Industry Empowered by Science: Guangming Science City Lures Talent Globally

The 8th Shenzhen Global Shenzhen Entrepreneurs Convention and Guangming Science City Conference kicked off on July 5, and gathered global scientists and leading entrepreneurs together to the southern Chinese city. They’re invited to share their perspectives on how the Guangming Science City will embrace a bright future in terms of the innovation ecology, the research-enabled economy, the life science and health, and the digital economy.

Fan Jianping, academician of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences and director of Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology under Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in a keynote speech that Guangming Science city, supported by both the government and the market, is on track to become an innovation hub with large-scale science facilities, research institutes, universities and industrial parks.

To translate scientific exploration into industrial innovation, Guangming Science City has found a way to bridge the science with the market quickly. It is being built into a platform where innovative chain can be integrated with the industrial chain. It pioneered a model, the first of its kind in China, by holding innovation and business in one complex. The model helps bring the latest findings in upstairs labs directly to startups downstairs where their market feasibility and possibilities of mass production can be examined. Also, the researchers can be quickly informed when something needs to be fixed, thus substantially shortening the commercialization cycle and speeding up the science-enabled economy.

Guangming Science City, located in northern Shenzhen, will be built into a place to support a comprehensive national science center. It covers an area of 99 square kilometers and will be home to nine key science and technology facilities, 10 research institutes, two key labs at provincial level, and two research universities. Now, more than 3,000 high-quality researchers from over 150 innovation teams and over 20 academician-led groups are working in the City.

“We’re going to embrace the opportunities of scientific and technological innovation,” said Shang Yuanfang, president of Shenzhen Cellbri Bio-Innovation Technology Company. Shang spoke of how smart manufacturing empowers synthetic biology. Founded in February 2020, Cellbri is a leading biotech company in China specializing in producing the devices for cell and gene therapies.

Cellbri is one of many enterprises that grasped the opportunities brought by Guangming Science City. In the Guangming Investment Promotion Conference, held in Guangming District on July 6, a total of 200 Chinese companies inked 40 deals worth over 60 billion yuan. The contracts cover biopharma, new materials, smart manufacturing, new energy, scientific institute building and financial services.

Guangming District is home to over 78,000 businesses. It sees competitive industrial clusters of UHD video displays, new materials, and smart sensors. Among its star enterprises are China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT), BTR New Material Group, and Sunwoda, a battery manufacturer. The District looks set to build a hub of original innovation to develop science-empowered economy and lure global innovators. In recent years, the enterprises in the district grew by an average of 15.7 percent annually, making it one of the most vibrant and promising area in Shenzhen.

Owing to the industry cluster effect, upstream enterprises in the industrial chain have been attracted to the district. Hengmei Optoelectronic Corporation (HMO), signed in the conference to settle in the district, is an example. HMO, specializing in the development, manufacturing and marketing of polarizers, functional optical films and optical compensation films, is one of CSOT’s suppliers. It plans to move into CSOT’s industrial park to support CSOT’s next-generation panels, according to HMO’s business director Tan Zhimin. “Guangming is now seeing a cluster effect for UHD video display manufacturing. It offers favorable industrial policies that can help businesses reduce costs. That is why we’re optimistic about the district’s growth.”

Top Precision Engineering (TPE), another signee, is attracted by Guangming’s lures for top global talent. The Foshan-based machinery parts manufacturer, built in 2012, is considering to base its R&D headquarters in the district in order to develop cobots and human-machine interaction technologies. Guangming Science City is advantageous in promoting innovation and R&D, luring talent, boosting growth and offering industrial policy support, said TPE’s vice general manager Wang Yangxi. “Guangming enjoys a remarkable ecological environment, and it is a platform by which our company can lure more talent,” he added.

Guangming will roll out a package of policies to support the growth of its major industries. Priority will be given to bringing in outstanding businesses on the industrial chain, commercializing key scientific innovations, building professional platforms for public services, incubating innovative startups and bolstering good climate for tech industries. Public supporting services will also be put in place accordingly.

Source: Guangming Science City