The 6th edition of the 929 Challenge and the 2nd 929 Summit will be held on December 3-4 at Cotai Expo of The Venetian Macao as part of AIE Expo 2026, marking the first time the startup competition will be integrated into a major technology exhibition and introducing a new acceleration programme aimed at helping startups enter the Greater Bay Area (GBA) market.
“AIE” stands for “artificial intelligence expo”.
929 refers to Guangdong’s nine Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities, the nation’s two special administrative regions (SARs) in the GBA (Hong Kong and Macau), and the world’s nine Portuguese-speaking Countries (PSCs) – Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Timor-Leste (East Timor).
The new arrangement was announced during a press conference on Friday at the Complex of Commerce and Trade Cooperation Platform for China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (aka Forum Macao Complex) in Nam Van, saying the move will provide participating startups with direct access to more than 900 exhibitors and 50,000 professional visitors from sectors including AI, robotics, digital health, smart equipment, mobility and consumer electronics.
According to a statement by the 929 Challenge Organising Committee on Friday, AIE Expo 2026 will adopt a dual-venue format, with Macau hosting innovation forums and product launches at Cotai Expo, while trade and procurement activities will be centred at the Zhuhai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The event continues to position itself as a platform connecting China and PSCs through entrepreneurship and innovation, the statement said.
A key addition this year is the launch of the 929 Acceleration Programme, a post-competition initiative designed to support startups entering the Macau and GBA markets. The programme will provide guidance on market entry, investor readiness, regulatory compliance and mentorship from more than 100 experts.
Addressing the press conference, Permanent Secretariat representative Danilo Afonso Henriques said the challenge translates Macau’s platform role between China and PSCs into “tangible opportunities for entrepreneurs, universities, and enterprises”, adding that the new edition represents “a strategic leap forward”, with finalists gaining direct exposure to advanced industries in the GBA.
The competition will award a US$40,000 (322,800 patacas) prize pool for the top three startups and universities, alongside soft-landing opportunities in Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
Applications for the 6th edition opened on Saturday and will close on October 9. The “bootcamp” phase is scheduled for October 11 through 15, while the summit and grand finale will take place on December 3-4, with the first cohort of the acceleration programme expected to begin in early 2027.
Permanent Secretariat representative Danilo Afonso Henriques addresses Friday’s “929 Challenge” press conference at the Forum Macao Complex in Nam Van. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
