Haidian Science Park to build on success

Area plans to protect IP rights, accelerate tech transfer and create a complete business chain

The Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park will strengthen its role as an incubator for world innovation by managing Zhongguancun innovation street with "global vision, international standards and Chinese characteristics", said the park's administrative committee officials.

The street, in Zhongguancun's western area, was once home to shops selling books and clothes. A 100-million-yuan ($16 million) transformation project has turned it into a hub for startups and entrepreneurs.

To date, 10 innovation startups and service institutions, including Garage Coffee, Angel Crunch, Legend Star and 36 Kr, have set up in the area.

Officials said their priority for the rest of this year was to focus on the construction of a complete business incubation chain, which features "zero start-up costs".

The administrative committee has two three-year plans that highlight the protection of intellectual property rights and the acceleration of technology transfer in the area. The committee plans to build the country's first dedicated IP court in Haidian district.

The park established China's first fund for patent operations in April to help domestic high-tech enterprises obtain core technology patents and gather patent assets through acquisitions and investments in innovative projects.

Between January and May this year, operations in the park had combined revenue of 428.4 billion yuan, an increase of 16.8 percent from the same period last year.

Companies in the park filed 18,000 patent applications, a rise of 13 percent from the same period last year, which accounted for 36 percent of the city's total.

Key tasks

The administrative committee said it had four main tasks to focus on during the first half of this year. These included improving the innovation environment, increasing corporate core competitiveness and boosting the development of key industries, including navigation services, mobile Internet and next-generation Internet.

The Beijing government approved the construction of 56 high-tech-related infrastructure projects in June. Of them, 48 projects are located in Haidian district and have a combined investment of more than 60 billion yuan. They include 36 industrial zones and 11 technology research institutes.

To date, 14 projects have been completed and cover a total area of 560,000 square meters. More than 70 companies, including Elion China, have moved into or set up offices in the newly established industrial zones.

A further 10 projects are under construction and are due to be completed by 2015.

The administrative committee made considerable progress in developing the north Zhongguancun area as a new ecology and innovation center.

The committee consulted 120 companies over a six-month period and planned 34 facilities for the new center, which will cost 40 billion yuan. Six facilities are under construction.

The administrative committee took the lead in build inga software center, an IP street and two other streets in Zhongguancun, as part of the city government's long-term strategy for science and technology development.

The committee also promoted civil-military integration as a major part of the military industry reforms, by encouraging companies in the park to take part in national defense and army building.

On June 27, the Second Artillery Equipment Research Institute and the government of Haidian district jointly established the first industrial zone for civil-military integration in the park.

The zone now has 45 companies participating in military projects and 140 companies that are confidentially qualified.

The administrative committee focused on commercialization of scientific achievements.

It helped 20 industrial zones, start-up parks, colleges and industrial alliances build partnerships, which laid foundations for the operation of a technology transfer website that is due to go online at the end of this year.

The committee activated the Haidian contingency plan to deal with heavy air pollution in the industrial sphere.

A special working group was established to investigate and verify the information of companies in the district that have high pollution as well as high energy and water consumption.

The local environmental protection bureau and the administration for industry and commerce helped the working group. Companies who renovated and cut emissions received monetary awards.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn

The neighboring ancient imperial gardens are ideal for people in Zhongguancun Science Park to go and relax. Photos provided to China Daily

Plans for the north part of Zhongguancun include a new ecology and innovation center, according to the park's administrative committee.