A Hangzhou-based biotech firm delivers a presentation on its innovation program at the finals of the innovation and entrepreneurship competition in Hangzhou on Aug 27. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn]

A five-month-long innovation and entrepreneurship competition for small and medium-sized companies in Zhejiang province concluded in Hangzhou on Aug 27.

The competition, sponsored by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of the Economy and Information Technology and the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Finance, has been held in Zhejiang for the past five years. It has showcased a total of 4,000 investment programs from across the province so far. Some of the competition's winners are also nominated for participation in the "Maker in China" national contest every year.

This year's competition mainly focuses on micro-, small-, and medium-sized high-growth tech companies across the province that are involved in pandemic control, new materials, artificial intelligence, industrial internet of things, intelligent manufacturing, big data, and biomedicine.

A total of 898 investment programs were submitted to this year's competition, up 27.9 percent from the previous year. Only 30 of them made it to the finals, fighting for one first-place prize, five second-place prizes, and 12 third-place prizes. Expec Technology Co, a Hangzhou-based high-end scientific instruments manufacturer, took the championship this year for its research, development, and application of mass spectrometers.