Entrepreneurial competition attracts broad global participation

17 Jan 2025

Student teams from 18 countries put their best ideas to the test at the recent Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Global Dream-Chasers Entrepreneurial Competition. The competition, also known as the JITRI Cup, was held at XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang) last month.

The annual competition aims to inspire students to network with other students, educators, and industry representatives. Making connections and sharing ideas at the conference creates an educational “ecosystem” for innovation and entrepreneurship, the organisers said.

More than 500 student teams from 36 universities participated, an increase from five universities last year. The teams submitted projects designed to solve pressing societal issues and leverage business opportunities.

Competition organisers and participants

The first-prize winning teams of each of the competition’s three tracks were:

  • In the Green and Smart Technology track: Xiamen University, for the project Micro Nano Satellite Hyperspectral High-Altitude Active and Passive Imaging Payload;
  • In the Health and Cultural Technology track: XJTLU, for the project Limitless Mind; and
  • In the Financial and Business Innovation track: Shanghai Business School, for the project Beyond Cash on Delivery, Building Trust in Bangladesh's E-commerce with AI-powered Order Verification.

For each track, the competition also awarded three second prizes, six third prizes and 10 excellence prizes.

The Limitless Mind project by XJTLU students proposes a way to use technology to improve communication between people who use sign-language and those who do not know sign language.

Professor Fei Ma (left) with representatives from XJTLU’s Limitless Mind team

This team is composed of students from multiple schools at XJTLU, including three from the School of AI and Advanced Computing and one student each from the School of Robotics, School of Intelligent Finance and Business, and the Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub.

“The Dream-Chasers Entrepreneurial Competition is a great opportunity for us to turn ideas into reality,” said Yufei Zhao, a master’s student in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and one of the team members. “We really appreciate it that the University could provide such a platform for us.”

Dr Ronny Estrella judging students’ projects

The first-prize winning projects will have the opportunity to enter the X³ Co-Venture startup hub, where students can obtain resources and support to develop their ideas.

Dr Ronny Estrella, Assistant Professor at SolBridge International School of Business in South Korea and one of the competition judges , spoke highly of XJTLU’s entrepreneurship and innovation resources, which include not only the competition and X³ Co-Venture, but also the Innovation Factory, a proof-of-concept platform.

“XJTLU has a complete cycle that actually is perfect for creating innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said.

By Jiayan Ji
Edited by Tamara Kaup
Photos by Chen Xie

17 Jan 2025