Innovators and business leaders from around the world have descended on Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, for the ongoing Guangzhou International Innovation Festival, held from Dec 5 to 8.

The Tianhe District Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference is held at No 1 Lecture Hall, Guangzhou Library on Dec 5, 2016. [Photo/provided to guangzhouaward.org]

More than 1,000 business founders, makers, investors, entrepreneurs, and top managers, hailing from over 30 countries and regions including China, Australia, Singapore, Israel, the US, and the UK, will meet at the grand gathering. The event’s chief aim is for guests to forge new relationships, share innovative and entrepreneurial experiences, and explore business opportunities.

During the four-day event, guests will further innovation and entrepreneurship through a series of activities, such as the Tianhe District Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference, the Final of the Second THero Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, a Corporate Innovation Exhibition, as well as in-depth discussions and exchanges.

Representatives of the district's innovation and entrepreneurship entities such as the universities and colleges display the industrial policies of Tianhe District. [Photo/provided to guangzhouaward.org] 

The concept of the Guangzhou International Innovation Festival was first proposed by Dr Yossi Vardi, Israel's "Father of the Entrepreneur", with a view to creating an open and interactive exchange platform. 

Co-hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangzhou Municipal Government, Tianhe District Government, Guangzhou Science Technology and Innovation Committee, the festival coincides with the 3^rd Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (Guangzhou Award) and the 2016 Guangzhou International Urban Innovation Conference.