【招标信用】【海外项目征集】ZITRI全球创业技术挑战赛

为加快链接全球创新资源、推动前沿技术在国内落地转化，郑州产业技术创新研究院（ZITRI）与全球知名开放创新平台NineSigma合作，面向国际初创企业及成长型科技企业发起“全球创业技术挑战赛”。
      
本次赛事征集领域聚焦六大方向：人工智能与数据驱动系统、先进通信与集成电路、生物技术与医疗健康、绿色能源与先进材料、机器人与智能制造、现代食品与智慧农业。
活动着眼于技术成果的产业化应用，致力于帮助海外创新团队完成在中国市场的技术验证、本地化适配和规模化发展：一方面，依托郑州及区域产业基础、应用场景和创新服务资源，加快技术从实验室走向真实产业场景；另一方面，协助团队对接合作伙伴、客户与产业链资源，探索市场进入、联合开发及商业化落地的可行路径。
诚邀拥有前沿技术、明确应用价值和发展意愿的国际创新团队参与，共同把全球创新成果转化为面向中国市场的产业新动能。
以下为活动原文（可点击文末“查看原文”进入NineSigma官方链接）：
Zhengzhou Industrial Technology Research Institute (ZITRI) invites proposals from international startups and scale-ups developing breakthrough technologies across six priority domains: Artificial Intelligence and Data-Driven Systems; Advanced Communications and Integrated Circuits; Biotech, Medicine and Medical Devices; Green Energy and Advanced Materials; Robotics, Intelligent Manufacturing and Precision Processing; and Modern Food Systems and Smart Agriculture
Opportunity
Selected startups will have the opportunity to collaborate with ZITRI through a range of pathways, including proof-of-concept projects, pilot validation, joint development, technology licensing, supplier agreements, and support for establishing a legal entity in Zhengzhou.
ZITRI offers a commercialization pathway intended to help deep-tech ventures test, localize, and scale their technologies within Central China's industrial ecosystem. The institute's model combines pilot access, manufacturing partnerships, market-entry support, and staged funding rather than relying solely on grant support.
Pathway into China's Innovation Ecosystem
For overseas scientists and startup teams, successful entry into China's innovation ecosystem typically involves working through professional platforms such as ZITRI, which can provide government-backed resources, local networks, and implementation support that reduce cultural and operational mismatch.
Successful projects are typically those that align with local industrial strengths, embed themselves into the relevant supply chain, leverage grant-equity style support mechanisms for early-stage R&D, and use full-chain professional services such as site selection, policy application support, and customer matchmaking. In practice, teams are expected to follow a phased path from laboratory validation to pilot testing and then to full commercialization in order to manage technical and market risk.
Background
ZITRI is a premier applied research and industrial innovation platform established jointly by the Zhengzhou Municipal Government and the National Innovation Center par Excellence (https://www.nice.org.cn ). Its mission is to attract world-leading technologies with strong industrial relevance and support their successful localization and commercial deployment within Zhengzhou. Preference is given to technologies with Technology Readiness Levels between TRL 4 and TRL 7, transferable, independent and defensible intellectual property, and a clear intention to establish operations in Zhengzhou.
Timeline
Phase 1 – Proposal Evaluation and Shortlisting (Q3 2026)
Phase 2 – Proof of Concept, Pilot Validation and Local Adaptation (Q4 2026 – Q2 2027)
Phase 3 – Industrial Collaboration and Commercial Scale-up 
Funding and Commercial Framework
Stage 1 – Initial working fund of up to USD 40,000
Selected teams may receive an initial working fund of up to USD 40,000 to reimburse eligible due-diligence expenses such as travel, technical testing and agreed project activities.
Stage 2 – R&D scale-up funding of up to USD 2.8 million
Following evaluation and due diligence, selected teams will generally be expected to establish a local project company in Zhengzhou together with ZITRI or its designated affiliate and a relevant local partner in the project’s host location (the “Local Hub”) The parties will collaborate on technology development, pilot validation, localization, and industrial scale-up. Eligible projects may receive up to USD 2.8 million in milestone-based funding, with additional follow-on funding support provided according to project progress and needs. Specific arrangements will be documented in separate agreements.
Founder-Friendly Investment Model
•  Founders retain majority ownership and operational control
•  Funding is provided as non-dilutive R&D support during development
•  Equity conversion is considered only if the venture successfully progresses to commercial investment
Domains of Interest
Cross Domain Desired Characteristics
Across all six domain areas, ZITRI is seeking solutions that are pilot-ready, scalable, and commercially relevant. Strong proposals should demonstrate robust technical performance, reliability under realistic operating conditions, ease of integration, transferable, independentand defensible IP, and a practical path toward industrialization.
Particular value will be placed on technologies that can align with Zhengzhou's manufacturing base, logistics strengths, healthcare and food systems, or broader industrial cluster development.
Approaches of Interest
Possible approaches may include, but are not limited to, advanced sensing systems, AI and machine learning integration, sensor fusion, robotics platforms, spectroscopic or analytical systems, digital platforms, novel materials, and hardware-software co-designed systems. The challenge is intentionally broad enough to capture cross-cutting solutions spanning more than one domain area, provided the industrial use case is clearly articulated.
Approaches not of interest include very early-stage ideas without validation, projects below TRL 4, and university-only projects lacking a clear commercialization path.
Submission Requirements
Applicants should provide information equivalent to ZITRI's internal Business Plan review process, including:
Technology Overview - Detailed description of the technology solution, including the core innovation, product form, development status, IP and target use cases.
Project Team –Information on the team, including member and advisor profiles, professional backgrounds and industry experience and potential Chinese partners.
Implementation Plan -  Development roadmap, including how the technology will scale from current maturity to industrial deployment and revenue forecast basis.
Pilot requirements - including site needs, resources to be committed, approximated project schedule, and pilot budge.
Strategic Fit with Zhengzhou and ZITRI, including intent to establish a legal entity and collaborate locally.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals are expected to be assessed against a combination of technical, commercial, and strategic criteria. Key evaluation dimensions should include:
•  Fit with one or more of the six ZITRI priority domains.
•  TRL maturity and readiness for proof of concept or pilot work.
•  Strength and clarity of the underlying IP position.
•  Relevance to Zhengzhou's industrial ecosystem and potential for local deployment.
•  Scalability, manufacturability, and commercial potential.
•  Quality of the team, execution plan, and willingness to establish operations in Zhengzhou.
•  Alignment with the practical success factors that support effective local implementation and commercialization.
Key Success Factors
In ZITRI's view, successful projects typically combine world-leading technology with strong technology-market fit, especially where the solution can connect effectively with China's large market and complete industrial chain.
Successful teams also tend to demonstrate openness and adaptability, including a willingness to move beyond laboratory work and engage actively with local market dynamics, industrial collaboration, and implementation realities. A prudent, step-by-step commercialization strategy is equally important, helping teams avoid rushing the process while reducing technical and market risk.
Request Number:  RFP_2026_0069
Due Date:  23 September 2026, 00:00(UTC)
拓展阅读
NineSigma 是全球领先的开放创新服务商，总部位于日本东京，在欧洲、美国、亚太设有运营实体。公司成立于 2000 年，与全球超 80,000 家初创企业、中小企业及学术界建立合作联系，服务客户超 2,000 家，覆盖技术与学术社群 400 万人，累计完成项目超 10,000 个。其研究团队为博士级专业人员，覆盖人工智能、生物医药、智能制造、新能源、先进材料、现代农业等领域，服务客户包括 GSK、巴斯夫、宝洁、欧莱雅、联合利华、ABB、西门子、NASA 等全球知名企业与机构。