TJU Launches 7th Crabapple Cup Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

Recently, Tianjin University (TJU) held the launch event for the 7th “Crabapple Cup” Alumni Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition at Tiankai High-Tech Innovation Park.

The competition receives strong support from various regional alumni associations and institutions, it brought together nearly 3,000 participants online and offline, including university leaders, industry experts, investors, and alumni entrepreneurs.

Chai Liyuan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of TJU, emphasized the university’s commitment to high-quality development through innovation and technology commercialization. He called on alumni to join hands with the university to build a collaborative innovation ecosystem integrating government, industry, academia, research, and finance.

Liu Yi, dean of Xuanhuai School, president of the TJU Alumni Association and chairman of Andon Health, delivered a report on the competition’s achievements and future plans. Since its launch in 2019, the Crabapple Cup has become a key platform for transforming research achievements, nurturing talent, and promoting industrial upgrading. This year’s events will take place in Ningbo, Xiamen, Hefei, and Tianjin, featuring six pitch contests, twelve offline activities, and twenty livestreams, in celebration of TJU’s 130th anniversary.

Representatives from regional organizing committees expressed strong support for the competition and its role in fostering local entrepreneurship and innovation. During the official launch ceremony, university and industry representatives jointly activated the opening sequence of the 7th Crabapple Cup.

The event also featured a roundtable discussion themed “Building the TJU Crabapple Innovation Ecosystem.” Founding partners of the Peiyang Crabapple Fund and representatives from TJU's Xuanhuai School, Science Park, and Entrepreneurship Zhibenshe shared insights on improving resource allocation and supporting entrepreneurial success.

The competition aims to foster a dynamic innovation ecosystem by linking capital, talent, and industry. Participants can benefit not only from awards but also from mentorship, partnerships, and access to investment and industrial resources.

In the keynote session, LI Haiping, chairman of Li-Anlong and founding partner of the Crabapple Fund, proposed a new “TJU + Carbon Bay” model to integrate academic research and industrial applications in carbon materials. This initiative aims to position TJU as a global leader in carbon-based innovation and transform Carbon Bay into a new hub for entrepreneurship. Xiao Jing, director at Zhiwei New Energy, delivered a speech on the development and future potential of carbon technologies.

Wang Yifeng from Enter Energy and Lin Tengyu from Hongrun Tech, both winners of previous Crabapple Cup competitions, shared their entrepreneurial journeys and innovations, highlighting the competition’s role in nurturing startups.

The event concluded with a call to action: as TJU celebrates its 130th anniversary, all aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to join the 7th Crabapple Cup and pursue new opportunities in innovation and growth.

Registration link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/FSEVXK35brCXw1MIN1eKXw

By: Qin Mian