Poster production: Feng Juan
Xinhuanet, Tianjin, June 28 (Reporter Guo Fangda) Surrounded by colleges and universities, there are many institutes, and the eight high-rise buildings located in the central urban area together with the surrounding institutions constitute the "intellectual highland" of Tianjin. As the carrier of the core area of TFI Higher Education Science and Technology Innovation Park, this idle building a few years ago has become a base camp for the transformation of scientific and technological innovation achievements.
Since its birth in May last year, TFI Higher Education Science and Technology Innovation Park (hereinafter referred to as "Tiankai Park") has taken the source of scientific and technological innovation, the incubator of scientific research achievements, and the gathering area of scientific and technological service resources as the three core positions.
There are more than 1,700 registered enterprises, the fund scale exceeds 6 billion yuan, and a number of incubation projects are industrialized...... After more than a year of hard work, the development model of "discipline + talent + industry" has been initially established, the channel of "often shaking hands and holding hands" between universities and industrial parks has become mature, and the transformation pattern of "one core, two wings and multiple points" has become increasingly clear, and Tiankai Park has become another new business card for the transformation of Tianjin's scientific and technological achievements.
Scientific research results are no longer "sleeping"
According to the data of the State Intellectual Property Office, the number of effective invention patents owned by universities and scientific research institutions in mainland China accounts for 25.3% of the effective invention patents owned in China, more than a quarter, but the patent industrialization rate of universities is only 3.5%, and a large number of scientific research achievements have become "sleeping achievements" in computers.
Tianjin is rich in scientific and educational resources, with more than 170 state-level institutes and domestic high-level R&D institutions, 56 colleges and universities, and more than 700,000 teachers and students.
This is a view of the integrated service center of Tiankai Park (taken on May 15, 2024). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ran
"We are entrepreneurial 'whites', and we really don't know how to open a company." Wang Yinsong, a professor at Tianjin Medical University, said that "it will not turn", which is the real idea of many scientific research workers.
Click on the official website of TFI Park, and you can clearly see the holding time of various entrepreneurship lectures and salons on the event calendar, from the TFI lecture hall taught by well-known entrepreneurs, the innovation salon held every month, and the matchmaking training courses held almost every week...... Under the all-round knowledge guidance system, many "entrepreneurial novices" have stepped out of the initial knowledge blind spot. In just over half a year, Wang Yinsong's team has completed the company registration to trial production, and is now planning the establishment of its own production line.
In the face of market demand, scientific research workers are often hesitant to move forward due to factors such as professional titles, "hats", and assessments, and "dare not transfer" restricts the first step of transformation.
"The horizontal projects that have landed in TFI Park can be recognized in the evaluation of professional titles." Fang Wei, deputy director of the Tianjin Science and Technology Bureau, said for example that from the beginning of the system design, TFI Park focused on breaking the shackles and launched a number of unique policies that were first tried in Tianjin.
The revenue share of the transformation of post scientific and technological achievements shall not be less than 75%, and the surplus funds of horizontal scientific research projects shall be encouraged to contribute to the transformation...... Recently, version 2.0 of the special support policy launched by TFI Park has once again summarized and optimized the experience of the past year, in order to break down the institutional obstacles to transformation.
The world's first tonnage mass production of covalent organic framework materials (COFs), the world's smallest microfluidic detector was born, and the first interventional brain-computer interface test was successfully ...... Over the past year, many scientific research achievements have blossomed in TFI.
At present, TFI Park has signed cooperation agreements with 17 university alumni associations, including Nankai University, Tianjin University and Tianjin Polytechnic University, to smooth the "handshake" channel between universities and the park, and promote the transformation of more scientific and technological achievements of colleges and universities into TFI Park. Among them, 69 scientific and technological achievements of the National Key Laboratory, Haihe Laboratory and other laboratories have settled in TFI Park.
The "valley of death" is gradually crossed
Proof of concept and small-scale pilot test are the key steps before formal industrialization, but due to the high cost and almost no benefits, it is the most "thankless" stage, and many achievements stop here, forming a "valley of death".
Gesang Chuangfu (Tianjin) Proof-of-Concept Management Co., Ltd. is a proof-of-concept center introduced by TFI Park focusing on the transformation of scientific research in universities. Xu Xinyuan, chairman of the company, said: "What we have done is to make up for the shortcomings of experts and scholars in addition to their scientific research capabilities, and help enterprises to pass the small-scale and medium-scale test stage and achieve 'from 1 to 10'." ”
Permaculture was one of the first beneficiaries. Liu Zhaohui, general manager of the company, said that Gesang Chuangfu Company verified their technical route and business route, with a technical valuation of 150 million yuan, and tailored a set of industrialization plans.
In the conference room of TFI Plaza in TFI Park, students from Tianjin University of Technology who participated in the "TFI Cup" Chuangjujinmen National College Student Intelligent Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge are defending (photo taken on May 14, 2024). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Zishuo
The technical route is feasible, where is the product landed? In the face of the doubts of the next link of the enterprise, Tiankaiyuan also made an answer.
In October 2023, TFI Development Group and 12 key enterprises in Tianjin's industrial chain initiated the establishment of TFI Application Scenario Alliance, which was joined by Tianjin Food Group, Tianjin Tourism Group, Bohai Chemical and other state-owned enterprises in Tianjin.
"I didn't expect the market to respond so quickly." In April this year, focusing on folding technology, Bai Niao Zongheng Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. received an order of 90 million yuan, the company's head Zhao Ning told reporters that Tiankai Park has promoted products to a number of key state-owned enterprises, and the company has reached cooperation intentions with a number of large state-owned enterprises, including Tianjin Tourism Group.
