Hangzhou’s ‘Accompanying Team’ Model Supports Startups
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province and home to tech giant Alibaba, has rolled out an innovative “entrepreneurship accompanying team” (创业陪跑团) service model that provides full-cycle guidance and support for startup founders. The initiative, reported by People’s Daily on May 31, pairs experienced mentors, enterprise service specialists, and government resources with entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
A Three-Phase Support System
The program operates on a structured “pre-incubation — mid-stage support — post-stage empowerment” framework, offering personalized assistance from idea conception through business maturity. It is part of Hangzhou’s broader effort to strengthen its already vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, which has produced numerous success stories in the digital economy, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence sectors.
Real Stories of Startup Success
From Idea to Product in Under a Year
Zhang Congmian (张淙冕), a “post-00s” entrepreneur and CEO of Hangzhou Juanpai Technology Co., Ltd., developed “Paipai Farm” (湃湃农场) — a desktop AI companion that promotes healthy habits through gamified plant care — in less than a year. “At every stage of the company’s development, we’ve always received timely responses from the university student entrepreneurship park and the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau,” Zhang told People’s Daily. “This certainty is crucial for entrepreneurs.”
Zhang’s journey was smoothed by Su Yue (苏月), an enterprise service specialist at the Wuchang Street Alibaba Digital Ecological Innovation Park, affectionately called a “shop assistant” by local entrepreneurs. When Zhang’s team — strong in algorithms but inexperienced in AI hardware — hit a roadblock, Su Yue coordinated with grid worker Yang Kunyu (杨昆宇) to connect them with a nearby hardware development firm, New Cavity Technology. The result was a resource-sharing partnership that brought the product to market.
Navigating Financial Crisis
Lu Heng (陆衡), founder of Hangzhou Dongchu Cultural Creativity Co., Ltd., faced a different challenge. In late 2023, his film and television production company was on the verge of losing eligibility for a critical technology project application due to poor financial planning and high tax burdens. “Those days I couldn’t sleep all night, worrying while flipping through the account books,” Lu recalled. “I felt that all my efforts from previous years were about to be blocked by this hurdle.”
The Canal Youth Innovation College (运河青创学院), established by the Gongshu District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau in 2023, dispatched a senior financial expert to conduct a comprehensive audit of Lu’s business. The intervention helped Lu restructure his finances and establish a lightweight financial management system suited to creative enterprises. Today, Dongchu Cultural is an official partner of the China International Cartoon and Animation Festival, and Lu himself has become a mentor in Hangzhou’s entrepreneurship program. “This ‘accompanying run’ for dreams has never stopped,” he said.
Finding a Path Through Digital Tools
Wei Xiaobao (韦晓报), founder of Hangzhou Youqiu Star Network Technology Co., Ltd., discovered the program through Hangzhou’s “Employment and Entrepreneurship One Map” (就业创业一张图) platform. “At the beginning of starting my business, it wasn’t smooth,” Wei said. “Facing the dual pressure of rent and space, I thought about giving up more than once.” The platform connected him with an entrepreneurship accompanying space that provided low-cost office space, subsidies, and loan support. His company now focuses on AI-empowered sports technology.
Tangible Results
The initiative is already producing measurable outcomes. In Yuhang District alone, the government issued 116 million yuan in entrepreneurship guarantee loans and 27.37 million yuan in college student project funding in 2025. College student entrepreneurship projects grew 53.8% year-over-year — the fastest rate in the city. In the first quarter of 2026, the district added 372 new college student entrepreneurship projects, driving 394 jobs.
Hangzhou’s “Employment and Entrepreneurship One Map” platform, launched in December 2023 and accessible via the Hangzhou Citizen Card APP or Alipay, now presents approximately 70,000 daily job postings, has accumulated over 1 million visits, and facilitated over 50,000 successful employment placements.
A Broader Vision
“We want to provide more considerate and inclusive services for all young people seeking employment and starting businesses in Hangzhou,” said Fu Ningyu (傅宁宇), Director of the Employment and Entrepreneurship Guidance Division at the Hangzhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. He confirmed that the bureau is advancing a new three-year action plan for college student innovation and entrepreneurship, aiming for further policy upgrades.
What This Means
The “accompanying team” model represents a significant evolution in government-supported entrepreneurship, positioning local authorities not merely as regulators but as active partners in the startup journey. As reported by Guangming Online and CCTV News, the model has been widely endorsed across Chinese state media, signaling its potential as a template for other cities.
With its integration of digital platforms, multi-layered financial support, personalized mentorship, and a self-reinforcing culture where successful entrepreneurs become mentors themselves, Hangzhou’s approach offers a compelling blueprint for nurturing the next generation of innovators.