2021 Autumn Conference
September 24th-26th
Challenges · Opportunities · Win-Win
The U8 World Innovation Summit · 2021 Annual Summit, themed "A New Era: Challenges · Opportunities · Win-Win," will be held over three days, from September 24th to 26th, at the Beijing International Hotel. We will be inviting dozens of global leaders from various fields to engage in in-depth discussions on forward-looking topics concerning human development and technological innovation. Through keynote speeches, dialogues, roundtable discussions, and more, we aim to spark innovation and strength, sharing passion and hope with aspiring and courageous young scholars who are eager to explore. Join us as we embrace the future, filled with challenges, opportunities, and the potential for shared success.
"We live in the most extraordinary, the most incredible times. The first part of the crisis is danger, and the second part is opportunity," said Jose Cordeiro, the founding mentor of Singularity University and Director of The Millennium Project of the United Nations, on September 26th.
The world is facing a transformation in technology and social revolution, further accelerated by the global outbreak of the pandemic, fostering human creativity and innovation. In the midst of global crises, the innovation contributions of various countries are becoming more prominent. The inaugural U8 World Innovation Summit·Annual Summit held in Beijing on September 25-26, 2021, discussed innovation and development in the post-pandemic era under the core theme of "A New Era: Challenges, Opportunities, and Win-Win." Over the course of the three-day summit, nearly fifty global opinion leaders from various fields, as well as over two hundred top university students, participated. Distinguished speakers at the opening and closing ceremonies included Zhang Jing'an, former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Wang Huiyao, Founder and Chairman of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel laureate in Chemistry in 1987 and pioneer in the field of supramolecular chemistry, John Mather, Nobel laureate in Physics in 2006 and Senior Astrophysicist at NASA, Constantine Chiwenga, UN Resident Coordinator in China, Borge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, and other prominent leaders.
Mr. Liu Hong, Vice Director of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and Vice Chairman of the China International Talent Professional Committee, delivered a keynote speech during the opening ceremony on the theme "Tech for Good: Practicing Technology for Benevolence." He highlighted the main challenges facing the world and corresponding action points. He emphasized that technology has transformed the world, with the highest market capitalization companies being tech giants, and the digital economy supporting sustainable development. Mr. Liu Hong stated that our action should focus on addressing climate issues, promoting shared prosperity, protecting individual privacy, establishing smart cities, and corporate social responsibility.
In the innovation enterprise segment, Liu Qian, Director and Senior Vice President of Broad Homes delivered a keynote speech on the theme of "The Trends in Digital Transformation in Construction," outlining the blueprint for the future of digital transformation in the construction industry. Liu Qian pointed out that the essence of the construction industry lies in projects, and therefore, there is a need to drive the digital transformation of projects to address issues of information asymmetry and disparate professional capabilities. Digital construction will further give rise to new roles in the industry and reshape the landscape of the construction sector.
During the discussion in the innovation enterprise and social responsibility segment, Yin Le, Managing Director of ZhenFund, expressed that the success of innovative enterprises depends on whether they have set a clear direction and the depth of expertise within their teams in their respective fields. Regarding investment direction, Yin Le highlighted her focus on socially impactful enterprises. She cited the example of Meituan Optimal, a company that aims to provide fresh food to the public while simultaneously serving both commercial and social purposes.
Yao Hui, the founder of Activity Mind, discussed the ways in which innovative enterprises can fulfill their social responsibilities, which often relate to the size of the company. Large, traditional corporations typically establish dedicated social responsibility departments, while smaller enterprises often approach this through their mindset and management practices, such as environmental conservation and cost savings. He also pointed out that the effectiveness of purely charitable approaches to fulfilling social responsibility is limited.
Xiuqing Hao, Director of the X-lab at Tsinghua University, further emphasized that social impact investments can be facilitated by the United Nations International Training and Research Institute and can be driven by capital. Previously, such investments were primarily driven by foreign capital, but now domestic companies are also strengthening their investments in this area. Through new platforms, private enterprises can also engage in more impactful investments.
In the cutting-edge technology segment, Dr. Zhonglin Wang, the Director of the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a keynote speech on the theme of "Applications of Nanogenerator Technology." He discussed the application scenarios and unique advantages of nanoscale resources.
Academician Zhonglin Wang pointed out that self-powered sensing using friction-based nanogenerators can find further applications in various practical fields, such as smart sports, data protection, traditional Chinese medicine diagnostics, and robot manufacturing. Nanotechnology can also play a role in promoting the utilization of marine blue energy, thereby reducing the consumption of traditional fossil fuels and contributing to the achievement of the national goal of "carbon neutrality." He further encouraged young people to be curious about new things, dare to dream, and engage in new inventions.
In the "Future Outlook" segment, several prominent scholars and leaders provided insights into China's future trends and developments across various aspects, including economic healthcare, industrial manufacturing, climate energy, and more.
Professor Guoen Liu, Director of the China Health Economics Research Center at Peking University, discussed the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with China's economy and health. He noted that the pandemic had significant economic implications for China, emphasizing that economic recovery would require boosting consumer spending rather than investment. Therefore, it's essential to increase residents' income and encourage spending in the healthcare sector.
Chief Researcher Ma Zhaoyuan from Tsinghua University's Future Lab spoke on the theme of "Post-Industrial Society," highlighting the challenges facing China's manufacturing industry and the urgent need for the creation of widespread job opportunities in manufacturing for the general population.
