Shanghai's Pudong New Area has launched a sweeping package of 15 new measures to support young talent in innovation and entrepreneurship. The initiative includes 1 million square meters of low-rent apartments and another 1 million square meters of subsidized startup space.

The policy package targets recent graduates and young professionals in key industries with affordable housing, startup incentives, and expanded career opportunities.

Newly launched sci-tech projects led by young talent can enjoy subsidized rent — no more than 1 yuan ($0.14) per square meter per day — for a certain area of space, for up to three years.

Young professionals with a bachelor's degree or higher from a global top 500 university or a "Double First-Class" university in China who graduated within the past three years and have worked in Pudong's key sectors are eligible for subsidized rental apartments. Monthly rent will be capped at 2,000 yuan for up to three years.

Transitional startup space and short-term accommodation will also be provided free of charge for up to six months.

Pudong will also launch a new initiative to connect top university students and recent graduates with leading employers, including more than 300 recruitment events per year. These will offer over 100,000 jobs and 10,000 internships across strategic industries.

PhD graduates in STEM fields from top global universities or China's "Double First-Class" universities who start working in Pudong within two years of graduation may be eligible for a one-time housing subsidy of 100,000 yuan. Full-time postdoctoral researchers will benefit from a full range of support in research, employment, and housing.

The district will further upgrade the Pearl Project (明珠计划), a high-level talent program designed to attract top-tier young professionals at the forefront of science and technology. Those selected for the Pearl Summit Talent track may receive up to 7 million yuan in personal and team funding, along with project subsidies of up to 100 million yuan.

To improve quality of life, more than 20 young talent communities will be created, combining spaces for living, working, training, and social interaction.

Source: Pudong New Area government