In Beijing, new platforms will turn science into goods

The administrative committee of Zhongguancun science park — known as Beijing's Silicon Valley — will provide money and floor space for companies to operate 10 platforms designed to commercialize scientific research findings as part of an effort to make the capital a center of innovation.

The committee and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have published a series of measures to attract and guide specialized talent to help add technology to products.

This year, Zhongguancun plans to build 10 commercialization platforms by offering subsidies for talent, hardware facilities and workspace, said Zhao Huijun, deputy director of the committee, on June 28.

"We will help with innovative management, operations and the service model for platforms," she said. "The platforms will hire professionals to assess the scientific findings, apply for patents and conduct market research."

To attract talent, the platforms will provide competitive pay, the authority said, and will offer bonuses based on the commercialization of those platforms.

Yin Hejun, vice-mayor of Beijing, said the city needs to maintain a high-end economic structure to realize innovative development, as innovation requires the city to make better use of existing scientific research institutions and accelerate the commercialization and industrialization of the findings.

"The capital has been closely cooperating with the CAS, which has built a great foundation for future development," he said.

Zhang Xingsheng, deputy head of western Beijing's Mentougou district, said the district will provide up to 5 million yuan ($750,000) in startup funds for high-tech companies.

Zhongguancun, together with the Beijing government, has been helping startup companies and high-tech research groups through preferential policies.

Chen Tianshi from the CAS Institute of Computing Technology — and who is also CEO of Cambricon Technologies Corp, a startup specializing in artificial intelligence and AI chips — said it is only through help from the CAS and Zhongguancun that technology can be transferred into real products.

"I feel very grateful to everyone involved. Thanks to their help, our technology and findings didn't stay on paper but were put into products," he said. "Two years ago, we started research and development on AI chips that are now inserted into millions of mobile phones. I'm glad we used the technology to serve the public."

Zhongguancun will also provide funding for some ongoing projects and further open up resources, including R & D centers and labs for sharing.

By the end of this year, the CAS and Zhongguancun will establish a database for scientific research results, which will be used for further selection and commercialization.