Province makes practical use of scientific breakthroughs

Heilongjiang province has made great strides in seeking innovation-driven growth and transforming scientific achievements into industrial output since last year, according to a recent Xinhua News Agency report.

The province, home to more than 700 scientific research institutions and 80 universities, saw 22 projects granted national scientific awards last year.

In the past, the provincial government had a pattern of failing to transform scientific achievements into industrial output, but that is a thing of the past. This May, a venture investment conference for high-tech industries was held in the capital Harbin. The event offered financial support for 818 scientific achievements with high expectations for industrial use.

Six high-tech enterprises, including the Daqing-based Huatuo Digital Technology Corp, signed investment agreements worth 90 million yuan ($14 million) with nine investment companies.

The province has also launched nine high-tech venture capital funds worth 5.35 billion yuan through cooperation with several domestic investment institutions.

The Heilongjiang Industrial Technology Research Institute, founded in 2009, has been exploring how to effectively transform scientific achievement into industrial output in recent years.

The institute has provided one-stop services to nearly 60 projects and is expected to help create more than 100 high-tech enterprises in the next three years, said Lu Zhongfeng, assistant to the president of the institute.

Many researchers and high-tech enterprises that used to rely on government funding are turning to diversified funding channels on the market.

"Research institutes should explore resources on the market and seek market-oriented development rather than expect the government to do all the work for them," Lu said.

Urging stronger teamwork

The provincial government has encouraged research institutes, universities and enterprises to work together on technological innovations.

In May of last year, Harbin Engineering University and the Harbin Tianbao Graphite Technology Co launched a new materials innovation center that conducted research on a heating radiator for LED lighting equipment.

"The laboratory of the center is located at the company's factory. We can work on research as required by the company and also pursue scientific breakthroughs according to our schedule," said Cao Dianxue, laboratory director and a professor at Harbin Engineering University.

The Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Sciences is offering 1,500 scientific achievements free of charge to local enterprises. Six enterprises recently signed 16 agreements with the academy.

The HIT Robot Group is another example of the trilateral cooperation.

The company, situated at the South Harbin Industrial City, was jointly founded by the Heilongjiang province, its capital Harbin and the Harbin Institute of Technology.

Advanced intelligent equipment technologies developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology have been used in the company's robotics.

Empowering the public

Heilongjiang has also worked out measures to encourage the public, especially university students, to start their own businesses since the beginning of the year.

The academic records of undergraduate students who choose to suspend their study and start their own businesses can be kept at the university for up to eight years, according to one of the regulations.

Song Chao, a student from Harbin Engineering University who invented a cloud security system that has since been used at 12306.cn, the official train ticket booking website, won the top prize of the first Internet Plus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Contest for University Students on Oct 20.

The company Song founded in 2012 has become one of the largest verification code service providers in China, with an annual revenue of more than 3 million yuan.

tianxuefei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/10/2015 page10)