According to the organisers, the 929 Challenge registered a record 511 approved entries this year, from Macao, the Greater Bay Area, inland China and various Portuguese-speaking countries. Brazil was the main source of proposals, with more than a hundred startups.

The 929 Challenge is an international competition that brings together startups and university teams from China and the Portuguese-speaking countries through Macao. The entries cover health, financial technologies, energy and advanced technology, as well as agritech, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and sustainability.

The programme recently began with an intensive online bootcamp, featuring 11 speakers from China, Portugal, Brazil and Mozambique. This will be followed by individual mentoring sessions to prepare contestants for expansion and adaptation to new markets.

The event's co-founder, Marco Rizzolio, explained to TDM Rádio Macau that the training enables Chinese entrepreneurs to learn about the ecosystems of the Portuguese-speaking countries, and vice versa. He also highlighted that artificial intelligence is the third-largest sector in terms of number of entries.

At the programme's launch, Miguel Pombo, founder of Azores Life Science and a finalist in the previous edition, shared his experience and the impact of the competition on the development of his project.

The grand final is scheduled for 4 December, in Macao. The 16 finalists will be able to visit innovation hubs in the Greater Bay Area and meet with investors. According to the organisers, the initiative strengthens the link between the Chinese and Portuguese-speaking business ecosystems.

The 929 Challenge in Macao is managed and organised by AEIMCP (the Association for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Macao – China and Portuguese-speaking Countries), and is co-founded by Professor Marco Duarte Rizzolio and José Alves.

(Source: TDM, 12 October)