Bright ideas emerging from an annual scientific and technology innovation competition between China and Canada have boosted cooperation that promises to expand trade and morph into real deals.

Backed by the cities of Toronto and Shenzhen, the 2019 Sci Innovation Competition features projects from the realms of IT, biotech and life sciences, electronics, manufacturing and materials and energy.

"We take an entrepreneurial approach to running the competition, reaching out to top potential companies across Canada to make sure the best projects emerge to go to compete in Shenzhen," Zhou Songnian, a judge and chair of the Sci Experts advisory council, told China Daily at the third annual competition on Saturday in Toronto.

The Sci Innovation Centre had earlier held regional competitions with partners in Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa, and Montreal, contributing to the 191 total Canadian submissions, then narrowed those down to feature the 20 brightest new innovative projects competing for top awards of up to C$20,000.

Another judge, Ozan Isinak, president of Keiretsu Forum Canada, said the competition has reached the point where it could actually result in actual transactions and business deals with partners in China.

"It's not only about Canadian businesses going to China; Chinese companies may come over here as well," Ozan said. "China can provide good opportunities to Canadian businesses. In many sectors I think we need to learn from China in terms of how to expand the company and their styles of doing business."

According to Benton Leong, another judge and a director at Gold Triangle Angel Network, Canada is a powerhouse in high tech and new ideas and many Canadian companies want to break into the Chinese market, but don't know how.

"The competition hosted by Shenzhen can help them get introduced to investors in China and potential partners," he said. "Probably a lot of Canadian companies need to set up an office in China to do business, as everybody wants access to that large domestic market."

Asked if current diplomatic disputes will set back future cooperation, Leong pledged that they continue to see each other as strong partners, despite the tensions between the two countries.

"I hope the tensions are temporary," Leong added. "The friendship established between Shenzhen and Toronto is strong. We benefit from each other."

The technology and scientific innovation competition between Canada and China has proven to be highly successful in developing business opportunities, including partnerships in a wide range of fields.

Patrick Li, manager of Chinese Business Development at Conavi Medical, which makes heart imaging devices, said they had met several Chinese investors since they won second prize in the finals last year.

"We always know that China is a very important market for the medical devices," Li said. "We actually have gotten funds from Chinese domestic and overseas investments. People got to know us through the competition and we have taken a big step forward."

Ten of the 20 finalists who pitched their innovation ideas to a diverse panel of high-profile judges have been chosen for the finals in Shenzhen, in April.

Chris Prendergast, CEO of Jamstack, won the 2019 first prize with his attachable guitar amplifier.

"We are raising money right now and we are very excited to have the opportunity to create the second group of products that we want to develop," Prendergast said. "We're also looking for a distributor in China."

Second prize went to Zac Young of H2nanO, a company that creates reusable sunlight-activated water-purification systems.