Xiamen inaugurates start-up accelerator to support B& Road innovation

A start-up accelerating program has been inaugurated recently in Xiamen, a key port city in southeast Fujian province, to support business innovation and development in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, local media reported.

Enterprises selected into the program will have the opportunity to take training courses for accelerated development, learn from China's successful innovative practices and use China's market resources for improving their competitiveness back to their own countries.

"We wish to spread China'innovative experiences, especially in internet start-up models, to countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative," said Yao Jincheng, CEO of Atwork, founder of the program, adding that 30 enterprises will be selected this September.

The inauguration ceremony was launched in a Belt and Road innovation conference held in Xiamen from May 11 to 13, which attracted over 60 first-class investment institutions and 100 well-known industry insiders from 30 countries and regions involved in the Initiative to discuss business innovation.

Xiamen has long been the focus of entrepreneurs along the Belt and Road for its importance as a strategic city in the Maritime Silk Road program, with a number of high-tech enterprises and start-up teams.

It has been conducting cooperation with countries and regions involved in the Initiative in terms of new industries, new technologies and new business forms in recent years, according to Meng Qian, deputy mayor of Xiamen.

"This is the first time for Xiamen to hold a large event on innovation and start-ups under the theme of the Belt and Road Initiative, which explores the way to integrate the Initiative and the innovation driven strategy," added Meng.

The conference was concurrently held with the 2018 Innovation in China, a national event aimed at promoting China's innovation-related policies, sharing innovation experiences and improving the business climate for innovation. Xiamen is its second stop.