Zhuhai offers subsidies supporting incubators, makerspaces

Zhuhai has been taking an active part in implementing the Supporting and Management Measures of Zhuhai Sci-tech Innovation Incubators since its release in September 2019, helping 12 local incubators make the Ministry of Science and Technology's National Science & Technology Enterprise Incubators list. 

The two most recent local incubators named national were Gangwan No 1 Science Creation Park and Zhuhai Information Port in the Zhuhai National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (Tangjiawan). By now, Zhuhai's national science and technology enterprise incubators account for 30 percent of the city's total, ranking first among all nine Pearl River Delta cities.

As of late 2021, the number of companies and project teams currently under incubation at citywide science and technology enterprise incubators stands at 1,188. A total of 834 sci-tech enterprises have been cultivated, among which 30 have been listed, including Jafron Biomedical, Zhuhai Allwinner Technology, and Ximo Electric Inc. Notably, Tsinghua Science Park in Tangjiawan has been rated as A-level among all national science and technology enterprise incubators for five consecutive years. 

Tsinghua Science Park [Photo by Wu Changfu / WeChat account: zhuhaifabu]

Sci-tech innovation incubators, including makerspaces, are able to receive subsidies of 200,000 yuan ($30,250), 400,000 yuan ($60,499), and 500,000 yuan ($75,623) for being recognized as municipal, provincial, and national-level makerspaces, with the maximum subsidy for each makerspace capped at 500,000 yuan, according to the supporting measures.

For incubators designated as municipal, provincial or national-level incubators, they can receive a subsidy of 1 million yuan ($151,230), 1.5 million yuan ($226,842), and 2 million yuan ($302,456) respectively, with the maximum subsidy amount for each incubator being 2 million yuan. 

Makerspaces at or above municipal level can receive a financial award of 300,000 yuan ($45,330) for newly added incubation sites that cover an area of 300 sq m (3,230 sq ft) or above and are in operation for at least one year, while the subsidy for the expansion of incubators at or above municipal level will be 500,000 yuan.

Makerspaces and incubators rated as A-level ones by Zhuhai can each receive 100,000 yuan ($15,110) and 300,000 yuan, while those rated as B-level can receive 50,000 yuan ($7,559) and 200,000 yuan. 

Additional rewards of 500,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan are available for incubators rated as A- and B-level by the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center.