Yunfei Road in the Hefei National High-Tech Industry Development Zone. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]

In the Hefei National High-Tech Industry Development Zone, a renowned stretch of road known as "Quantum Avenue" has gathered over 20 quantum enterprises that produce groundbreaking innovations such as the world's first quantum science experiment satellite, Mozi, and China's third-generation independent superconducting quantum computer, Origin Wukong.

China Speech Valley, China's first AI-oriented industrial park at the national level located in the zone, has pulled in AI companies such as iFlytek and Leinao. It is also the birthplace of a multi-billion-yuan AI industrial cluster including cognitive large models for communicating and meeting summaries, AI-assisted diagnostic tools for doctors at the grassroots level, and smart products that monitor equipment status using voiceprints.

The "touch-screens in the air" seen in sci-fi movies have become a reality in the zone. In the exhibition hall, medium-free air-suspended imaging technology captivates visitors. In hospitals, doctors can conduct zero-contact file reviews and equipment operations, reducing the risk of cross-infections. In residential communities, residents can operate garbage sorting stations by tapping virtual buttons in the air.

In recent years, the zone has focused on commercializing scientific and technological achievements and empowering industrial development. By emphasizing the commercialization of source technologies and optimizing services, the zone has accelerated project incubation. In 2024, the zone launched a cultivation program for emerging enterprises. The program provides comprehensive services encompassing source innovation, achievement commercialization, technological incubation, and industrial acceleration, aiming to increase the number of emerging firms in the zone to over 3,000 by 2026.

Hefei Institute of Technology Innovation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the Hefei National High-Tech Industry Development Zone. [Photo/WeChat account: hefeigaoxinfabu]

The zone is also home to several key research institutions, including the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China and Hefei Institute of Technology Innovation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. These institutions are bolstering Hefei's capacity for scientific and technological innovation. Major sci-tech infrastructure projects, including the National Engineering Laboratory for Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology and Application (NEL-BITA) and Hefei Advanced Computing Center, have also established operations in the zone.

Currently, the zone boasts over 400 R&D platforms and institutions, with many reaching provincial or national levels. The zone has established a special working group for the Grand Union of Innovation to support the commercialization of cutting-edge technologies. This initiative aims to fuel innovation by tapping into the creativity of local scientific researchers and fostering the growth of new talent and projects.

The zone also regularly hosts activities focusing on identifying market needs and scenario planning. These events help build a database for products and services in need and encourage integrated innovation across industries and among businesses of different sizes.

As of July, the zone had accumulated more than 20,000 invention patents, with nearly 300 high-value patents per 10,000 people — among the top in the country.

By promoting the coordinated development between the sci-tech sector and industries, the Hefei National High-Tech Industry Development Zone is fostering new quality productive forces and nurturing innovative ideas into new achievements and successes.