The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at the University of Macau (UM) held the final round and awards ceremony of the ‘2025 Bank of China Trophy UltiMater Entrepreneur Competition’. A total of 70 entrepreneurial teams from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and overseas participated in the competition, and 12 teams stood out in the first round. After fierce competition in the second and final rounds, six teams were awarded prizes, with a total prize pool over MOP 110,000. The competition was sponsored by the Bank of China (Macau).

This year’s competition was very well received, with the number of participating teams increasing by over 50% compared to last year. The projects covered a range of fields, including Chinese medicine, biotechnology, AI applications, robotics, environmental protection, and smart cities. In the final round, the six finalist teams presented their business plans and answered questions from the judges. The judging panel conducted a comprehensive assessment based on criteria such as innovation, commercial viability, and market potential. First place went to Hangzhou Qineng Robotics Co Ltd, second place went to Macau MacOrigen Technology, and third place went to OSUN Energy Technology Co Ltd. Psyqualogy won the ‘Best Elevator Pitch Award’ and the ‘Best Trade Show Award’. Psyqualogy, Tangyun Haojiang Culture and Tourism Co Ltd, and SuperAML received the ‘Outstanding Prize’.

The judging panel consisted of experts and investors from industry and academia. They were: Chan Chong Keong, deputy general manager of the Inclusive Finance Department, Bank of China (Macau); Ye Aijun, assistant dean of Zhuhai Fudan Innovation Institute; Frances Du, co-founder of Jiangmen Ventures; Li Yongzhou, founder and chairman of Zhongke Meicheng; Stella Lok, managing partner of Leng Kuan Certified Public Accountants; Rainbow Lei, president of the Macau International Industrial Technology Development Association; and Filipe Lei, vice chairman of the Macao Legal Exchange and Promotion Association.

To enhance the practical skills of the top 12 teams, the organiser arranged a series of training activities. These included the UltiMater Camp, a workshop on improving business plans and pitching skills led by entrepreneurship coaches from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, one-on-one mentoring with expert mentors, and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Pilot Elite Program Training Camp hosted by Shenzhen University. These training activities helped the teams deliver an outstanding performance in the final.

Guests attending the award ceremony included: Lei Jun, deputy general manager of the Personal Banking and Channel Management Department, Bank of China (Macau); Chao Weng Hou, deputy general manager of the Business Center, Bank of China (Macau); Lu Hongyu, vice-chairman of the General Association of Chinese Students of Macau; Kuok Meng Chit, deputy executive director of the Macao New Chinese Youth Association; and Lao Tai Hang, founder and technical development director of Macau-Union Pharmaceutical Limited and mentor of UM CIE; Xu Jian, vice rector of UM; and Carrie Lei, acting director of the UM Alumni and Development Office.

The projects of the top 12 teams will be showcased at ‘The UltiMater 2025—The 4th UM Innovation and Entrepreneurship Exhibition’, which will take place on 13 and 15 December.