Startup competition for veterans at finals stage

The final of an innovation competition specially for retired soldiers was launched over the weekend in Shanghai's Songjiang District.

It aims to boost and encourage scientific innovation and business startups by ex-soldiers.

Since opening in July, a total of 359 enterprises or teams of veterans have entered, with 66 in the final.

Their projects mainly cover scientific innovation, cultural and creative products, environmental protection and energy saving, biomedicine, intelligent agriculture and senior services.

The competition offers two contest channels – traditional industry and modern service industry, and new industry. Each participant must provide an 8-minute road show and 5-minute presentation as well as a Q&A to showcase their projects' commercial value, innovation point and social benefit.

The winners will receive financial support to aid their business development, the organizers said.