Silicon Valley Event Highlights AI, Clean Energy, and FinTech Innovations Set to Compete in Global Finals
SAN JOSE, Calif. – On September 24, Plug and Play Tech Center hosted the 2025 NextStar Global Entrepreneurship Competition North American regional session, a million-dollar tech-innovation startup competition, took center stage. Industry leaders, investors, and tech enthusiasts gathered to witness the rise of the next generation of tech stars.
The event brought together an esteemed panel of judges and guests, including:
- Eric Ye, Founding Partner of Eminence Ventures
- Denny Gabriel, Co-Founder of Runacap
- Zhiyu Jiang, CEO of VESS and Postdoctoral Researcher at Stanford University
- Allen Hu, Partner at Cyber Creation Ventures
- Siliang Deng, COO of AGI Odyssey
- Zixuan An, Investment Director at R42 Group
As an official strategic partner of the competition, the Greater Bay Area team of Plug and Play China traveled to the Silicon Valley headquarters to bridge top-tier North American resources with the Next Star platform. This collaboration has created a fast-track channel for standout startup to advance from regional heats to the global finals, reinforcing the competition’s growing international influence through a powerful global ecosystem.After one day intense competition, the following projects emerged as winners.
First Place:
Chinougijyutsu Co – An AI-driven smart construction system
Second Places:
SPG Solar Car – Solar-powered vehicle and energy storage solutions
RealKey – An automated loan processing platform
Third Places:
Pure Global – AI-powered localized contract solutions
Wireless PnC – Wireless charging and clean energy provider
ColdStart – An AI-powered tool offering real-time data and marketing solutions for businesses
These winning teams have not only earned accolades but also secured a spot in the upcoming Next Star Global Finals in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District later this year. There, they will compete against top innovators from around the world for a shot at the million-dollar prize. Additionally, regional winners will receive prioritized incubation and acceleration support from Nanshan District.
The Silicon Valley regional competition of Next Star served as a key node in a growing global innovation network. The fierce competition across fields like artificial intelligence, clean energy, and fintech sketched a blueprint of global tech trends for the next three to five years. From AI-enhanced construction and solar vehicles to smart contracts and wireless power, the winning startup demonstrated how technology is reshaping the traditional industries.
Innovation knows no borders, and great ideas can come from anywhere.By linking global innovation hubs such as London, Silicon Valley, and Singapore, Next Star is creating a rapid pathway for the cutting-edge technologies to achieve worldwide impact. The competition continues to prove that the best innovations often emerge from the convergence of global wisdom and collaboration.
