In the warm winter atmosphere of Dongguan, distinguished minds converged to open a new chapter of innovation. On December 5, under the guidance of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, the “Innovate in the Bay Area, Gather Wisdom in Dongguan” PhD and Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Exchange Event—hosted by the Talent Work Leading Group Office of the CPC Dongguan Municipal Committee and the Dongguan Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau—was grandly held at the Dongguan Exhibition International Hotel.
As a major highlight of the 2025 Dongguan High-Level Talent Week, the event focused precisely on the strategic goal of “accelerating high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and driving the development of new quality productive forces.” It connected in depth with top postdoctoral innovation and entrepreneurship competition resources across China and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, aiming to inject strong intellectual momentum into Dongguan—known as a “manufacturing powerhouse”—while building early momentum and reserves for the city’s hosting of the 3rd GBA PhD & Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. More than 200 participants, including outstanding PhD and postdoctoral talents from China and abroad, representatives of innovation and entrepreneurship teams, major enterprises, research platforms, and relevant government departments, gathered to witness this grand event integrating talent, technology, and industry.
Sincerity from Dongguan: Extending the City’s Best Environment as an Open Invitation to Global Talent
The event opened with a promotional video highlighting Dongguan’s blend of modern energy and cultural warmth. In his remarks, Huang Jingquan, party secretary and director of the Dongguan Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, outlined the city’s appeal as a destination for global talent. He described Dongguan as a strategic hub in the “Golden Inner Bay,” with half-hour access to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, enabling new technologies to connect quickly with global markets. Huang noted that Dongguan’s manufacturing base—more than 220,000 industrial firms and over 10,000 national high-tech enterprises—has created strong industrial clusters spanning electronic information, new energy and artificial intelligence, offering extensive application scenarios for technology transfer. He also pointed to the city’s scientific infrastructure, including the China Spallation Neutron Source and the research ecosystem of Songshan Lake Science City, which links fundamental research with real-world industrial needs.
A plaque-awarding ceremony underscored the city’s commitment to talent development. Vice Mayor Li Jun and Director Huang Jingquan presented plaques to one newly approved municipal postdoctoral research workstation, four postdoctoral innovation practice bases and five Guangdong provincial postdoctoral workstations established in 2025. Officials said these added platforms serve as vital “connectors” that strengthen Dongguan’s capacity to attract, train and retain high-level professionals. Following the ceremony, officials from the Organization Department of the CPC Dongguan Municipal Committee and the Dongguan Science and Technology Bureau delivered policy briefings detailing a comprehensive set of incentives covering recruitment, training, research funding, entrepreneurship and commercialization. The presentations emphasized that Dongguan’s message—“If you are talent, come to Dongguan”—is backed by substantial financial support and a full set of service-oriented policies designed to create mutually beneficial opportunities for both individuals and industry.
Precision Matchmaking: Turning Ideas Into Industrial Momentum
A core aim of the event was to achieve precise, efficient alignment between the city’s industry needs and the talent supply of PhD and postdoctoral innovators. To support this goal, organizers designed a full chain of programming—from thought leadership to on-the-ground matchmaking.
In the thought-leadership session, three prominent speakers offered insights that equipped attendees with both strategic perspective and practical tools. Zhang Weiliang, president of the Guangdong Technology Business Incubator Association, analyzed pathways for translating high-level research into market-ready technologies, outlining incubation models that help bridge laboratories and industry. Zheng Houming, secretary-general of the Guangdong PhD and Postdoctoral Talent Development Association, detailed how innovation and entrepreneurship competitions can act as platforms to accelerate commercialization. Huang Mingtao, a professor at South China University of Technology and silver-medal winner in the Third National Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, shared hands-on advice—ranging from project selection and proposal refinement to pitch strategies—offering valuable guidance to teams preparing to enter future competitions. The momentum from these discussions carried into one of the event’s highlights: the official release of Dongguan’s Technology Cooperation Demand List for PhDs and Postdocs and its Talent Recruitment List. The technology list targets key industrial pain points in advanced equipment manufacturing, next-generation information technology, and new materials. It publicly issued 10 call-for-solution topics from nine leading enterprises—including Huilai Technology, Kaige Precision Machinery, and Dongbo Intelligent—inviting researchers to tackle real-world challenges. The talent recruitment list aggregated more than 400 high-value positions from 41 companies and institutions, with annual salaries reaching up to RMB 1.5 million, along with competitive benefits such as research start-up funding and housing subsidies. Together, the two lists served as precise “invitations for cooperation,” immediately sparking enthusiasm among participating researchers and enterprises.
The afternoon matchmaking sessions transformed that enthusiasm into concrete collaboration. Three parallel tracks—project matchmaking, project pitching and on-site coaching—were held simultaneously. Fifty PhD and postdoctoral projects met with investors, industrial parks, and innovation platforms to explore cooperation opportunities. Nine selected projects showcased their innovations during the pitch session, demonstrating the city’s growing entrepreneurial vitality. Meanwhile, experts provided tailored coaching to more than 20 local teams preparing for upcoming competitions, helping refine business plans and improve pitch performance. This multi-layered, three-dimensional matchmaking mechanism created a powerful catalyst for future cooperation—laying the groundwork for projects to land, grow and eventually transform into industrial breakthroughs in Dongguan.
Sustained Empowerment: Building a “Worry-Free Development Community” for Talent in Dongguan
The event served not only as a one-off exchange but as a starting point for Dongguan’s long-term strategy to build a comprehensive support ecosystem for PhD and postdoctoral innovation and entrepreneurship. At the heart of this strategy is the city’s plan to establish the Dongguan PhD and Postdoctoral Innovation Consortium, a city-level collaborative network designed to integrate key resources—including talent, research成, projects and capital—and provide continuous, full-cycle support for global high-level researchers seeking to develop in Dongguan.
The event design reflected a full-process service model of “pre-event research and matching, in-event precision docking, and post-event follow-through.” Ahead of the conference, organizers conducted in-depth surveys with local enterprises to identify bottleneck technologies and pre-assessed competition projects to ensure targeted matchmaking. During the event, participants received more than just a platform for connection—they were offered policy briefings, competition guidance, and project advisory services. After the event, support will continue through a dedicated tracking mechanism for both talent and projects. Follow-up assistance will include policy consultation, site recommendations, investment matchmaking, expert referrals and ongoing preparation guidance for teams participating in next year’s Greater Bay Area PhD and Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. The goal is clear: ensure strong backing for innovation, solid support for project implementation and robust services for competition readiness.
On December 6, a group of participating researchers will also visit Songshan Lake Science City to gain firsthand insight into Dongguan’s scientific innovation infrastructure and industrial ecosystem. This field trip—set against the backdrop of Dongguan’s rising profile as a “City of Manufacturing Aesthetics”—offers talent a direct and immersive understanding of the soft and hard strengths that define the city, strengthening their confidence in choosing and settling in Dongguan. The success of the “Innovate in the Bay Area, Gather Wisdom in Dongguan” event has become a powerful symbol of the city’s commitment to attracting global talent. Dongguan has made its intentions unmistakably clear: it aims to provide the best policies, strongest support and most sincere services to build a stage where talent can fully realize their potential. As the event’s influence continues to grow and its follow-up mechanisms take root, Dongguan is poised to attract more PhD and postdoctoral innovators—turning their ideas into real-world impact and jointly writing a new chapter of innovation and opportunity in the Bay Area.
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