Complear assists digital health companies in meeting regulatory requirements, while Azores Life Science produces cosmetics using natural resources from the Azores archipelago.
The Brazilian company Phycolabs, which transforms algae into textile products, secured the second position in the final of the competition held on Sunday.
“The overall quality this year was exceptional, particularly the performance of companies from Portuguese-speaking countries,” stated event co-founders Marco Duarte Rizzolio and José Alves.
“Biotechnology projects stood out, positively aligning with China’s strategic focus on biotechnology,” they added, as cited in an organization-issued statement.
In two categories, 16 finalist teams – eight startups and eight from Chinese universities and Portuguese-speaking countries – competed in the final of the fifth edition of this Sino-Lusophone competition.
The University of Hong Kong excelled in the university category, with the University of Macau and the University of Porto completing the podium.
The University of Porto team also won the ‘Startup with the Greatest Impact’ award.
Portuguese-speaking countries were represented in the majority for the first time, accounting for around 65% of over 400 applications. The competition attracted 170 startups from Portuguese-Speaking African Countries (PALOP) and East Timor, a 73% increase from 2024.
The fifth edition of the 929 Challenge included, for the first time, the ‘Future Builder’ award for the best startup from PALOP and East Timor.
This award went to the Mozambican project Xa Nene, which uses fly larvae to convert organic waste into animal food.
The Portuguese company Dermamatica, which employs artificial intelligence (AI) for three-dimensional skin cancer screening, received the ‘Most Promising Startup’ award.
In June, Dermamatica was also recognized in another entrepreneurship competition in Macau for Brazilian and Portuguese companies.
This year’s edition featured a total prize amount of 300,000 patacas (approximately 32,400 euros) and four thousand dollars (3,700 euros) in services and tools from Alibaba, according to the organization.
The 929 Challenge is co-organized by the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macau Forum) and several institutions in the Chinese special administrative region, including all universities.
