The “Challenge Cup” China College Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition is one of the most influential national innovation and entrepreneurship contests for university students in China, known for its focus on practice, problem-driven thinking, and social impact.
As a key part of Duke Kunshan University’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, the Duke Kunshan University Innovation Incubator (Dii) will host the 2026 “Challenge Cup” DKU Selection in February 2026.
This year’s campus competition takes the form of a Business Proposal Basecamp, providing structured training, mentor support, and focused presentations to help students rapidly turn ideas into clear, viable plans and build a strong foundation for provincial, national competitions, and DKU’s incubation pathways.
Highlights
Learn by doing — rapidly develop your Proposal and Pitch Deck within 6 days.
Personalized guidance focused on problem definition, solution feasibility, logical structure, and clarity of expression.
Receive expert evaluations, real feedback from Dii alumni, and peer support throughout your process.
- Secure direct eligibility for the 2026 Spring Dachuang (College Student Innovation Training Program) pitch day, skip the initial screening, and be fast-tracked into project incubation consideration
(Exclusive to DKU students only) - First-prize projects will be recommended to participate in Challenge Cup provincial-level competitions.
Competition Themes & Tracks
The 2026 “Challenge Cup” DKU Campus Selection aligns with the standards of the national “Challenge Cup” China College Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition, featuring five major competition tracks that encourage teams to design projects based on real observation and practical experience.
01
Technology Innovation & Future Industries
- Focused on frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, network information, life sciences, new materials, and new energy, emphasizing the integration of technological innovation with practical applications.
02
Rural Revitalization & Poverty Alleviation
- Centered on agriculture, agricultural product processing, e-commerce, cultural and tourism initiatives, and other areas that address regional development and grassroots needs.
03
Urban Governance & Social Services
- Addressing social issues in areas such as public services, healthcare, education and training, community services, transportation and logistics, and financial services.
04
Ecological Protection & Sustainable Development
- Covering topics related to environmental governance, clean energy, resource recycling, and sustainable business models.
05
Cultural Creativity & Regional Cooperation
- Exploring innovation in culture, design, content creation, and international exchange, including collaboration under regional initiatives such as the Belt and Road, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Overall Timeline
Basecamp Overview
FEB 1
Basecamp Training
- Business Model Canvas & proposal shaping lecture, introducing core venture logic, problem–solution fit, and structured approaches to developing a clear and compelling project proposal.
- Challenge Cup competition kick-off & task roll-out, outlining competition rules, judging logic, key milestones, and required deliverables for the Basecamp and Pitch Day stages.
FEB 2-FEB 6
Mentor Office Hours
- Individualized mentor guidance, supporting teams at different stages of idea development and proposal refinement.
- Flexible one-on-one or small-group sessions, allowing teams to book mentor support based on their specific needs.
FEB 7
Pitch Day For Final Evaluation
- Final project presentations and live Q&A, where teams showcase problem insight, solution design, business and market logic, technical feasibility, and implementation strategy for final evaluation.
- A high-impact learning milestone, strengthening public speaking, logical storytelling, and real-time problem-solving skills while preparing teams for more competitive venture development.
Evaluation Mechanism & Award
- A holistic evaluation approach, combining expert review with community-based feedback to assess both project design quality and live presentation performance.
- Practice-oriented and impact-driven judgment, emphasizing not only commercial feasibility but also social value, depth of problem insight, innovation significance, and development potential.
- Multi-dimensional assessment criteria, including core idea clarity, technical and operational feasibility, team capability, implementation process, and long-term sustainability.
- Learning-focused evaluation process, encouraging constructive dialogue, peer learning, and reflective feedback rather than unilateral or purely score-based ranking.
- Transparent and structured scoring standards, with detailed evaluation criteria and rubrics available via the Quick Links section for reference.
First Price
3 teams
Second Prize
6 teams
Third Prize
9 teams
- First Prize winners will be recommended for “Challenge Cup” provincial level competition.
- Winning projects will advance to the 2026 Spring Dii Dachuang Pitch Day and gain access to opportunities for full life-cycle project incubation.
Eligibility & Team Requirements
- Eligibility: Open to full-time DKU undergraduate and graduate students registered before June 1, 2025.
- Registration & Team Formation: Registration stage is for individual information record and to secure your seat for competition and basecamp. Participants may form or join teams after registration. All proposals and Pitch Day presentations must be completed and presented as a team.
- Team Composition: Teams should consist of 3–5 members. Inter-institutional teams are allowed, provided the team leader is a DKU student and the project is submitted under DKU.
- Project Leadership: Each team must designate a DKU student leader with more than one year remaining before graduation. An individual may serve as the leader of only one team, but may participate as a member in multiple teams.
- Supervisor Requirement: Each team must have at least one supervisor (no more than 3), who need to be faculty member.
- Project Readiness & Commitment: A finalized idea is not required at registration. Teams are expected to demonstrate an innovative concept, commitment to the project development process, and alignment with DKU’s values and responsible practices.
Quick Link
Challenge Cup Q&A Group:
Contact Email: DKU Innovation Incubator — innovation-incubator@dukekunshan.edu.cn
Business Proposal Templates with Instructions:
Evaluation Rubric：
If you have any questions, feel free to leave your messages on the Q&A Message Board：