Wang Yang, deputy general manager of TFI Development Group, said that by introducing various enterprises to provide entrepreneurial services, such as Gesang Chuangfu Company to provide proof of concept and a number of state-owned enterprises to open application scenarios, etc., we will strive to help scientific research achievements complete feasibility verification and market search. In the future, the park will also focus on building a small-scale pilot test base to promote a virtuous cycle in the form of revenue sharing.
Without capital, the enterprise is a tree without roots, so "finding money" for the enterprise is one of the key tasks of the park. Tianrun Hanyang Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., which is engaged in the research and development of nickel-based welding consumables, has obtained more than 9 million yuan of financing from funds, leasing, banks and other financial institutions. "The financing institutions of TFI Park are relatively more tolerant of the risk control of science and technology enterprises, do not require fixed assets or cash flow, and mainly rely on the evaluation of technology, which we have benefited from." He Jianjun, the head of the company, said.
Wang Yinsong's team, which is also a start-up team, has transformed the concept in the slide into a tangible product. Tracer reagent, handheld light source, a small iron box out of the laboratory, off the production line, it only took more than half a year. "At that time, there was only one idea for science and technology, and I got an angel round investment of 3 million yuan, which was unexpected." Wang Yinsong said that such trust urges them to make their products stronger and better.
Students from Tianjin Polytechnic University debugging the participating products in the "Tiankai Cup" National College Student Intelligent Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge in Tiankai Park (photo taken on May 14, 2024). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Zishuo
From the perspective of financial strength, Tianjin has given full play to the investment advantages of the government-led Haihe Industrial Fund of Funds, and the core area has set up TFI Seed Fund of 200 million yuan and Haihe Angel Fund of 300 million yuan. With the support of the parent fund, 250 million yuan of Lushihaihe Kunyu Fund was introduced, and the 5 billion yuan of Tiankai Jiu'an Haihe Begonia Science and Technology Innovation Fund of Funds was also subscribed, and the total scale of the fund is planned to reach 10 billion yuan in 2024.
Wang Yang said that through the introduction of various entrepreneurial service enterprises, TFI Park strives to create a "full life cycle" business incubation service. In the past year, there have been 225 science and technology finance and technology service institutions in TFI Park, and a number of equity investment institutions such as Beiyang Begonia Fund, Xinkaihu Fund, and government angel investors have solved the problem of "money bags" for start-ups.
Empower cities to go both ways
The core area has grown from an unfinished building to a highland of science and technology, with a large number of idle assets in the "two wings and multiple points" being revitalized, and high-quality resources from outside the territory continue to converge...... The development process of TFI Park is also the epitome of the mutual empowerment of scientific and technological innovation resources and urban development.
Changxing Energy Storage, the first batch of battery development companies to settle in, is a vivid case of linkage. The company has completed the incubation and development in the core area and started the pilot test in the expansion area. "In the industrialization stage, we have received 20 million yuan per year from Xiqing District for five consecutive years." Yan Zhenhua, the head of the enterprise and an associate researcher at the School of Chemistry of Nankai University, said.
Liang Hongsheng, director of the Science and Technology Bureau of Xiqing District, Tianjin, introduced that as the "two wings" of the transformation of achievements, Xiqing District has revitalized more than 200,000 square meters of vacant carriers. Zhu Yubing, director of the Tianjin Science and Technology Bureau, said that through the implementation of the concept of urban renewal and the revitalization of idle buildings, the construction cost has been reduced and the construction period has been shortened. Nankai District, where the core area of Tiankai Park is located, is also expected to expand 100,000 square meters of carriers this year.
Wang Yang said that the "two wings and multiple points" composed of Jinnan District and Xiqing District in Tianjin provide a large number of transformation carriers, covering factories, office buildings and other forms, providing solid conditions for the transformation of achievements. In the process of practice, the transformation of some projects has also extended to Ninghe, Wuqing, Binhai High-tech Zone and other regions, forming a multi-point "large park" form.
Tianjin Baima Planet Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., a Beijing-based company, debugs digital human products in its office in Tiankai Plaza, Tiankai Park, May 15, 2024. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ran
"Tiankai Park will radiate a wider range in the future." Fang Wei said. According to the data, among the newly registered enterprises in Tiankai Park, there are 128 enterprises from Beijing and 78 enterprises from Hebei, accounting for 12% in total.
The phase change energy storage R&D company from Beijing, Brain, was introduced by Tianrun Hanyang, "which not only realized industrialization, but also gained the attention of Hebei, and played a radiation role in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region." Kong Fanhua, the person in charge of Brainstorm, said.
Tianjin, which is positioned as a national advanced manufacturing R&D base, will also better play its due role in the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei with the help of high-quality platforms such as Tiankai Park.
"The path of R&D in Beijing and transformation in Tianjin has gradually gone through." Recently, Tianrun Hanyang Company has also built a factory in Ninghe District, which will be put into operation soon. He Jianjun said that he is a practitioner and beneficiary of the combination of Beijing's scientific and technological innovation advantages and Tianjin's advanced manufacturing R&D advantages.
At present, in the fields of new energy, new materials, artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, biomedicine, brain engineering, etc., TFI Park has formed a certain agglomeration advantage. In 2024, TFI Park will strive to cultivate 20 enterprises with listing potential.
"In the future, TFI Park will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Zhongguancun and other domestic advanced parks, normalize the docking of Beijing's innovation resources, and deepen cooperation with Peking University, Tsinghua University and other universities to create a 'happy land' for entrepreneurs." Zhu Yubing said. (ENDS)