November 6 — First Steps Into Jinan’s Innovation Ecosystem
Our journey began with an event hosted by the Shanghe Talent Office in collaboration with the local Investment Office. Walking through their exhibition panels, designed to showcase the industrial strengths and entrepreneurial spirit of Jinan, felt like entering a gateway to the region’s technological ambitions.
Here, VAIMEE presented Agorà and Agritwix to representatives of the government’s investment division and a local startup incubator, laying the foundation for future collaboration.
November 7 – The Pitch
We took the stage to present our project in an intense 8-minute pitch, followed by 8 minutes of insightful Q&A from the competition judges. It was a true test of our vision and the potential of our solutions
November 8 — Ceremony, Recognition & Cultural Dialogue
The day opened with a plenary conference attended by significant political figures, including the Mayor of Jinan. We discovered why the city is affectionately known as “Spring City”—a place where industrial potential meets natural beauty. The excitement peaked in the award ceremony… and VAIMEE clinched 3rd Place!
In the afternoon, we met Wan Youjin, Vice Secretary of the District Committee and Head of Jiyang, who emphasized the region’s cultural heritage, ecological agriculture, and its strategic advantages for industrial investment.
The day concluded with visits to two agricultural enterprises—Axincense, focused on seedling automation and grafting technologies, and Qudi, a demonstration hub for integrated cucumber-tomato production. Both offered valuable insights and promising grounds for future cooperation.
November 9 – Chairman Meetings & Artistic Flair
We were guests of the WEGING Group, chaired by Mr. Duan. After presenting our products, we were honored to join the Chairman for lunch.
The afternoon was a dive into creativity as we explored the artistically revitalized GREAK district. We wandered through the stunning Criss Cross bookstore, a hybrid coffee shop with a carpentry lab, an interior design studio, and a gallery of 20th-century art. The day concluded with a gracious dinner hosted by the district’s president.
November 10 – Supercomputers & Academic Excellence
A day for the tech and academic minds! We visited the awe-inspiring Jinan Supercomputing Center, where we presented our project to esteemed guests from the Shandong University, sparking collaborative discussions.
Later, we toured the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Machinery Sciences, where President Yang Huawei shared its illustrious history and current R&D projects. We capped our trip with a guided tour of the prestigious Shandong University (founded in 1901!), immersing ourselves in its profound history at the university museum.
This journey was more than a competition; it was a bridge between Italy and China, a validation of our work, and an open door to incredible future synergies. A huge thank you to all the organizers and our new partners in Jinan!
We return home inspired, grateful, and ready for the next chapter.