Several Measures for Accelerating Frontier Technology Innovation and Future Industries Cultivation

With a view to accelerating innovation in frontier technologies and cultivation of future industries, and establishing several future industrial clusters that are notable for their strong capacity for innovation and radiating influence, these Measures are formulated to build Shanghai into a world-leading hub for future industries.

Ⅰ. Focusing on Key Development Fields

Future industries shall be strategically planned and precisely cultivated by focusing on key domains—including future manufacturing, future information technologies, future materials, future energy, future space exploration, and future health—while taking into account existing industrial foundations and resource endowments. The development of emerging fields such as cell and gene therapy, brain-computer interfaces, bio-manufacturing, and embodied intelligence shall be actively promoted, with a strategic focus on cost reduction, improved accessibility, and the establishment of robust industrial ecosystems to accelerate product engineering and large-scale industrialization. Growth in fourth-generation semiconductors, silicon-based photonics, sixth-generation mobile communications (6G), and brain-inspired intelligence shall be expedited through targeted support for optimized product design, expanded application scenarios, and market validation, alongside accelerated research and development of prototypes and experimental samples. Strategic investment in quantum technologies, controlled nuclear fusion, and regenerative medicine shall be intensified, prioritizing the resolution of critical technical challenges, convergence of viable technical pathways, and product R&D or feasibility verification for technical solutions.

II. Strengthening Support for Critical Links

1. Accelerating Breakthroughs in Frontier and Disruptive Technologies. Proactively capture global trends in technological innovation and industrial development, with a strategic focus on high-risk, high-value scientific challenges to accelerate the deployment and implementation of frontier disruptive technology initiatives. Establish a screening mechanism for non-consensus projects and enhance support for cross-disciplinary technological convergence and innovation. Through professional project management teams, attract and support world-leading scientists and entrepreneurs possessing core intellectual property rights to conduct frontier and disruptive technology research in Shanghai.

2. Enhancing Breakthroughs in Key and Core Technologies. Empower project management teams to develop product-oriented cultivation strategies and targeted action plans in key technological domains. Organize joint research efforts by mobilizing national strategic scientific and technological forces, innovative technology enterprises, and other stakeholders to jointly deal with key challenges while implementing milestone-driven, full life-cycle project management and dynamic optimization mechanisms. Strategically design municipal-level major science and technology special programs for priority research areas, providing support through direct funding, capital injection, and other appropriate instruments.

3. Accelerating Incubation and Commercialization of Innovation Achievements. Support the establishment and operation of high-quality incubators, with funding of up to 20 million yuan provided in accordance with relevant provisions. Encourage high-quality incubators to collaborate with universities, research institutes, and technology enterprises to strengthen professional service capabilities, improve functional service systems, and establish proof-of-concept (POC) funds. Support the establishment of professional service platforms and institutions such as proof-of-concept platforms, pilot testing platforms, and generic technology R&D platforms, with funding of up to 30 million yuan provided in accordance with relevant provisions.

III. Vitalizing Enterprise Innovation

4. Fostering and Developing Science and Technology Innovation Enterprises. Support ecosystem-leading technology enterprises in future industries to strategically plan new growth tracks and accelerate investment in and incubation of innovation entities in future industries. Focus on key development areas and provide targeted support to ecosystem-leading technology enterprises with substantial investment in innovation, strong industry influence, and significant leading effects in accordance with relevant provisions. Support technology innovation enterprises in continuously increasing investment in basic research and strengthening technological reserves, with a one-time subsidy of up to 10 million yuan provided as stipulated.

5. Optimizing the Growth Ecosystem for Technology Enterprises. Establish a tiered cultivation system for innovative enterprises in future industries covering the startup, growth, and maturity stages. Accelerate the introduction and cultivation of technology enterprises with core technologies and innovation capabilities and support the growth and expansion of small and medium-sized technology enterprises, specialized and sophisticated SMEs, high-growth technology enterprises, and high-tech enterprises. Support the scaling up of eligible enterprises from small to above-designated size or from above-designated to advantaged size with a one-time grant of up to 500 thousand yuan in accordance with relevant provisions. Offer targeted financial support for their key stages such as increasing R&D expenditure, expanding R&D and production scale, and facilitating the commercialization of new technologies and products.

IV. Constructing High-Level Industrial Clusters

6. Building Future Industrial Clusters. Based on the development potential and scale of key industries, the municipal and district authorities shall jointly establish future industrial clusters characterized by highly concentrated industrial resources, highly efficient and closely integrated industrial collaboration, a well-developed innovation ecosystem, advanced infrastructure, and a comprehensive governance system. Eligible entities developing future industry clusters may receive up to 20 million yuan in support in accordance with relevant provisions. Support shall be extended to innovation entities in key fields to organize flagship academic-industrial exchanges and high-profile competition events with global influence. Additionally, technology innovation enterprises or institutions shall be supported in hosting industry-recognized innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives in future industries, as well as participating in or organizing participation in major overseas exhibitions. Eligible enterprises or institutions may receive funding support covering up to 50% of relevant costs in accordance with relevant provisions.

7. Establishing National-Level Future Industry Pilot Zones. Centered on the development of future industry clusters, strategic planning shall be advanced to establish national-level pilot zones for future industries. These pilot zones shall be supported to focus on the main directions of future industry development, and to research and formulate specialized policies tailored to industrial growth. Municipal and district authorities shall collaborate to provide support in areas such as the establishment of industrial funds, breakthroughs in key technologies, the implementation of major projects, and the recruitment and cultivation of core talent. Additionally, districts shall be encouraged to explore unique development models for future industries, accelerate the introduction and cultivation of high-level future industry innovation teams, build a number of high-level innovation platforms, and generate a batch of strategic scientific and technological achievements that contribute to future competitive advantages.

