The Bank of China Trophy UltiMater Entrepreneur Competition, organised by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) of the University of Macau (UM), is now open for applications. The competition is open to current students enrolled at higher education institutions in Macao, as well as Macao residents studying at higher education institutions outside Macao. The total prize pool is MOP 130,000 MOP. The top three teams and the winners of the Outstanding Prize will have the opportunity to be incubated at CIE and will have access to incubation services worth over MOP 150,000. The competition is sponsored by Bank of China (Macau).
This year’s competition features 11 awards, including the Champion, Second Prize, Third Prize, and three Outstanding Prizes, as well as the BOC Best Innovation Award, Best Business Plan Award, Innovative Technology Award, Best Trade Show Award, and Best Elevator Pitch Award, designed to celebrate and encourage innovation. The competition focuses on identifying potential technology and innovation projects in areas such as big data/artificial intelligence, robotics/smart manufacturing, new materials, fintech, biomedicine/healthcare, and low-carbon technology/sustainable development. A judging committee will evaluate the feasibility and market potential of each team’s business plan, paving the way for their future entrepreneurial ambitions. The competition aims to promote the commercialisation of university research outcomes by fostering communication and collaboration between higher education institutions, industry, investors, government bodies, and non-governmental organisations. It also seeks to leverage business and market support to increase the rate of technology transfer, thereby cultivating a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and research.
CIE will provide a dedicated platform for channelling resources and organise a series of activities for participating teams, including information sessions, the UltiMater Camp, and networking events. Winning teams will also receive a range of incubation services, including office space, professional mentoring and advisory services, entrepreneurship courses, and visits to leading enterprises in the Chinese mainland. In addition, CIE will recommend outstanding companies for the ‘Funding Scheme for Innovation and Research of Enterprises—Matching Projects’ launched by the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) of the Macao SAR, to further implement their business plans and establish industry-academia collaboration.
Students who are eligible and interested in joining the competition can apply from now until 7 May 2026 by filling out the online application form (in Chinese only): https://umac.questionpro.com.au/t/ARuH2ZSBNf. For further details, please visit: https://cie.ici.um.edu.mo/event/2026-ultimater-cp/. For enquiries, please contact the UM Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at +853 8822 4619 or +853 8822 9429, or email ICI.Innovation@um.edu.mo.
The competition is organised in partnership with the University of Macau Advanced Research Institute in Hengqin, the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Career Planning of Macau University of Science and Technology, the Ung Choi Kun Entrepreneurship and Career Centre of City University of Macau, the Macao New Chinese Youth Association, and the General Association of Chinese Students of Macao.