China's tech incubator network tops global rankings, spanning over 50 countries and regions

China has solidified its position as the world's largest technology incubator ecosystem, operating 16,000 innovation hubs that cover 95 percent of county-level regions nationwide, according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

MIIT said China's tech incubators now span over 50 countries and regions, forming one of the world's most extensive innovation networks, and these incubators have nurtured more than 300,000 tech firms in total, including more than 5,000 listed companies.

Notably, one-third of STAR Market-listed enterprises originated from these incubators, the ministry added.

Wei Wei, head of MIIT's science and technology department, said, "China's incubator system has entered a dual-track phase – scaling up while enhancing quality. Technology markets now rank among our most vital factor markets".

MIIT said China now has 33 national manufacturing innovation centers that have driven breakthroughs in 672 industry-critical technologies, generated 7,077 invention patents, and facilitated 690 technology transfers by end-2024.

The ministry said it will soon issue standardized incubator management regulations, cultivate provincial-level platforms aligned with regional strengths, and establish elite "ministry-level" incubators targeting frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, bio-pharmaceuticals and quantum information technologies.