The 13th International Talent Entrepreneurship Conference (ITEC 2025), a premier platform for global innovators and tech entrepreneurs, was held in Beijing's Chaoyang district on May 21. Guided by the CPC Chaoyang District Committee and organized by the Chaoyang Talent Bureau, this year’s event embraces the theme "Chaoyang·Future Hub: Connecting Global Talent, Empowering High-Quality Development".

With a renewed focus on digital economy, the conference brings together visionary entrepreneurs, top researchers, and global investors to shape the next-generation technological innovation.

Breaking away from conventional competition formats, ITEC2025 introduces a tri-dimensional competition structure featuring Talent Tracks, Industry Tracks, and Special Sessions. This model supports an end-to-end innovation ecosystem encompassing early discovery, precise cultivation, and industrial application.

The newly launched Phoenix Youth Talent Innovation Track targets early-stage projects led by promising young innovators across the globe. Through a three-dimensional evaluation model — emphasizing technological foresight, business potential, and cross-disciplinary collaboration — candidates with unicorn potential are selected. Winners gain fast-track access to Chaoyang's "Phoenix Program", receiving full-cycle support including incubation, funding, and industrial resources to transform from tech visionaries into industrial leaders.

Meanwhile, the Industry Track focuses on "3+X" key industries, covering eight core fields such as AI, industrial internet, and digital security. With over 70 niche segments including AI agents and industrial AI, the track highlights originality and regional adaptability.

To accelerate the integration of AI technologies into the real economy, the competition includes a new AI Scenario Track, targeting frontier domains such as "AI + Metaverse", "AI + Industry", "AI + Healthcare", and "AI + Data". Innovators are invited to propose technical solutions while government agencies, State-owned enterprises, and industrial parks in Chaoyang open their scenario resources to match with tech providers. This "challenge-posting to co-building "approach enables rapid validation and scaling of innovative AI applications.

Other specialized sessions include the Disruptive Technology Track, the Northern Innovation Corridor Track, and university-centered sessions at Shanhe Bay Valley. International sessions are being held in the UK, Germany, and China's Hong Kong and Macao, leveraging Chaoyang's global talent matrix and overseas liaison stations to bring global innovation to Beijing.

With a prize pool exceeding 50 million yuan (US$6.9 million), the competition offers more refined incentives and stronger support than ever. Top winners can receive up to 5 million yuan. New "Talent Innovation Awards" (30 spots) offer 200,000 yuan per person and direct access to the Phoenix Program’s youth innovation system.

Additional support includes up to 500m² of office space, comprehensive incubation services, and access to capital and industrial partners. Winning founders are eligible for a special lifestyle packages covering healthcare, mobility, and more, with youth-focused initiatives available for early-stage startups to tackle initial growth hurdles.

A multi-tiered incentive mechanism further strengthens Chaoyang's talent attraction system. Individuals or institutions who recommend winning projects for two consecutive years will be honored as "Chaoyang Talent Partners" and awarded up to 100,000 yuan. For international project referrals, the reward could reach 1 million yuan. Each "Talent Innovation Award" nomination also comes with a 20,000 yuan bonus.

Complemented by innovation summits, startup salons, the Chaoyang International Day, and Phoenix Academy programs, the competition fosters an integrated ecosystem linking talent, industry, capital, and innovation.

Applications for the ITEC2025 Global Startup Competition are now open at the Chaoyang International Talent Port (www.chytalents.gov.cn). The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2025.

As Chaoyang District continues to refine its internationally oriented, market-driven, and professional talent service model, it stands as a vital node in Beijing's vision to become a world-leading hub for global talent.