The 3rd China Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition officially commenced in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, on October 25, 2025. This prestigious event, which runs until October 27, has attracted significant attention for its role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among postdoctoral researchers. According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, one of the organizers, the competition saw an overwhelming response, with 36,000 participants from 8,006 postdoctoral programs registering for the preliminary rounds. Among these, 46 teams and 1,743 groundbreaking ideas in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and energy conservation advanced to the finals. Li Jinsheng, Secretary-General of the competition’s organizing committee, highlighted the nation’s remarkable progress in nurturing postdoctoral talent. He noted that the number of postdoctoral researchers has surged from 12,000 in 2012 to 42,000 in 2024, reflecting an annual growth rate of 10.8%. Currently, there are approximately 135,000 postdoctoral researchers actively contributing to research stations across the country. Li emphasized that the postdoctoral program has become a cornerstone for cultivating young scientific and technological talent, significantly advancing China’s education, technology, and talent development. The competition, first held in Guangdong in 2021 and later in Shandong in 2023, has played a pivotal role in transforming innovative ideas into practical applications, thereby bolstering the nation’s progress.