The Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone has actively expanded its network of national-level research institutions in recent years, establishing key national platforms including the National Laboratory for Quantum Information Sciences and the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory. These have been part of the zone's effort to create a comprehensive innovation system encompassing national laboratories, provincial research institutes, large scientific facilities, and interdisciplinary research platforms.

The zone has so far attracted over 20 new-type research institutions led by prestigious universities, including Wuhan University and Fudan University. More than 100 enterprises, such as iFlytek and Sungrow Power, operate nearly 160 R&D centers at or above the provincial level.

As of July, the zone had accumulated 20,830 valid invention patents, with 299 high-value patents per 10,000 people, placing it among the top regions nationwide for patent output.

The zone has also made strides in linking technological and industrial innovation, with a growing number of breakthroughs transitioning from lab research to commercial applications.

The zone has established a task force for the Grand Union of Innovation, which targets domestic and international projects for commercialization. As a result, it has helped incubate 60 technological firms, formed 14 global partnerships, and launched three new-type research institutions.

QuantumCTek, for example, has produced five generations of quantum-secured communication devices, each more compact and powerful than the last.

"Our core technology is now fully commercialized, supporting applications requiring quantum information security," said an expert in the company. As of July, the company had held 550 authorized patents, leading the world in quantum communication patent families.

The high-tech zone's efforts to foster innovation extend beyond quantum tech. It has also promoted innovation regarding application scenarios, aligning technological breakthroughs with market demand. It has established the province's first intellectual property industrial operations center, identifying 101 patent commercialization needs of enterprises and facilitating 18 enterprises to reach 60 open patent licenses.

Through these initiatives, the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone is positioning itself as a hub in driving the commercialization of disruptive technologies and fostering research achievements into new quality productive forces.