New platforms to turn science into goods: report

BEIJING - The administrative committee of Zhongguancun science park plans to offer money and workspace for enterprises to operate 10 platforms with an aim to commercialize scientific research findings, Friday's China Daily reported.

A string of measures have been published by the committee and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to help add technology to products, as part of an effort to make Beijing a center of innovation.

Zhao Huijun, deputy director of the committee, said that Zhongguancun will build these commercialization platforms by providing subsidies for talent, hardware facilities and workspace this year.

"The platforms will hire professionals to assess the scientific findings, apply for patents and conduct market research," Zhao was cited as saying by the report.

The Beijing government and Zhongguancun, known as Beijing's Silicon Valley, have been supporting startups and high-tech research organizations through preferential policies.

"I feel very grateful to everyone involved," said Chen Tianshi from the CAS Institute of Computing Technology. "Thanks to their help, our technology and findings didn't stay on paper but were put into products."

Chen is also CEO of Cambricon Technologies Corp, a startup on artificial intelligence and AI chips.

He said that his company started research and development on AI chips two years ago. Now their products are inserted into millions of mobile phones.

"I'm glad we used the technology to serve the public," he added.

By the end of this year, the CAS and Zhongguancun will set up a database for scientific research results, which will be used for further selection and commercialization.