Taixing pivots from traditional policy-driven recruitment to science-based investment. [Photo/WeChat account: txfabu]
A high-precision measuring instrument now used in assembling C919 jetliner wings, developed after nearly two decades of research by a Tianjin University team, has found its commercial home in Taixing, a county-level city in Taizhou, Jiangsu province. The project exemplifies the city's strategic pivot from traditional policy-driven recruitment to science-based investment.
Faced with a critical transition from scale expansion to quality upgrading, Taixing has redefined its approach. In March, it launched three integrated platforms — a new quality productive forces promotion center, a tech investment center and a technology transfer center — creating a closed-loop system for innovation.
At the heart of the strategy is a pioneering "grant-plus-investment" model. A 50-million-yuan ($7.4 million) industrial innovation fund, matched equally by provincial, municipal and local governments, disburses capital in stages to address the financing challenges facing early-stage tech ventures. Seven major projects have already landed.
The city has built a three-tier innovation ecosystem of core research institutes, specialized platforms and industrial parks, with 215 innovation hubs covering all dominant sectors. Dedicated pilot production bases in key development zones bridge the gap between laboratory and factory floor.
Leveraging academic networks, Taixing has drawn talent like Dr Huang Weizhou, whose OLED materials firm thrives in the city's supportive environment. Offshore innovation centers in Nanjing and Shanghai and a 500-million-yuan venture fund matrix further strengthen the pipeline.
With over 200 new tech projects added annually, Taixing is converting innovation into new quality productive forces, positioning itself at the forefront of industrial transformation.