The winner of the first prize at the innovation and entrepreneurship competition receives the award during a ceremony held in Rugao on Oct 26. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

A Yangtze River Delta innovation and entrepreneurship conference was held in Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, on Oct 26.

Industrial experts and officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, and National Development and Reform Commission delivered keynote speeches at the event, sharing their views on how to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

An awards ceremony for a recently held innovation competition also made up a key part of the event.

More than 400 projects were submitted to the competition, with 20 entering the final. A project on the early screening and prevention of diabetes through microbial technology in the intestinal tract won first prize.

The conference also saw the unveiling of an innovation and entrepreneurship think tank in Rugao. Thirteen scholars including Zhang Dengyin, dean of the School of Internet of Things of Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, were appointed as the first panel of experts for the organization.