The 2021 China Canada Innovation Forum and launch ceremony of China Angels Mentorship Program 5.0 are held on Sept 28 in Beijing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2021 China Canada Innovation Forum and launch ceremony of China Angels Mentorship Program (CAMP) 5.0 were held on Sept 28 in Beijing as part of Overseas Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Activity Week.

The event aims to build a bridge for China-Canada exchanges and cooperation between governments, embassies, startups, investment institutions, and industrial research institutes, as well as promote cultural exchanges and implement the landing of international projects.

Twelve Canadian companies joined in CAMP 5.0, covering nanotechnology, life sciences, new energy, artificial intelligence, and smart sensors. All of the companies are driven by hard technology.

Chen Rui, deputy director of the Center for Science and Technology Communication of the China Association for Science and Technology, noted that the forum will promote cooperation, culture and communication between startups with a global vision and create an international innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Chen hoped that through the continuous holding of CAMP, Canadian entrepreneurs will gain a better understanding of China's entrepreneurial environment, and will also bring Chinese entrepreneurs new ideas and a greater understanding of innovation in North America.

Song Yijun, representative of the Government of Ontario in China and commercial counsellor of the Canadian Embassy in China, said CAMP has provided a platform to promote the growth of Ontario’s startups in the past six years. More unicorns will gain support from relevant institutions in the future.

Liu Zhishuo, founding partner of Z-Park River Capital and the China-Canada Angel Alliance, said that in Canada, CAMP has incubated innovative companies with a valuation of 4 billion Canadian dollars ($3.16 billion).

Founded in 2015, CAMP is committed to building a cross-border ecosystem for innovative, early-stage Canadian companies who are interested in the world’s largest and fastest growing market. It is a joint initiative of CCAA along with Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park and River Capital. CAMP provides a unique platform to accelerate investment, mentorship, and connections to China.

CAMP completed more than 250 million Canadian dollars in new financing in 2020.