Innovation spurring cluster for high-end medical devices

A cluster of high-end medical device manufacturers is taking shape in Beijing's Changping district, as the capital steps up efforts to strengthen domestic innovation and reduce reliance on imported technologies.

The Champion Bio has rapidly evolved into a key hub for high-end medical devices, precision medicine, new drug development and biotechnology, with a focus on three core segments — advanced equipment, high-value medical consumables and efficient diagnostics.

Aligned with trends including digitalization, intelligent technologies and personalized healthcare, the park is building an industrial framework covering emerging fields such as brain-inspired intelligence, implantable devices and medical aesthetics equipment, while strengthening clinical application as a key driver of innovation.

Inside the park, research centers and production facilities house a growing number of technology-driven companies. Among them is TowardPi Medical, whose core technologies originated from Tsinghua University and were incubated through its research institutes.

The company has developed a full range of high-end ophthalmic equipment, including optical coherence tomography systems and surgical microscopes. Its OCT products have been installed in more than 1,000 units domestically over four years, with market share ranking among the top in China.

The products have also been exported to over 50 countries and regions, gaining traction in markets such as Germany, Italy, France and Singapore.

Wang Yingqi, cofounder and general manager of TowardPi Medical, said the company began overseas sales in 2024 and recorded more than $10 million in international revenue in 2025, with about 70 percent coming from European markets.

"Our growth is driven by technological innovation rather than low-price competition," Wang said. "In key performance indicators such as scanning speed, imaging depth and coverage, our products have reached leading levels globally."

Nearby, New Cloud Medical is focusing on innovative devices targeting chronic pain and neurostimulation.

The company has built an integrated research model combining clinical expertise, materials science and algorithm development, with products covering minimally invasive procedures and implantable stimulation systems.

Some of its core products, including an AI-powered closed-loop spinal cord stimulation system, aim to break foreign technological monopolies and offer more precise and effective treatment options for patients.

In addition to the two companies, more than 40 enterprises have already settled in the park, covering multiple segments of the medical device industry and forming an initial industrial cluster.

"With a dense network of upstream and downstream resources, ranging from manufacturing to contract research organization services as well as contract development and manufacturing organization services, we can access key support quickly within the park and its surrounding areas, significantly reducing resource acquisition costs," Wang added.

The park is not only a space for industrial development, but also a testing ground for new institutional approaches, said a representative from the operator. "By introducing innovation service stations and transformation platforms, we are helping companies shorten the path from laboratory research to clinical application."

Medical device development is typically marked by long cycles and complex approval processes. To address these challenges, the park has established specialized service platforms, including regulatory support mechanisms and contract manufacturing services, to accelerate commercialization.

The industrial ecosystem extends beyond medical devices. In the Life Science Park, also in Beijing's Changping district, the Synthetic Biology Manufacturing Acceleration Center has been launched to bridge the gap between research and industrialization.

Built in collaboration with foreign companies and research institutes, the platform provides high-throughput strain screening, mass spectrometry testing and biomanufacturing services.

"We aim to build a 'fast track' for the transformation of scientific achievement," said Cheng Lulu, a representative of the center, adding that the platform targets key bottlenecks such as long research and development cycles and low conversion efficiency.

Meanwhile, at Xinyuan Science and Technology Park in Changping, more than 200 companies have clustered around applied optics and intelligent manufacturing — technologies increasingly seen as foundational to sectors including medical imaging, artificial intelligence and next-generation communications.

"Applied optics plays a role similar to 'eyes and nerves' in emerging industries," said Zhang Jia, an operations manager at the park. "By building a complete industrial chain, we can better support companies at different stages and foster coordinated development."