第七屆「紫荊花杯傑出企業家獎」的目的是表揚中國內地傑出民營企業家的成功事蹟，借此推動中國內地、香港和台灣地區企業交流合作以及國家經濟發展。
「紫荊花杯傑出企業家獎」主要是通過行業或社會團體推薦，選出對中國工商業及科技和社會發展有重大貢獻的傑出民營企業家，並經由國際知名企業家、社會賢達組成的審定委員會審定，通過香港的國際性渠道，表揚這些傑出企業家的成就和模範事蹟。藉著一系列相關活動，加強他們與香港及亞太地區企業界的交流。

「紫荊花杯傑出企業家獎」於1997年開始舉辦，迄今共舉辦了六屆，共有117名中國傑出民營企業家獲獎。他們來自中國26個省市自治區，行業涉及製造、基礎建設、礦產化工、建築地產、包裝印刷、農業畜牧、紡織服裝、醫藥食品、資訊科技、教育金融、商貿旅遊和新能源等，皆為各行業的佼佼者。每屆頒獎活動均安排獲獎企業家與政府官員及各大商會代表會面及交流，活動獲得中國內地及香港傳媒的廣泛報導。

2012年為香港理工大學建校75週年，獲獎企業家將於2012年2月在北京人民大會堂接受擔任大會名譽主席的國家領導人嘉勉，之後在香港參加大型頒獎活動、傳媒採訪及與香港及跨國企業的交流活動。候選人參選費用全免。獲獎企業家除旅費及在北京的住宿自理外，其他在北京及香港的活動開支(包括香港的酒店住宿)，由大會提供。

主辦機構在2002年於香港正式註冊成立紫荊花杯傑出企業家協會，會員為歷屆「紫荊花杯傑出企業家獎」獲獎企業家。協會為加強獲獎企業家之間的交流合作，每年在不同的城市舉行活動，包括理事會和會員大會、前瞻性論壇、小組交流茶聚及參觀獲獎企業等。通過紫荊花杯傑出企業家協會舉辦的活動，進一步凝聚獲獎企業家的力量及智慧，促進中國內地及香港地區企業家分享營運及管理經驗，推動知識及技術的轉移。

The Bauhinia Cup Outstanding Entrepreneur Awards was first launched and presented in 1997 to support and recognize contribution of non-governmental entrepreneurs in the sustaining economic development of the People's Republic of China and to enhance business co-operation between the Mainland and HKSAR. Six Bauhinia Cup Outstanding Entrepreneur Awards had been organized in years 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2009. The awards are presented to outstanding entrepreneurs who have demonstrated remarkable achievements in establishing their business and in making significant contribution to innovative technological development of their respective industries and PRC as a whole, and to continuous development of their staff and society.

Candidates have to be proposed by local trade and professional associations. Completed application forms together with supporting documents including audited financial statements and tax returns are sent to the Secretariat in Beijing for initial screening. Qualified applications are then mailed to the Selection Committee for independent grading based on the selection criteria mentioned above. The Selection Committee is composed of leaders from multi-national corporations and prominent enterprises from the PRC, HKSAR and Taiwan. Upon receipt of results from the Selection Committee, the Secretariat in Hong Kong shall compile a list of candidates in order of total grading for the endorsement of the Organizing Committee.

Awardees must attend Award Presentation Ceremony and related activities held in both Hong Kong and Beijing. They get to meet representatives from trade associations for future business co-operations in these networking activities and also extensive media coverage through international channels of HKSAR.

The Bauhinia Cup Outstanding Entrepreneurs Association was formed in 2002 with an aim to fully utilize syndicated effort of members in pushing forward economic development of the country. Only Bauhinia Cup Outstanding Entrepreneur Awardees are eligible to be members of the Association and membership is automatically confirmed to awardees.