​Dassault Systèmes, a French multinational software corporation, recently opened its Greater China 3DEXPERIENCE Lab in Shanghai, marking the launch of its fifth global and first Chinese innovation lab.

At the opening ceremony, CEO Pascal Daloz expressed confidence that the Shanghai lab would incubate over 1,000 innovative enterprises in its first year, matching the scale of the company's existing lab in the United States.

Additionally, Dassault Systèmes plans to establish a venture capital fund by the year-end to support local innovative enterprises in China.

Reasons for investment

The decision to invest in Shanghai reflects China's leading role, particularly that of the city, in the widespread application of artificial intelligence. Daloz emphasized China's technological foundation and energy advantages, highlighting the country's potential to lead global AI development and make significant breakthroughs in the field.

The newly launched Shanghai lab is open to startups in various sectors such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, new materials, and green energy, aiming to accelerate local innovation and research and development cycles.

Daloz stressed the importance of focusing on physical industries and deep technology rather than solely software projects, citing the example of electric vehicles, where Dassault Systèmes predicted the industry's transition to electrification 25 years ago.

Another advantage of Shanghai is its thriving low-altitude economy, where Dassault Systèmes' global expertise in aerospace can support local startups with design tools and technical knowledge. The Shanghai lab will deploy expert teams to assist in the testing and innovation of new products, especially in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles that use solar energy to reduce weight and increase flight altitude.

Prospects of development

The Shanghai lab sets itself apart from other global labs by focusing on achieving scalable growth. While the company's lab in France could only empower 100 startups a decade ago, the Shanghai lab aims to incubate over 1,000 enterprises in its first year, with Daloz envisioning a future where the lab could support over 10,000 businesses.

Daloz highlighted Shanghai's innovative energy, rich talent pool, and strong industry focus as key factors that attracted Dassault Systèmes to the city. He emphasized the importance of collaboration within an ecosystem, capitalizing on Shanghai's industry strengths in sectors such as biomedicine to foster a synergistic innovation environment that integrates production, academia, and research.

For Dassault Systèmes, the establishment of the Shanghai lab represents more than just an investment. It symbolizes a mutually beneficial relationship where both the company and local businesses can thrive and support each other. With strong revenue growth in the Chinese market, Dassault Systèmes is committed to expanding its investments in Shanghai and enhancing its competitive edge.

Source: Shanghai Observer