The Haina Digital Innovation Center is widely known as an emerging Yangtze River Delta landmark that integrates green technology, smart function and service scenarios and an innovative ecosystem.

The center is located in the Zhenru area of Shanghai's Putuo district. With a total construction area of over 12,000 square meters, it combines research offices, exhibition spaces and event venues.

Research institutions — including the Shanghai Haina Academy of Engineering and the China Center of the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences that have settled in the center — are dedicated to exploring the building of urban intelligent public platforms.

With the center as its "smart brain", the small town of Haina is promoting the sharing of digital innovation resources in the Yangtze River Delta, alongside with Hangzhou city's Cloud Town and Wuxi city's Xuelang Town.

As Putuo's first green carbon-neutral building, the center is considered a benchmark in the eco-friendly, low-carbon sector. It taps techniques such as photovoltaic power generation — estimated to generate electricity of 128,800 kilowatt-hours annually, reducing carbon emissions by 54.5 metric tons.

"This is not just a laboratory for technological innovation, but also a model for sustainable urban development," noted Chen Xia, deputy chief planner of Shanghai's Zhenru subcenter.

The Lanxi Road block in Haina Town aims to provide an immersive consumer experience that will revitalize traditional culture with the application of augmented reality guidance and an intelligent management platform. Moreover, the digital advertising industry cluster in the area is helping to revive traditional industries.

"Big data and AI-generated content are reshaping the marketing ecosystem," said Lin Qinglin, East China CEO of Yuanlong Yato, a marketing services provider.

"In the future, digital humans and virtual short dramas will bring brands and consumers even closer," Lin added.

Between March and April, Putuo will launch the 2025 Shanghai Putuo Digital Economy Innovation Ecosystem Season, beginning with the inauguration of the Haina Digital Innovation Center.

Through three high-profile conferences, the event is designed to establish a complete ecosystem for "infrastructure construction, technology integration and industry implementation".

The conferences will focus on the circulation of data elements to promote data cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta, explore the paths of integrating digital technology and the real economy, and pool international resources to support the synergies between technology and industry.

In addition, the "People.cn-Putuo District 828 Data Hub" platform and a series of key projects on data innovation will be released.

Source: Putuo district government