College students who want to start their own businesses got their chance to learn from professionals on Tuesday, at the start of Shanghai Entrepreneurship Week at Tongji University.

Run by the Shanghai Technology Entrepreneurship Foundation for Graduates, the week will see a series of forums, lectures, contests and consultations. It runs until Sunday.

The four instructors include Vincent Lo, president of the Shui On Group; Guo Guangchang, president of Forsun High-Tech Group who ranks seventh among the 400 richest Chinese listed by Forbes; Wang Xinkui, president of Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce; and Gao Yunfei, general manager of China Business Network Co. Ltd.

They shared their own experiences with students, saying that today's young people were born in an era of abundant and favorable opportunities to start a business.

"Shanghai has witnessed a double-digit economic growth in the past 16 consecutive years, which makes now the best time for starting one's own business. Shanghai needs your entrepreneurship," said Lo.

Also running this week is the first Shanghai University Student Innovation Forum sponsored by 3M China.