Recently, the Eastern European regional preliminary contest of the 6th China (Jinan) New Momentum Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, hosted by the Jinan New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Starting Area, and organized by the Central and Eastern Europe - China Science and Technology Exchange Association and the Hungary Chinese Students and Scholars Association, was successfully held in Budapest, Hungary.

David Morris, Vice President of the United Nations Asia-Pacific Sustainable Business Network, Biro Karoly, Mayor of Koszeg, Hungary, Chen Kun, Education Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, Jiang Lingfei, Minister of the Party and Mass Work Department of the Jinan New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Starting Area, Jiao Chao, President of the Central and Eastern European China Science and Technology Exchange Association, Yu Jing, President of the Association of Chinese Women in Hungary, Li Jianhao, Chairman of the Hungarian Chinese Students and Scholars Association, officials from the Organization Department of the Jinan Municipal Party Committee and the Jinan New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Starting Area, as well as representatives of universities, students, business associations, and business leaders attended the event. The event was hosted by Li Boyuan, Chairman of the Budapest Student Union.

In his speech, Jiang Lingfei stated that Jinan is actively promoting the transformation of old and new kinetic energy, aiming to establish itself as the central city in the Yellow River Basin. He welcomed talents to choose Jinan, bringing more high-quality projects, cutting-edge achievements, and advanced technologies to the city. Jinan is a city with significant strategic advantages, well-developed transportation, abundant resources, complete industries, and a beautiful ecological environment. The excellent development environment and efficient government services will provide great opportunities for the development of talents. He expressed hope that talents from all walks of life could innovate and start businesses in Jinan, realizing their individual values and contributing to the city's development. He believed that with the collective efforts of talents from various sectors, Jinan would attract more knowledgeable individuals to innovate and start businesses, jointly creating a splendid chapter of mutual achievement between the city and its talents.

David Morris, in his address, expressed that in this interconnected world, the collaborative relationship between entrepreneurship and innovation is crucial for the sustainable development of society. In the face of global challenges, pursuing cooperation and finding common ground is more important than ever before. China and Hungary have made significant progress in green energy and green industry transformation, but there is still a need for more scientific and business innovation to achieve sustainable development goals.

Chen Kun, on behalf of the Cultural and Educational Section of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, congratulated the organizers of the event and extended best wishes to all participants. He expressed that China and Hungary have a wide range of cooperation in various fields, and this event serves as an important demonstration and holds profound significance for cooperation between China, Hungary, and Central Europe. It is not only a high-level gathering of innovative and entrepreneurial talents but also a grand celebration of outstanding individuals. He looked forward to seeing all the contestants shine on this platform and achieve remarkable results. He hoped that through this event, it could further promote cooperation between China and Hungary, as well as China and Central Europe, making a greater contribution to the development and prosperity of both countries.

Biro Karoly, in his address, warmly welcomed all the guests in attendance. He expressed that in the context of globalization and the challenges it presents, pursuing cooperation and finding common ground is more important than ever before. He noted the rapid development of China in the field of technological innovation and hoped that the hosting of the China (Jinan) New Momentum Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition could serve as an opportunity to strengthen communication and exchange, and to promote practical cooperation for mutual benefit between the two sides.

Jiao Chao, in his address, expressed his gratitude for the strong support from various related organizations in the preparation of this competition. He emphasized that the Central and Eastern European China Science and Technology Exchange Association, as a non-governmental organization dedicated to facilitating economic, technological, and talent exchange and cooperation between the Central and Eastern European region and China, has consistently worked on building a platform for science and technology exchange and cooperation between China and Europe. They have actively served the dual recruitment and dual attraction efforts, particularly in Jinan, Shandong Province, and have contributed to the economic and social development of Jinan. He extended a warm welcome and deep appreciation to the leaders and guests in attendance and wished all the participants in the competition great success.

Pan Bing, Deputy Director of the Industrial Development and Investment Promotion Department of the Management Committee of the Jinan New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Starting Area, introduced the industrial layout, development direction, and policies for industrial implementation in the Jinan Starting Area.

This competition is divided into five major categories: Big Data and Next-Generation Information Technology, Intelligent Manufacturing and High-End Equipment, Biomedicine and Health, Fine Steel and Advanced Materials, and Modern Agriculture and Low-Carbon Environmental Protection. In the Eastern European regional preliminary contest, a total of 260 projects from over 20 countries and regions were collected. It's worth noting that more than 60% of the primary applicants hold a Ph.D. degree or higher, and the overall quality of the participating projects has seen further improvement compared to previous years.

After the preliminary contest, the Jinan Starting Area actively assists the projects in finding suitable landing opportunities. They extensively invite domestic investment and financing institutions, industry experts, legal advisors, and other evaluators to provide personalized guidance to the projects that have qualified for the finals. This includes simulating the roadshow process and offering tailored improvement suggestions.

Simultaneously, they organize online "policy recommendation" events to help the projects that have made it to the final round with policy clarification and guidance. This aids project teams in gaining a better understanding of the support policies available for landing in Jinan and the Starting Area.

To provide more comprehensive and high-quality matchmaking services, the Central and Eastern European China Science and Technology Exchange Association has actively organized a series of discussion and exchange activities for the projects that have qualified for the final round, such as "High-Quality Projects Entering the Starting Area." Additionally, they have conducted on-site visits to industrial parks within the Starting Area, including the Zhongke New Economy Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, to strengthen collaboration and deepen cooperation. As of now, six project teams have expressed their intention to settle in the Starting Area.