Kering held the 4th edition of its Kering Generation Award in China

Aligned with its sustainability strategy, Kering launched in 2018 the Kering Generation Award in China, aiming to identify and accompany startups with an environmental and social positive impact into innovative materials and processes. Following its Water strategy launched in April 2025, this fourth edition was placed under the theme Pioneering Water-Positive Impact.

After a rigorous selection process, the four winners of the 4th Kering Generation Award China were officially announced on October 16th at the ceremony:

The Special Jury Mention, Ocean Shield focuses on developing environmentally friendly macromolecular sunscreen ingredients for diverse applications in cosmetics, textiles, and cultural heritage preservation.

The awards were presented to the winners by Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, Kering, in presence of Susan Rockefeller, a well-known figure in the world of art, philanthropy, Board Member of Oceana, Cai Jinqing, President of Kering Greater China, Huang Bo, Chinese actor, artist and environmental activist.

The creative space at the event showcased the innovative achievements of the first-place winners from the first three editions of the Kering Generation Award China, including Melephant's plant-based dyes, Peelsphere's bio-based alternative leather, and Yi Design's recycled ceramics.

“At Kering, we believe that true innovation is not only about creating new solutions but about restoring balance between nature and business. The 4th Kering Generation Award Ceremony in Shanghai once again demonstrated how powerful this vision can be in action - empowering a new generation of entrepreneurs whose ideas help make water, and life itself, flow positively again,” said Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, Kering.

Cai Jinqing, President of Kering Greater China, said, “The startups competing for this award have shown technological strength, business acumen and a strong commitment to sustainability. Kering Generation Award China advocates for collective action across the entire industry and society, helping to promote harmony between humans and nature.”

The first-place winner will receive a EUR 100,000 prize, while all three winners will join Kering and Plug and Play’s industry network, gaining access to leading experts, investors, and key industry players. They will also be invited to visit Kering’s headquarters in Paris, where they will benefit from personalized guidance from the Group’s sustainability experts.

About Kering Generation Award
Designed as one of the key initiatives for innovation under Kering’s 2025 Sustainability Strategy, the Kering Generation Award was launched in China in 2018 and has since been aiming to drive industry-wide transformation by recognizing and supporting startups that bring about positive environmental and social impact while addressing challenges in alternative raw materials, green supply chain, retail & use and the circular economy. The program has already been held four times in China – last year, the Group debuted its Saudi and Japanese editions. Additionally, a "Kering Generation Award X Jewelry" was launched with the cooperation of the Polytechnic University of Milan, expanding Kering's support program to the jewelry sector.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is one of the world's oldest technology incubators with the widest coverage of regions and industries, and is also a globally recognized technology innovation ecological platform. Plug and Play originated in Silicon Valley, has more than 60 innovation centers around the world, has more than 20 years of experience in technology investment, industrial technology services, technology incubation. The company has successfully incubated Google, invested in PayPal, Dropbox and other technology giants, and invested in more than 200 science and technology companies around the world every year. Plug and Play is committed to finding, incubating, accelerating, investing in, and promoting hard technology startups, as well as carrying out open innovation cooperation based on their innovation needs and cultural ecology with more than 500 industry leader companies. In 2016, with the expansion of its global business, Plug and Play China was established, and innovation centers were set up in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Hefei, Changzhou. At present, Plug and Play China has built a leading one-stop platform for technology investment, innovation services and incubation, and carries out three types of innovative businesses: early-stage technology investment, innovation services (enterprise innovation, city innovation, international cooperation), and incubation of innovation space.

About Tsinghua x-lab
Tsinghua x-lab (x-lab) is a non-profit, university-based innovation platform aimed at nurturing creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Established in April 2013, x-lab supports startups across diverse sectors, serving the Tsinghua community, including students, alumni, and faculty. Anchored in the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM), it collaborates with 16 schools and departments, fostering an integrated system of education, training, and networking. x-lab is dedicated to advancing the commercialization of Tsinghua University's scientific and technological breakthroughs, cultivating entrepreneurial talent nationwide, and contributing to China's nation’s development strategy.

About Shanghai Fashion Week
As a reputed City Name Card, Shanghai Fashion Week, relying on the urban heritage and cultural confidence of Shanghai, a century-old fashion capital, adheres to the positioning philosophy of “integration of local and international visions” and “balance between creative design and commercial implementation”. In the past 20 years, it has evolved from a merely fashion showcase platform to a fashion eco landscape, which runs through the entire fashion industry, and is commented as "the world's most dynamic fashion week".

Press Contacts
Yun Jiang – +86 (21) 6185 3683 – yun.jiang@kering.com 
Louise Lin – +86 (21) 6185 3683 – louise.lin@kering.com 
Rex Chen / Amber Chan – +86 186 1681 8697 / +86 135 2448 1923 – rex.chen@omc.com  / amber.chan1@omc.com