Wenzhou will launch its first rural business skills competition to select “rural CEOs” for ten designated zones in Rui’an city, Ouhai, Yongjia, Pingyang, and Taishun counties, the Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau announced on June 26.

Thirty-four teams from across Zhejiang have submitted applications. Qualified entrants will advance to the finals after initial screening. Finalist teams will conduct field visits and receive specialized training from June 28 to July 3, developing preliminary rural operation plans for their target zones.

The final pitch session on July 4 features expert evaluations based on: Planning & Design, Innovation, Farmer-Income Integration, and Market Potential. Top performers will receive awards including “Best Popularity” “Best Design” “Best Creativity” and “Best Potential.” Matches between zones and teams will follow a “two-way selection” model to form initial partnerships. Successful team leaders will be formally appointed as rural professional managers under Wenzhou’s unified recruitment system after contract signing.

This “competition-as-assessment” approach innovates beyond traditional solo recruitment by emphasizing team-based operations. Each team must comprise one rural CEO and at least two new-agri partners (e.g., farmers-turned-entrepreneurs, tech specialists).

Rural CEO applicants must demonstrate 1+ year of field experience in rural operations, agri-marketing, tourism, or asset management. Notably, several entrants are alumni of Zhejiang’s “Thousand Rural CEOs Training Program”.

A mentorship group of Wenzhou’s inaugural rural managers will coach teams on proposal development and pitching strategies.