2024-09-10

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/bCnesHb133OwXvWm2fgy4A

In order to promote exchanges and connections between cities and institutions, and to more effectively integrate and link global innovation factors, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government organised the "2024 International Exchange Camp for Innovative Cities" with the theme "Innovative Ecosystems: The Power of Clusters'. 18 representatives of innovation platforms, networks, science parks, experts, scholars and business leaders from cities around the world gathered in Shenzhen to examine the construction of innovation platform and park support systems from multiple dimensions, exchange development and construction experiences, and explore ways and means of mutual empowerment to achieve common development.

On the morning of 9 September, the ‘2024 Innovation Cities International Exchange Camp’ was officially opened in Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone in the Loop. At the opening ceremony, Ms Cao Saixian, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech and welcomed the ‘Peng’ friends who participated in the Innovation City International Exchange Camp. Cao Saixian firstly introduced Shenzhen with four key words: ‘young’, ‘open’, ‘innovative’ and ‘green’. She said that Shenzhen is joining hands with global innovation cities and partners to promote the establishment of the World Innovation Cities Cooperation Organisation (WICCO), which is a non-governmental, non-profit international organisation aiming to promote global innovation cooperation, strengthen innovation exchanges and cooperation among cities in various fields, and empower sustainable development of cities through innovation. This International Exchange Camp for Innovative Cities is also one of the annual brand activities organised under the framework of the co-construction of GCO. In the end, Director Cao combined the theme of the camp, ‘Innovation Ecosystem: The Power of Clusters’, and hoped that the world's innovation platforms could take this opportunity to work closely with each other, share resources and channels, and empower each other's development.

Afterwards, the Head of Talent Department of Hetao Development Agency and four representatives of the campers shared and exchanged their views on the International Exchange Camp for Innovative Cities.

Mr Wang Zebin, Head of Talent Department of Hetao Development Agency, made a special presentation. He introduced the development positioning, location advantages, institutional advantages and research space of Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone and its quality services for accelerating the concentration of science and innovation resources.

Marc Lussy, Senior Advisor of Tenity Incubation and Acceleration Innovation Park, Switzerland, shared the six success factors of innovation ecosystems. Marc Lussy has worked in the financial sector for more than 30 years and has extensive experience in advising start-ups. After analysing the development history of more than 200 startups, he summarised the six success factors of an innovation ecosystem - bringing together a large number of founders at an early stage, absorbing as many startups as possible to increase volume, guiding the companies to learn problem solving, defining missions and formulating strategies, focusing on the B2B model, and attracting startups to join the innovation ecosystem from the very beginning. Attract startups from the beginning of the innovation ecosystem to help companies take fewer detours and reduce the cost of failure, and provide funds to help companies survive the innovation valley of death.

Rita Roider, Director of China Affairs at the Department of Labour and Economic Development of the City of Munich, attended the Innovation City International Exchange Camp for the second time. She gave the participants a detailed introduction to Munich's geographical location, transport advantages, quality of life, innovation cooperation and start-up ecosystem.

Christian Koerner, Director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), gave a panoramic view of TUM through his speech. He said that TUM is a leader in many academic rankings and has built a mature startup ecosystem by fostering startups. TUM looks at innovation from a global perspective and embraces cooperation with an open mind, hoping to develop exchanges and cooperation with more institutions and organisations.

Ms Stella Cheung, Associate Director of Greater Bay Area Development (Strategic Planning) of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC), introduced HKSTPC's services to the innovation and technology ecosystem, accelerating the transformation of technological achievements and facilitating the 'coming in' and 'going out' of Hong Kong. She also shared the story of HKSTPC's 'resonance' with the development of the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.

During the week-long camp, the campers will share experiences with representatives from the Shenzhen government, organisations and enterprises on the development and construction of innovation parks and platforms from different perspectives, and discuss how to empower each other to achieve common development.