On September 12, 2025, the Europe Regional Finals of the 2025 “Next Star” Global Entrepreneurship Competition with a Million-Dollar Prize were held in London, UK, marking a major milestone in this year’s international contest series. The event drew leading figures from business, academia, and innovation, offering a platform where entrepreneurial talent and groundbreaking ideas took center stage.
Among the distinguished attendees were Fabian Blake, Head of the Shenzhen Nanshan Innovation and Development Promotion Center and Vice President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China; Maxime Hoze, Associate Director at UBS; Yitian Xu, Chief Solutions Architect at Alibaba Cloud; Dr. Chen Yifan, Associate Professor of Finance at Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia; Prof. John Finch, Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean for East Asia Affairs at the University of Glasgow; Megan Wang, UK Representative of the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce; and Prof. Carlos Galera Zarco, Associate Professor at University College London’s Bartlett School.
Opening Remarks and Global Opportunities
The finals began with welcoming remarks from the Shenzhen Nanshan Innovation and Development Promotion Center. In his address, the Center’s head expressed gratitude to participants, partners, and judges while highlighting Nanshan’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and strong industrial foundation. He introduced the scope of the 2025 “Next Star” competition and extended a sincere invitation to entrepreneurs worldwide to tap into the vast opportunities offered by the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, positioning Nanshan as an ideal launchpad for global innovation.
Award-Winning Startups
After an intense round of pitches and evaluations, AINOSTICS, a provider of AI-powered neuro-diagnostic solutions, secured the First Prize. Allye Energy, specializing in intelligent energy management, and Axiom Therapeutics, a machine learning–driven covalent drug discovery platform, shared the Second Prize.
The Third Prize was awarded to three promising ventures:
- SPIN Analytics, an AI-powered risk modeling and compliance platform.
- OXVALUE.AI LIMITED, an AI-driven valuation solution.
- KHOTT BIOTECH, developer of innovative wearable medical devices.
These winning projects will move forward to the Global Finals in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District later this year, competing alongside top teams from across the world for the coveted million-dollar prize. Beyond financial rewards, they will also gain access to priority incubation support in areas such as funding, workspace, and market entry, accelerating their growth in China and beyond.
Expanding the Global Stage
As the first international event of the 2025 “Next Star” competition, the success of the London finals has set the tone for the series of global contests ahead. With the North America Regional Finals in Silicon Valley and the Asia-Pacific Regional Finals in Singapore still to come, the competition continues to build momentum, uniting entrepreneurial talent across continents and paving the way for the grand showdown in Shenzhen.