Shanghai hosts the 7th Y50 Forum to empower young innovators

　　On May 10, the 7th Shanghai Y50 Forum, themed "Youth and Cities Grow Together", took place at Shanghai Tower.

　　This year's forum continued its "main forum + innovation carnival" format. The main forum brought together a series of flagship sessions, including official releases, policy briefings, keynote speeches, and panel discussions. The innovation carnival, meanwhile, showcased youth-led tech ventures, helping connect projects with investors and accelerate their path to real-world application.

　　A highlight of this year's event was its collaboration with alumni from Stanford University, the National University of Singapore, and the University of Hong Kong, who hosted parallel events on youth innovation and entrepreneurship. Through cross-platform engagement, the forum created more opportunities for young people at home and abroad to connect with Shanghai and explore collaboration.

　　In the keynote session, speakers examined the relationship between youth and cities from different perspectives. Michael Levitt, the 2013 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Professor of Structural Biology at Stanford University, pointed out that Shanghai's end-to-end innovation ecosystem makes it an ideal place for young innovators to take ideas from the lab to the marketplace.

　　Wang Jialiang, founder of CooTek and the Superbrain AI Incubator and former Executive Dean of the Institute of Industrial Technology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, introduced the idea of AI-empowered "super individuals", and encouraging young people to embrace AI and use small, agile teams to unlock disproportionate impact. Ying Zhenkai, founder and chairman of PATEO, drew on his own entrepreneurial journey to show how Shanghai enables ordinary people to realize their potential—describing it as a city of entrepreneurship, culture, innovation, finance, and AI. Nan Yi, chairman of Huantai Investment Group, shared hands-on experience in supporting youth-led projects and building long-term growth alongside the city.

　　As in previous years, the forum also unveiled the "2026 Shanghai Youth in Science and Technology Entrepreneurship" and the "2026 Shanghai Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Achievements". Twenty young innovators were recognized across key sectors such as new energy, high-temperature superconductivity, industrial software, advanced manufacturing, integrated circuits, commercial space, automotive electronics, and artificial intelligence. Working at the cutting edge, they are turning research into real-world impact—from breakthroughs in optical encoder chips and industrial AI foundation models to domestically developed nano- and micro-scale materials equipment, eVTOL solutions, advanced medical devices, and nuclear fusion research.

　　During a roundtable titled "Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Shanghai", Zhou Yuxiang (Founder and CEO of Black Lake Technologies), Xiong Yinjiang (Founder and Chairman of Lightstandard), Lin Lin (Founder and CEO of Huihe Healthcare), and Shen Xiaoyuan (the X2 humanoid robot from AgiBot) shared candid insights. They discussed why they chose Shanghai, the opportunities the city offers, and lessons from their entrepreneurial journeys—while offering practical advice to young founders, especially those in hard tech.

　　Riding Shanghai's momentum and driven by the energy of youth, their stories mirror the drive and growth of countless young entrepreneurs pursuing their ambitions in the city. Together, they highlight how a new generation of innovators is growing in step with Shanghai—each empowering the other in a vibrant, mutually reinforcing ecosystem.