HOUSTON, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The fourth U.S.-China Innovation and Investment Summit (UCIS) will kick off on Thursday in Houston of the U.S. state of Texas, with the participation of nearly 300 entrepreneurs from the two countries.

Supported by Chinese Consulate General in Houston, UCIS is cohosted by China Science and Technology Exchange Center (CSTEC) and U.S. China Innovation Alliance (UCIA).

The UCIS aims to facilitate collaboration between innovative technology companies, venture capitalists, private equity, startup accelerators and incubators.

It is also expected to help Chinese investors access and invest in the best-in-class technologies and products located in the United States, as well as help U.S.-based technology companies source investors and partners who can help them access the Chinese market.

The three past summits successfully promoted the integration of resources between China and the United States and served as an incubator and an accelerator for Chinese and American high-tech companies. UCIS has become a high-profile event in the area of investment and technology cooperation between the United States and China.

This year's summit, or UCIS 2019, has attracted about 70 U.S. companies and 50 Chinese enterprises.

As a platform for U.S. companies to leverage significant resources from China to accelerate their growth and to expand their market potential, the two-day conference includes events such as plenary sessions, forums, projects promotion and competition, exhibition and B2B matchmaking meeting.