Xu Jintao, Director of the Center for Energy Security and Development Research, addressed the topic of "Global Climate Energy." He emphasized China's pivotal role in addressing global climate challenges and the necessity of establishing a unified energy market and a more flexible energy distribution system in the process of addressing global climate challenges.
During the closing ceremony, a discussion on the "Spirit of the New Era Youth" involving several well-known figures from various industries conveyed messages of hope and expectations for young students.
Lin Chao, the founder of the Hall Client App, spoke about the two forces shaping the world: one being the trend-driven force, and the other being unexpected, "black swan" events. He emphasized that China has gradually defined its ecological position in the world by prioritizing the development of its real economy.
Ai Cheng, the founder of Aiwen Media, shared his experiences as an entrepreneur and believed that successful founders can be categorized into two types: those who recognize trends and adapt to them, and those who persist in pursuing their passions.
Tracey Chang, who hosted the 2014 Summer Davos World Economic Forum, used a classic quote from Chairman Mao to express her expectations for young people: "This world is yours, as well as ours, but ultimately, it belongs to you."
"Technological Revolution Fuels the Achievement of Global Dreams
"50 years ago, China was one of the relatively impoverished countries in the world, and today, China is an incredible economic and technological powerhouse on the planet, all of this happening in less than half a century," said Jose Cordeiro. "The hope for humanity is actually much like what China has demonstrated, rapidly bringing unbelievable growth to everyone. Even the poorest countries in Africa are now beginning to emulate China."
Jose Cordeiro pointed out during his interaction with the young audience that China is leading in various aspects globally, including its exploration of Mars. "Today, there are Chinese orbiters around Mars, and even Chinese robots there, which is truly unbelievable." In addition, he discussed vaccine development and marveled at the speed of research and development in China. "At the beginning of the pandemic, people said it might take 10 years to get a vaccine, but Chinese scientists sequenced the novel coronavirus in just 11 days."
"I am optimistic about the pandemic because we will be prepared for any future challenges. We have learned everything from these painful years, so we must be optimistic. In the next 20 years, we will see more technological revolutions. Today, we are realizing our dreams, not only in China but all over the world, and soon even on Mars," Jose Cordeiro concluded."
"Collaboration to Address the Global Challenge of the Environment
The global COVID-19 pandemic serves as a reminder of the power of scientific research and innovation in saving lives. Similarly, sustainable environmental development is a pressing global issue today. Marco Lambertini, the Director-General of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), emphasized during the conference that 2021 is a critical year for sustainable environmental development. Therefore, it is imperative to convene world leaders for a meeting to reach a consensus on accelerated plans to combat climate change and establish new objectives for nature and effective biodiversity.
"The Chinese government will host the biodiversity conference in Kunming, providing us with an opportunity to strategize on addressing climate challenges and reducing natural losses," Marco Lambertini stated. China, as the host country for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, can play an extremely important role both before and during the conference.
"We depend on nature, and nature does not depend on us," Marco Lambertini pointed out. By gradually controlling natural losses by 2030, more natural environments around the world will have the chance to recover. "We adopt a different, responsible way of producing and consuming, especially in energy and food, and then redirect the flow of funds so that we can transition agriculture to sustainability, fisheries to food production, and energy to clean energy."
"Global Stakeholders Must Collaborate
During the event, Borge Brende, the President of the World Economic Forum, shared his thoughts on global cooperation and innovation with the young participants. Borge Brende stated that the opportunities and challenges facing the world today are too complex and interconnected. From reviving the economy to accelerating action on climate change, it is difficult for any industry, sector, or institution to address these issues in isolation.
He emphasized that shaping a fairer and more sustainable future globally can only be achieved through the collective efforts of stakeholders and innovative approaches to address shared priorities. For example, the rapid discovery and production of COVID-19 vaccines have been made possible through collaborative efforts and risk-taking by both businesses and the pharmaceutical industry. "Today, there are many other possibilities, and the elements of innovation are all around us."
"We are in the midst of a global pandemic that could claim the lives of millions of people worldwide. It has brought devastating economic challenges to countless nations and tested the commitment of the world to trade global value chains, and cooperation. But amid this dark picture, we see signs that collaborative goals can drive innovation and bring about a brighter future," Borge Brende said."
At the closing ceremony, digital international opinion leaders also delivered speeches to inspire and encourage young students. The United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, Siddharth Chatterjee, emphasized the importance of empowering young people during the U8 Innovation Summit. He highlighted that a better and more just world requires the involvement of young individuals and that achieving excellence in work and entrepreneurship requires technology, innovation, and the pursuit of sustainable development goals.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, underscored, "The global pandemic serves as a reminder that the power of innovation can save lives. Digital technology has expanded opportunities and potential for accessing healthcare services and information, and we always need new ideas."
The "U8 World Innovation Summit" was initiated in 2020 by Chinese students from eight of the world's top universities, including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Tsinghua University, and Peking University. The summit brings together influential figures and industry experts from around the world. Through keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, dialogues, and other formats, it delves deep into various forward-looking and hot topics, sparking innovation and collaboration. The summit serves as a platform for enthusiastic young minds who are eager to innovate and explore, fostering discussions, sharing passions, and embracing hope for the future.