Shanghai’s Big Zero Bay: A Thriving Tropical Rainforest ofFuture Industries
SHANGHAI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua)– From a humble 50,000-square-meter building to a sprawling Science and Technology Bay Area encompassing 370,000 square meters and 16 parks, Shanghai’s Big Zero Bay is rapidly becoming a beacon of innovation in the city. This burgeoninghub, located in the Minhang district, now houses over 4,000 hard-tech companies, attracting talent and investment from across the globe.
The ambitious vision for Big Zero Bay is to become a world-class Science and Technology Bay Area, a testament to Shanghai’s commitment to fostering a vibrant ecosystem for future industries. This vision was solidified in July 2024 with the implementation of the Measures on Accelerating the Construction of the ‘Big Zero Bay’ Science and Technology Innovation Source Function Zone, which aims to establish Big Zero Bay as a leading source of technological innovation by 2035.
At the heart of Big Zero Bay’s success lies its focus on nurturing future industries. Since being designated as one of Shanghai’s three future industrypilot zones in March 2023, Big Zero Bay has concentrated on three key areas: future intelligence, future energy, and future space. This strategic focus has resulted in the creation of a thriving tropical rainforest of interconnected industries, fostering collaboration and innovation.
One shining example of this thriving ecosystem is Volant Aerospace, a leading company in the future industry pilot zone. Volant recently secured several hundred million yuan in A++++ round financing, bringing its total A1 round funding to $100 million. This latest investment will be used to accelerate the development and manufacturing of its VE25-100 model,a key step towards achieving commercialization of its high-level commercial passenger eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft.
Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) are a key link in low-altitude economics and advanced transportation, a strategic opportunity, said Huang Xiaofei,Senior Vice President and Partner of Shanghai Volant Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. There are already over 800 projects worldwide, and it has become a new area of \u200b\u200bgreat power competition.
The foundation of Big Zero Bay’s success lies in its strong academic and research base. The pilot zone boasts arich concentration of universities, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University and East China Normal University, alongside over 10 research institutes specializing in aerospace, aviation, shipbuilding, and nuclear power. The area also houses 22 national-level research institutions, 152 municipal-level research institutions, and 46 foreign-funded research centers.
This concentration of research and development expertise has attracted a wave of young entrepreneurs, eager to capitalize on the innovative environment. One such entrepreneur is Shu Xiaokang, General Manager of Shanghai Niantong Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., who chose to establish his company in Big Zero Bay after graduating from university.
Shu Xiaokang acknowledges the challenges of navigating the nascent brain-computer interface industry, where industry standards are still evolving. He emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts to establish clear industry regulations, create a dedicated brain-computer interface cluster to foster a complete upstream and downstream industry chain, and promote public understanding of this cutting-edge technology.
Niantong Intelligent, a representative of the future of brain-computer interface technology, has also gained significant market attention through its participation in the first Global Future Industry Stars competition. Participating in the competition allows us to exchange ideas and compete with our peers on an international scale, said ShuXiaokang. It also helps us learn about international advancements and examine our project from different perspectives.
Big Zero Bay’s commitment to fostering a vibrant ecosystem for future industries, coupled with its strong academic and research base, has created a fertile ground for innovation and entrepreneurship. As the area continues to attract talentand investment, it is poised to become a global leader in the development and commercialization of future technologies, shaping the world of tomorrow.
【source】http://www.chinanews.com/cj/2024/08-29/10276441.shtml
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