Officials and candidates pose for a group photo at the award ceremony for the big data and intelligent industry contest of the second Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition on Dec 21 in Liangjiang. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

The Western Returned Scholars Association (WRSA, also known as the Overseas-educated Scholars Association of China) hosted the award ceremony for the big data and intelligent industry contest of the second Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition on Dec 21 in Liangjiang New Area, Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, attended by officials from WRSA and the Chongqing and Liangjiang governments.

Since its launch, the contest has attracted 337 projects from nearly 40 cities in China, involving big data and intelligent innovation in terms of basic knowledge, core technologies and industrial applications.

Six first-place winners, four second-place winners and five third-place winners emerged from the contest, with the gold medalists entering the finals along with winners of three other contests in internet of things, smart manufacturing, biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

In addition, 12 projects signed intent agreement to be carried out in the WRSA Southwest China overseas entrepreneurship center currently being constructed.

WRSA plans to establish five such regional centers, and the center in Chongqing will mainly focus on big data, AI, smart manufacturing, and other strategic emerging industries.