On July 6, the 2026 Huai'an High-End Talent Elite Competition—International Competition was held at Cyberport, Hong Kong. A total of 24 outstanding talent projects from Hong Kong, China, as well as North America, Europe, and other regions, competed, covering fields such as next-generation information technology, new energy, new materials, and biomedicine.

Guided by the philosophy of "pooling talent, attracting investment, and developing growth momentum through competitions," Huai'an has hosted the High-End Talent Elite Competition annually since 2021, resulting in the signing and implementation of over 200 high-level talent projects. This year marks the first international edition of the competition, with special awards of up to RMB 100,000 added to the preliminary round. The event aims to leverage the competition platform to attract more sci-tech innovation forces to Huai'an and foster an integrated ecosystem of innovation, industrial, capital, and talent chains.

The preliminary round adopted an "8+7" roadshow format, featuring an "8-minute project presentation + 7-minute expert Q&A session." Experts evaluated projects based on team capabilities, technical advancement, industrialization prospects, and feasibility. Ultimately, eight projects, including "R&D and Industrialization of Wafer-Level Heat Dissipation Technology Based on Diamond Bonding" and "R&D and Industrialization of Active Safety for Risk Reduction in Commercial Vehicles," won awards in the preliminary round and were recommended for the finals. Final winners are eligible for a range of support, including up to RMB 300,000 in prize money, RMB 5 million in talent funding, 1,000 square meters of rent-free space, and RMB 30 million in industrial fund investment. The event also featured the unveiling of the Jiangsu Huaian—Hong Kong Innovation Force Hub, the appointment of overseas talent liaison officers, and the signing of a cooperation agreement between Huai'an University and the Hong Kong Jiangsu Science & Technology Innovation Center.