On the evening of Oct. 30, the Haidian Global Youth Co-Creation Night was held at the Jianhua Building of Tsinghua University as one of the Global Talent Day events of the 2026 "Zhihui Haidian" Talent Week in Haidian District.
Under the theme "Global Minds. Boundless Haidian.", young innovators, university students, researchers, entrepreneurs and representatives of international innovation organizations from around the world gathered to exchange ideas on artificial intelligence, tech entrepreneurship, green innovation and cross-cultural collaboration, exploring new possibilities for co-creation through lively discussion and project interaction.
The event was guided by the Haidian District Talent Work Bureau and Tsinghua x-lab, and co-hosted by ATOX, ZGC Science City Innovation Development Co., Ltd. and Shichuang Yida.
From Gathering Global Talent to International Youth Co-Creation
As the core area of Beijing's (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) International Science and Technology Innovation Center, Haidian is home to leading universities such as Tsinghua University and Peking University, as well as numerous research institutes and technology companies, giving it rich innovation resources and a vibrant international youth community. A growing number of young people from different countries and professional backgrounds are choosing to come to Haidian to study, conduct research and start businesses, and to seek opportunities for global collaboration.
A central question of the event was how to turn Haidian's concentration of talent into interdisciplinary and cross-cultural innovation and collaboration.
Registration for the event reflected a distinctly international, diverse and highly qualified talent pool. According to the latest registration data, the Haidian Global Youth Co-Creation Night attracted 231 young innovators from more than 40 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, with over 40% of applicants having international backgrounds. Of the 187 confirmed participants, nearly 70% have ties to Tsinghua University or Peking University, joined by young talent from other leading universities, research institutions, technology companies and international innovation organizations in China and abroad.
In terms of fields and career paths, applicants spanned computer science, artificial intelligence, electronic engineering, life sciences, economics and management, finance, international relations, cultural communication and other disciplines. They included young researchers, technology developers, serial entrepreneurs, investment and incubation professionals, and young practitioners in cross-cultural exchange and social innovation. Among them, 167 applicants, or more than 70%, were at the master's or doctoral level; 186 were interested in AI product innovation, 170 in international cooperation and taking technology global, 110 in the commercialization of research, and 68 in green innovation.
From frontier research to global market expansion, and from AI product development to sustainability practice, young people of different cultures, disciplines and life experiences met in Haidian. Their presence reflects Haidian's appeal to young innovators worldwide, as well as the vitality that comes from university research, tech entrepreneurship, international cooperation and other innovation forces converging here.
From cutting-edge technology research to exploring global markets, and from AI product development to sustainable development practice, the coming together of young people from diverse cultures, disciplines and backgrounds in Haidian also demonstrates the broad potential of international young talent to take part in technological innovation and cross-cultural cooperation.
Youth Stories as a Window into an Open and Diverse Innovation Ecosystem
Unlike a traditional forum, the Co-Creation Night handed the stage to the young innovators themselves. Through keynote speeches, innovation project showcases, an Open Mic session and free networking, young people from different countries, disciplines and stages of life shared real experiences, voiced their collaboration needs and looked for partners to create with.
In his opening remarks, Chen Wenjie, Co-founder of ATOX, encouraged participants to start by getting to know one another, collaborate around real problems, turn innovative ideas into verifiable practice, and keep their projects moving forward after the event.
"Don't just leave with an idea. Find a partner you can create with," he said, inviting participants to step outside their familiar professional and social circles and build trust and collaboration across different cultures, backgrounds and experiences.
In the keynote session, Cai Zhi, Founder of ATOX, spoke on "From Global Talent Mobility to Co-Creation", exploring how talent, society and the ways people collaborate on innovation are changing in the age of AI. Drawing on ATOX's experience of organizing youth innovation events in China and abroad and connecting innovators worldwide, he discussed how, as AI continues to lower the barriers to technology and innovation, the value of talent is shifting from the accumulation of individual knowledge and skills toward interdisciplinary collaboration, identifying real problems and co-creation. In his view, globalization means not only the movement of talent across borders, but also the ability of people from different cultural, professional and industry backgrounds to connect and collaborate around shared goals. How to help international young people move from getting acquainted to creating together, and how to turn a single exchange into lasting project partnerships and innovation networks, has become a new question worth exploring in the AI era.
Davide Liu, an AI researcher from Italy, drew on his AI research and entrepreneurial experience in Haidian to share his thoughts on how AI technology is developing. Zehra Mirsadeghi, a young Tsinghua University entrepreneur with Turkish and Iranian cultural roots, spoke about personal branding, social media and youth entrepreneurship, sharing new ways for young people to create value in the digital age.
The Open Mic session, one of the event's highlights, further showcased the rich and diverse journeys of young people from around the world.
Kitoko Muyunga Kennedy, a young entrepreneur at Beijing Institute of Technology from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, shared a startup journey using AI to advance agriculture in Africa. Maxwell Ahiafor, a graduate student at Tsinghua University School of Medicine from Ghana, spoke about AI in healthcare, digital technology and entrepreneurship, exploring the relationship between technological innovation and real-world needs.
