Shanghai Positions InnoMatch as a Platform for Global Innovation

Shanghai used its annual InnoMatch technology-transfer conference for international innovation, bringing together Chinese and foreign businesses, research, and technological demands.

With more than 20 billion yuan (US$2.8 billion) in funding available, the conference tackled over 10,000 technology demands and was held from September 12 to 14 alongside the 2026 Pujiang Innovation Forum.

Additionally, it featured innovative goods from small and medium-sized businesses and 1,500 innovations that were ready for commercialization.

Attendees from Singapore, South Korea, the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany used the conference to seek technological partners and explore opportunities in China.

For Singapore-based Brain Health Innovations Pvt Ltd, finding local strategic partners was the main priority, according to founder and CEO Kevin Zhang.

The company develops brain-computer interface and artificial intelligence technologies, focusing on non-invasive EEG-based attention assessment and neurofeedback training for children and adolescents with ADHD.

"At this stage, local strategic partners are probably the most important for us," Zhang said. The company is looking to work with hospitals, rehabilitation institutions, research organizations and industry partners to validate clinical and commercial applications.

The company plans to start with small pilot projects, testing specific applications with local healthcare institutions before moving toward wider commercial deployment, Zhang said.

Shanghai's appeal is its concentration of resources for applying emerging technologies.

"What attracts me most about Shanghai is not any single resource, but the density and connectivity of the entire innovation ecosystem," Zhang said. "For emerging technologies such as brain-computer interfaces, that speed of translation is critical."

Brain Health Innovations sees Shanghai as a potential long-term base in China, with a focus on clinical validation, commercialization and ecosystem partnerships, Zhang said.

The South Korea Pavilion had 11 technology companies in AI-powered drug discovery, pet healthcare, BTK inhibitors, and small-scale wind power.

The conference also hosted the Shanghai-Hong Kong Technology Transfer Cooperation Network's annual Innovation Seminar, with nearly 30 universities in Shanghai and Hong Kong exchanging regularly.

InnoMatch is extending its matchmaking beyond the three-day event through a global digital platform that operates year-round, connecting technology needs with potential partners and supporting follow-up cooperation.

Now in its sixth edition, InnoMatch has brought together more than 31,000 technology needs and more than 37,000 demands for science and technology talent. It has showcased more than 6,650 innovative products and technologies, with prospective cooperation valued at nearly 27 billion yuan.