The APEC Young Entrepreneurs Conference opens in Hangzhou on Sept 16. [Photo/Tide News]

More than 200 young entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives from APEC economies gathered in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, on Sept 16 for the APEC Young Entrepreneurs Conference.

As China hosts APEC for the third time, innovation is among this year's three priorities. Lu Xiangdong, vice-president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said Hangzhou's business environment and innovation achievements were the key reasons for choosing the city to host the conference this year.

At a forum on AI technologies and applications, Zhao Weiqi, global developer ecosystem head at Hangzhou-based Rokid, said young entrepreneurs from APEC economies are helping the company understand local needs and connect with global markets by developing applications for its smart glasses based on real-world scenarios.

At a forum on entrepreneurship, Qiu Jiajin, business strategy director of Motomics Ltd from Hong Kong, shared the journey of a technology startup from surviving the "valley of death" to becoming profitable. He said he hoped to learn about the latest AI developments and find new opportunities for cooperation.

Hangzhou has attracted more than 350,000 university graduates under the age of 35 each year for six consecutive years and has been named China's most attractive city for foreign talent for 15 straight years.

The event is set to conclude on Sept 19, with participants also joining entrepreneurship workshops, investment matchmaking sessions, and visits to explore Hangzhou's innovation ecosystem.