Ⅴ. Optimizing Core Factor Allocation

8. Accelerating the Application of Innovative Products. In government procurement, measures such as mandatory procurement, priority procurement, first-order procurement, and the issuance of demand standards shall be implemented in accordance with laws, rules and regulations. These Measures aim to support the large-scale application of eligible innovative products across multiple fields, thereby promoting their adoption and iterative upgrades. To further support emerging future industries, enhanced policy support is provided for the first set of equipment, first batch of products, and first version of software. Eligible innovative products are granted financial support of up to 30% of the contract value, with a maximum of 20 million yuan, in accordance with relevant provisions.

9. Intensifying Guidance of Application Scenarios. Encourage various entities to develop and open a batch of experimental verification, demonstration application, and large-scale commercial scenarios. Using the opening of application scenarios to drive the iterative upgrades of future technologies, maturation and finalization of future products, and innovative development of future industry enterprises. Proactively design and plan a series of high-value major application scenarios for future industries, building on major scientific and technological missions and key projects. Support various innovation entities in collaborating with government departments, enterprises, and public institutions to co-develop exemplary application scenarios for future industries. Provide up to eight million yuan in support for eligible scenario construction projects in accordance with relevant provisions.

10. Strengthening Multi-level Financial Support. Take advantage of the leverage effect and guiding role of fiscal funds to accelerate the establishment of a diversified investment system guided by government funding, driven by corporate investment, and supported by financial institutions. Utilize the Future Industry Fund as a strategic guide, adopting a "direct investment + sub-fund investment" model to build an investment and incubation ecosystem tailored to frontier disruptive innovation. Coordinate with project management teams to optimize investment layout and resource allocation. Continuously refine financial and fiscal support policies such as financing listing, premium subsidies, and loan interest discounts. Enhance full-cycle, diversified financial support for cultivating innovation enterprises in future industries, and support technology enterprises that achieve breakthroughs in key core technologies to secure listing and financing.

11. Improving Talent Recruitment, Development, and Incentive Systems. Recruit and cultivate multi-level talent teams to build "open innovation communities" and "entrepreneur alliances" for scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors, forming a multi-tiered exchange network. Support young scientists in incubating and commercializing research achievements, and collaborate with domestic and international institutions to promote cross-border talent exchanges and enhance innovation capabilities. Facilitate the inclusion of high-quality future industry enterprises into Shanghai's key institutions for talent recruitment initiatives. Provide up to 500 thousand yuan in support for core R&D personnel in key future industries in accordance with relevant provisions.

12. Encouraging Global Innovation Cooperation. Support the establishment of international innovation alliances in key future industries and actively participate in the formulation of international governance rules and technical standards. Support the research and development of international standards, intellectual property and other projects with industry influence, providing up to two million yuan in support for eligible projects as stipulated. Encourage domestic enterprises, research institutions, incubators, and related entities to deepen their participation in the global labor division for future industries. Facilitate the establishment of frontier technology innovation centers in Shanghai by multinational corporations and foreign institutions.

Ⅵ. Establishing a Dynamic Cultivation System

13. Setting up a Dynamic Identification, Evaluation, and Adjustment Mechanism. Leverage the Science and Technology Strategic Decision Advisory Committee and domain-specific expert panels in key fields to regularly forecast and evaluate emerging industrial priorities, providing ongoing strategic advisory input. Continuously keep up with global advancements in frontier technologies, and persistently monitor and evaluate future industry development trends. Identify and select priority areas for future industry development, compare and optimize technology pathways, and promptly adjust and refine the strategic layout.

14. Establishing a "Four-in-One" Cultivation Mechanism. A "four-in-one" future industry cultivation mechanism shall be established, comprising project management teams assuming major responsibility, breakthroughs in key task lists, empowerment by future industry funds, and support from future industry clusters. The Municipal Commission of Science and Technology and other relevant departments shall establish project management teams to implement a full-lifecycle project management mechanism led by project managers. In response to the technological innovation and development needs of future industries, project management teams shall be supported in developing a precise, efficient, coordinated, and integrated industrial policy toolkit. Key task lists shall be formulated to advance the development of signature products, ensure supply chain resilience, drive major project investments, construct critical platforms, attract high-priority talent, and implement institutional reforms. An industrial ecosystem network shall be built with future industry funds serving as the driving force, while spatial development shall be anchored in future industry clusters zones to promote the formation and growth of industrial clusters.

15. Enhancing Overall Coordination. The Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, in coordination with the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the Municipal Bureau of Finance, the Municipal Commission of Education, the Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the Municipal Talent Bureau, the Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, and Shanghai State-owned Capital Investment Co., Ltd,, shall collaboratively advance the cultivation of future industries in accordance with their respective functional responsibilities. Efforts are underway to explore the establishment of a robust regulatory sandbox mechanism to accelerate the reform and innovation of a future industry regulatory system that encourages innovation and embraces flexibility and inclusiveness. Furthermore, mechanisms are being established and refined to promote the development of future industries and to ensure a seamless relay in the cultivation and advancement of strategic emerging industries.

These Measures shall be effective as of September 26, 2025, and remain in force until September 25, 2030. In case of any overlap with other municipal policies, the principle of "choosing the more applicable, implementing the higher standard, and avoiding duplication" shall prevail.