- City expands funding support as competition for innovation talent intensifies
- New policy targets recent graduates and student founders launching businesses locally
Hangzhou is offering grants of up to 500,000 yuan ($72,650) to university graduates launching startups in the city, stepping up efforts to attract young entrepreneurs as the Chinese city aims to build itself into a world-class innovation hub.
Under a newly released policy, eligible graduates who establish businesses in Hangzhou can receive subsidies ranging from 50,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan following evaluation, while particularly standout projects may qualify for non-repayable funding of as much as 500,000 yuan, according to the city’s Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.
The program is open to university graduates within five years of graduation as well as current students enrolled at Hangzhou-based universities.
Applicants must serve as the company’s legal representative or core member and hold at least a 30% ownership stake. Startups must be at least six months old and operating normally, while graduates — excluding students — are required to have paid social insurance contributions in Hangzhou for at least six consecutive months.
Applications will be processed through the bureau’s online “Talent Service Hall” digital platform, with candidates undergoing document review, on-site inspections and final pitch evaluations.
China’s subscribed capital system allows founders to fulfill pledged capital contributions within five years of company registration, lowering upfront barriers for early-stage entrepreneurs.
Officials said the funding scheme is part of a broader push to strengthen the city’s startup ecosystem ahead of Hangzhou’s forthcoming three-year action plan for university student innovation and entrepreneurship (2026–2028), which aims to expand support for young innovators.
Hangzhou has spent 18 years building its student entrepreneurship programs, rolling out six successive three-year initiatives that have helped nurture startups including robotics firm Unitree. Authorities say the grants are designed to ease early financing constraints and accelerate the transition from student projects to commercially viable companies.
