RACHEL Daydou, a French expat in Shanghai, was yesterday awarded the top prize in a government-initiated innovation competition along with her team at Wowulous, the startup behind the emerging gift-sharing App Lihaoma.

It's the first time that a category for foreigners has been included in the Shanghai Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition, which is organized by the Shanghai Youth League as a sub-competition of its national event.

Daydou, who is also chief networker at Startup Grind, a startup community with global reach, told Shanghai Daily that the city is an exciting environment for foreign innovators.