Hangzhou strengthens innovation with AI and Tech initiatives

China’s tech hub, Hangzhou strengthens innovation with AI and Tech initiatives.

The eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, known as a technology hub and home to major companies like Alibaba and AI startup DeepSeek, has introduced new measures to strengthen its position as an innovation center.

These initiatives focus on improving high-level innovation platforms, advancing technology transfer, and reinforcing the role of enterprises as key drivers of technological progress, according to Lou Xiuhua, head of the municipal science and technology bureau.

One of the key policies includes a partnership program aimed at fostering collaboration between tech innovation platforms, universities, businesses, and industrial chains to accelerate technological advancements.

To support innovation, the city will fast-track infrastructure projects, including large-scale computing models, and expand access to computing power resources. Additional computing power vouchers will be issued to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) reduce costs while leveraging AI and digital technologies.

These vouchers, a government subsidy initiative, aim to make computing resources more affordable for SMEs, fostering AI-driven innovation and digital transformation.

Hangzhou also plans to roll out an “AI+” initiative to promote artificial intelligence applications across different industries. Additionally, a reform will be introduced to facilitate the commercial use of technological research, allowing universities and institutions to license their innovations to SMEs on a “use first, pay later” basis.

As the capital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou has established itself as a leading hub in internet and technology sectors, driving advancements in e-commerce, AI, and digital transformation.