On May 12, Luo Dajin, chairman of STCSM, led a team to the Plug and Play China Yangtze River Delta Innovation Center (Zhangjiang Plug and Play Incubator) and the Tree-Graph Blockchain Research Institute to learn about S&T innovation and startup in emerging fields such as S&T enterprise incubator, construction of new-type S&E institutes, and blockchain. It was part of the thematic education campaign and investigation and research work arranged by the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.Chairman Luo listened carefully to researchers, S&T entrepreneurs, and incubator service personnel. They aired their opinions and suggestions on building high-quality incubators, optimizing the construction and operation of new-type R&D institutes, and creating a sound innovation ecosystem.

Yu Linwei, a member of the standing committee of CPC Xuhui District Committee and deputy chief of Xuhui District, participated in the inspection at the Shanghai Tree-graph Blockchain Research Institute.

Also present were officials from relevant offices and divisions of STCSM and S&T departments of Pudong New Area and Xuhui District.

Plug and Play China Yangtze River Delta Innovation Center is an international innovation incubator built in Shanghai by Plug and Play, a world-renowned sci-tech innovation platform. The Center functions as a maker space, entrepreneurial services and investment, and a global roadshow hall. Luo Dajin inspected the incubation space and its iconic services, and had in-depth exchanges with the incubation service team and the technical personnel of start-ups to learn about their progress in accelerating business incubation, making entrepreneurial investment and financing, holding innovation acceleration camps, and building an innovation partner ecosystem. He said the incubator shoulders the responsibility of enhancing sources of innovation, fostering innovation and startups, and promoting outcomes transformation. 

Luo stressed the importance of accelerating the high-quality development of incubators in Shanghai and drawing on the experience of first-class international and domestic incubators. He called for efforts to guide and push incubators to pool innovative resources, optimize service models, and improve incubation efficiency. He also called for efforts to create an innovation ecosystem that connects enterprises of all sizes and cultivates leading and high-growth enterprises. 

Emphasizing the linkage between investment and incubation and the guiding role of government funds, he said it is crucial to steer more private capital to “early-stage, small, and high-tech projects” to enrich and diversify the financing channels for start-ups. Efforts should also be made to create a vigorous atmosphere for innovation and entrepreneurship, make full use of global innovation resources, and hold influential innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and activities.

Shanghai Tree-graph Blockchain Research Institute is a new-type institute dedicated to the R&D of key blockchain technologies. It has independently developed the Conflux blockchain system with world-leading performance. The institute introduced its innovation in blockchain technologies and the status quo and future trends of Web 3.0, and elaborated on how it has promoted breakthroughs in key technologies of high-performance public blockchain and built application demonstration platforms and an industrial ecosystem. 

Luo Dajin pointed out that, to build Shanghai into an international S&T innovation center, the key is to establish a group of high-level new-type R&D institutes with international influence led by top talents surrounding the nation’s strategic needs, the world’s technological frontiers, and Shanghai’s high-quality development. 

He urged Shanghai Tree-graph Blockchain Research Institute to adapt to scientific research paradigm changes, actively explore the construction and operation mechanisms and research organization models of new-type R&D institutes, and grow to be more capable of making breakthroughs in key technologies and developing common technologies. 

He encouraged new-type R&D institutes to deepen cooperation with universities, research institutes, and enterprises, build a mechanism for sharing risks and benefits, and focus on forging the linkage between basic research, applied research, and industrialization to create an industrial innovation ecosystem. 

Chairman Luo asked Shanghai and its districts to work together to issue targeted policies to support new-type R&D institutes in building first-class innovation platforms, introduce, cultivate,and gather more outstanding professionals, and further unlock their innovation capabilities.