Hengqin launches supportive measures to promote technological innovation development

Recently, the Guangdong Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin issued "Several Measures for Promoting Technological Innovation Development in the Cooperation Zone," proposing 22 support measures from six aspects. These include cooperating with Macao to create innovation platforms, cultivating and introducing innovative growth enterprises, supporting technological breakthroughs, supporting R&D and achievement transformation, supporting international sci-tech cooperation, and building a high-quality scientific and technological innovation environment.

The measures aim to support the establishment of industry-university-research demonstration bases, technology innovation platforms, and technology entrepreneurship incubation carriers.

Regarding funding for the construction of major innovation platforms, the measures support domestic and foreign innovation entities to collaborate with Macao universities, research institutions, technology enterprises, and other major innovation platforms that can boost industrial development in the cooperation zone. After being approved, a single platform will be offered a fund equivalent to 30 percent of the platform's investment and not exceeding 100 million yuan (around 13,8000 U.S. dollars).

International innovation and entrepreneurship competitions are encouraged to be held in the cooperation zone. This is meant to attract innovative projects in key industries such as integrated circuits, new materials, new energy, big data, and AI, with core technologies and industrialization prospects, to settle in the cooperation zone or Macao. An enterprise will be given a maximum of 100 million yuan through subsidies, equity investments, and others, and the award for each competition is up to 300 million yuan.

The measures also support enterprises to increase research and development investment. The cooperation zone sets up a maximum of 100 million yuan of R&D subsidies every year and provides a maximum of 10 percent and an annual maximum of 5 million yuan of subsidies for enterprises' R&D expenses.

To promote international scientific and technological cooperation, it will provide a one-time reward of up to 10 million yuan to recognized foreign-funded R&D centers. For recognized overseas R&D institutions, a one-time reward of 1 million yuan will be given to enterprises in the cooperation zone. For R&D institutions established in Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries, the reward will be increased to 1.2 million yuan.

In addition, it will create a low-cost scientific and technological innovation space for sci-tech institutions. For sci-tech institutions that rent offices in the cooperation zone, a rental subsidy lasting up to 60 consecutive months will be provided, with reference to the appraisal price of a third-party professional agency. For technology enterprises that purchase office space for their own use, a subsidy equivalent to 20 percent of the deal price and not exceeding 20 million yuan will be provided.

(cnbayarea.org.cn & GDToday)