Tianjin celebrated the final of the "Haihe Talents" postdoctoral innovation and entrepreneurship contest on December 24, with more than 300 government officials, experts and postdoctoral researchers gathering in the city.                                             

The competition, themed "Gather in Tianjin to innovate for the future", featured 60 projects with a combined research investment exceeding 100 million yuan ($13.7 million). It attracted 80 teams and over 240 high-level talents from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Following rigorous evaluations through presentations and Q&A sessions, 30 projects were awarded, including five first-place winners.

The central postdoctoral research workstation is unveiled for the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park. [Photo provided to en.tj.gov.cn]

During the event, the central postdoctoral research workstation and 10 branch stations were unveiled to support the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park, which two esteemed universities in Tianjin initiated—Nankai University and Tianjin University—last May.

This marks Tianjin as a leader in the pilot reform of postdoctoral management systems. The initiative encourages small- and medium-sized technology enterprises within the park to establish branch stations, utilizing a flexible and efficient operational model.

A highlight was the launch of the "Tianjin Bank Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fund," with a maximum fund size of 20 million yuan. The fund aims to support the commercialization of postdoctoral research achievements and entrepreneurial projects.

Ten branch postdoctoral research stations are unveiled for the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park. [Photo provided to en.tj.gov.cn]

Liu Yi, chief executive of Andon Health Co, said, "This interaction fosters deeper collaboration between professors, academic institutions, startups, and listed companies, elevating the synergy of innovation and contributing to Tianjin's high-quality development."

Launched in 2018, Tianjin Haihe Talents is a campaign designed to attract new professionals to the city by offering permanent residential certificates and subsidies.

Tianjin has made remarkable strides in building a robust postdoctoral ecosystem, with 629 established work platforms and over 8,000 postdoctoral researchers recruited to date. This talent pipeline has significantly bolstered research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the region.

The Tianjin municipal human resources and social security bureau has announced plans to leverage the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park as a pilot site for further reforms. This effort is expected to inject new momentum into Tianjin's high-quality development initiatives.