Forum aims to connect with entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and other start-up champions to explore the opportunities and challenges of engaging effectively into the China and ASEAN marketplaces. Illustrious entrepreneurs and corporate executives will share their knowledge and experiences, and elaborate on how they had managed to penetrate and expand in the China and Singapore markets. Start-ups and tech companies also have a chance to gain insights into the grants and support schemes available in China.
In his speech during Sino-Singapore Entrepreneur Forum on 25 September 2019, Dr Koh Poh Koon, Singapore Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, said, “NUSRI’s InnovFest Suzhou has become a useful event to understand China's innovation landscape and to connect with key players. I would like to encourage more Singapore start-ups as well as Small and Medium Enterprises to leverage this platform to identify business partners, investors and resources to augment their market development efforts in China.”
To encourage future innovation, NUSRI and the School of Knowledge Economy and Management (SKEMA Business School) jointly organised the InnovAlley & Start-up Kafe on 26 September 2019 to provide a platform for entrepreneurial youths to display their innovative ideas and projects. University students and recent graduates will have the opportunity to provide innovative solutions to real-world problems and demonstrate their entrepreneurial mindset. During the competition, participants were also given the opportunity to network with investors, entrepreneurial mentors, and peers. More than 10 projects were presented.
To provide start-ups with a holistic view of the entrepreneurial policy and to enable them to confidently expand their businesses in the Yangtze River Delta Region, the event featured a one-day workshop, which comprises a tour of various companies as well as pitching session, with the aim of spurring and consolidating the start-up community in Suzhou.
Organised by NUSRI, BLOCK71 Suzhou and NUS Enterprise, Innovfest Suzhou strives to bridge the gap between companies and the world’s leading innovators and technologists, serving as the epicenter for cutting-edge technologies and developing networks for bilateral cooperation between China and Singapore. Since 2015, the event has attracted close to 3,000 participants from over 1,400 companies and agencies, and showcased over 300 new innovation and technology projects from over 10 countries and regions.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Yaqin Zhu
National University of Singapore (Suzhou) Research Institute Assistant Manager, Marketing and Communications Office Tel: +(0)512 62997804
Email: flora.zhu@nusri.cn
About National University of Singapore (NUS)
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore’s flagship university, which offers a global approach to education, research and entrepreneurship, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. We have 17 faculties across three campuses in Singapore, as well as 12 NUS Overseas Colleges across the world. Close to 40,000 students from 100 countries enrich our vibrant and diverse campus community.
Our multidisciplinary and real-world approach to education, research and entrepreneurship enables us to work closely with industry, governments and academia to address crucial and complex issues relevant to Asia and the world. Researchers in our faculties, 29 university-level research institutes, research centres of excellence and corporate labs focus on themes that include energy, environmental and urban sustainability; treatment and prevention of diseases common among Asians; active ageing; advanced materials; as well as risk management and resilience of financial systems. Our latest research focus is on the use of data science, operations research and cybersecurity to support Singapore's Smart Nation initiative.
For more information on NUS, please visit www.nus.edu.sg.
About NUS (Suzhou) Research Institute (NUSRI)
In order to raise and extend the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) international profile in China as well as to showcase innovative collaborations between China and Singapore, the NUS (Suzhou) Research Institute (NUSRI) was established in Suzhou Industrial Park in 2010. NUSRI aims to develop and evolve into a leading innovative research institute in China through its 3 key strategic focus areas - Research, Enterprise and Education. In tandem with the strategic thrust of the Jiangsu Province for socio-economic and industrial-technological advancement, NUSRI strives to contribute the University’s expertise in these areas with a focus on knowledge creation, technology innovation and commercialisation.
For more information, please visit http://nusri.cn/
About NUS Enterprise
NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore (NUS), plays a pivotal role in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship at NUS and beyond. It actively promotes entrepreneurship and cultivates global mind-sets and talents through the synergies of experiential entrepreneurial education, active industry partnerships, holistic entrepreneurship support and catalytic entrepreneurship outreach. Its initiatives and global connections support a range of entrepreneurial journeys and foster ecosystem building in new markets. These initiatives augment and complement the University’s academic programmes and act as a unique bridge to industry well beyond Singapore’s shores.
For more information, please visit https://enterprise.nus.edu.sg
About BLOCK71 Suzhou
BLOCK71 is an initiative by NUS Enterprise in collaborative and strategic partnerships with established corporates and government agencies. It is an ecosystem builder and global connector which catalyses and aggregates the start-up community, as well as spearheads new initiatives and provides mentorship and growth opportunities in local and global markets. BLOCK71 Suzhou aims to cultivate a vibrant and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem and build bridges for business development in China and beyond.
For more information, please visit http://www.block71.cn/
ANNEX
Attendees from Singapore include:
Ms Indranee Rajah, Singapore Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and Education;
Dr Koh Poh Koon, Singapore Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry; Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Chairman of Business China, Singapore;
Mr Loh Tuck Wai, Consul-General, Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore in Shanghai;
Professor Ho Teck Hua, Senior Deputy President and Provost of the National University of Singapore (NUS)
Attendee from Jiangsu Province:
Ms Yang Jing, Deputy Director-General of Jiangsu Provincial Foreign Affairs Office
Attendees from Suzhou Municipal Government include:
Mr Zhang Dongchi, Director of Suzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau; Mr Li Zhaowei, Deputy Director of Suzhou Municipal Foreign Affairs Office
Attendees from Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) Administrative Committee include:
Mr Ding Lixin, Deputy Party Secretary of CPC SIP Working Committee, Chairman of SIP Administrative Committee;
Mr WU Hong, Deputy Party Secretary of CPC SIP Working Committee, Vice Chairman of SIPAC;
Ms Sun Yanyan, Member of CPC SIP Working Committee, Vice Chairman of SIP Administrative Committee, Director of SIP United Front Work Department;
Mr Lin Xiaoming, Member of CPC SIP Working Committee, Vice Chairman of SIP Administrative Committee, Director of SIP Organization Department;
Mr Jiang Weiming, Deputy Party Secretary of CPC Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District Working Committee, Director of Suzhou Dushu Lake Science & Education Innovation District Administrative Committee;
Mr Xu Wenqing, Director of SIP Science Technology and Information Bureau