Noah, a master's student at the University of Science and Technology Beijing from Algeria, gave a talk titled "Two Failures, One Unknown: The Startup Story Continues", describing the challenges and perseverance of cross-cultural entrepreneurship. Laszlo Ori, Founder of Ren Global from Hungary, drew on startup experience in HR technology to discuss recruitment and talent matching in the age of AI.
Joseph Lynch, a visiting scholar in life sciences at Tsinghua University from the United States, drew on research in machine learning, neuroscience and AI interpretability to share a young researcher's exploration of the technological frontier. Ooj Amit Srivastava, a tech entrepreneur from the United Kingdom, reflected on technical practice and personal career choices, and on how young people can find the innovation path they are truly passionate about.
Nguyen Thien Khiem, a Peking University student and content creator from Vietnam, shared how language can serve as a bridge between cultures. Leo, a Tsinghua University student from Germany, offered observations on cross-cultural learning and personal growth, focusing on international education, studying in China and opportunities for young people.
Adele Lim Min Yee, a Tsinghua University student from Malaysia and President of the Tsinghua University Student Belt and Road Association, talked about her journey from exploring entrepreneurship to focusing on early-stage investment. Maria Hong, a master's student at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management and a Chinese youth delegate to COP29, drew on her research in global climate governance and energy transition to discuss how young people can advance sustainable development with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Bob Zeng, the event's host, a Schwarzman Scholar and Co-founder of Elsewhere International, also took part in the Open Mic, sharing practical experience in exploring international innovation ecosystems through people-to-people and cross-cultural exchange.
Spanning Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, and ranging from AI and life sciences to the green transition, international education and cross-border entrepreneurship, these stories reflected the diversity of global innovation issues, as well as the shared interest of a new generation of international youth in China's technological development, innovation opportunities and cross-cultural cooperation.
Here, speakers not only presented their achievements but also spoke candidly about failures, explorations and problems yet to be solved. Young people from different cultures and fields found common ground in one another's stories and looked for potential opportunities to work together.
Connecting International Innovation Networks and Turning Exchanges into Real Collaboration
In addition to the youth stories, the event featured innovation project showcases and exchanges with institutions, further connecting young talent, technology projects and innovation service resources.
Representatives from TusStar, Plug and Play China, the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Beijing Hub and other organizations shared practical experience, partnership resources and development opportunities in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, technology incubation, international market expansion and youth-led social innovation, opening up more channels for attendees to learn about different innovation ecosystems, seek project support and pursue cross-border cooperation.
International partners also joined the event by video. Guests including Jack Perry, Chairman of The 48 Group Club (UK); Luo Xiang, Chair of UNGLEP (United Nations Global Leadership and ESG Center); Dr. Suyoto, Vice Chairman of the United in Diversity Foundation (Indonesia); and Thomas Maillart, Senior Lecturer at the University of Geneva and Founding President of Open Geneva, expressed their interest in and support for international youth exchange, talent development and cross-cultural innovation from their respective perspectives.
Officials from relevant Haidian District departments also attended the event, listening to the innovation stories alongside Chinese and international young people and learning about the practical needs of young people studying, starting businesses and building careers in Haidian. Face-to-face exchanges between government talent service departments and young innovators gave international youth a more direct understanding of Haidian's innovation environment and opportunities, and brought talent services closer to the real needs of young people.
With the participation of diverse stakeholders, from university research resources and international incubation networks to corporate innovation services and social innovation organizations, young people from different backgrounds had the opportunity to get to know one another, connect with resources and explore collaboration.
Through the candid sharing of young innovators and the participation of innovation organizations from China and abroad, the event not only provided a platform for young people to showcase their work and exchange ideas, but also forged more direct links between international cooperation networks, entrepreneurship service resources and Haidian's local innovation ecosystem.
Beyond a Single Event: Keeping Collaboration Going in Haidian
ATOX, the initiator of the event, is a global innovator community founded by young people from Tsinghua University, Peking University and other universities. As of October 2026, ATOX has hosted more than 60 tech innovation events in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Hong Kong, as well as in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Bali, building an emerging innovation ecosystem that connects universities, cities, industries and international youth networks.
From the Tsinghua University and Shenzhen "Chunchao · Spring" AI and Hardware Hackathon, to the Asia-Pacific Youth Exchange Night at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, to the Sustainable Development Innovation Challenge connecting Beijing, Nanjing, and Bali, and to the Tsinghua Green Innovation Challenge bringing together over 120 universities and more than 400 teams from across China — ATOX has continued to explore ways to enable innovators from different regions, disciplines, and cultural backgrounds to collaborate around real-world problems, turning one-off exchanges into sustainable project partnerships.
From gathering talent to co-creating innovation, and from a single exchange to long-term collaboration, the Haidian Global Youth Co-Creation Night has created a new setting for international young people to get to know Haidian, become part of its community and take part in innovation.
As more and more young innovators from around the world meet, connect and collaborate in Haidian, the district is leveraging its concentration of leading universities, research institutions, technology companies and international innovation networks to further foster an open, inclusive and dynamic youth innovation ecosystem, bringing youthful energy to Beijing's development as an international science and technology innovation center and a hub for high-caliber talent.
