ZGC Forum: Foreign Investors Eye Innovation Engagement - ExBulletin

The ZGC forum has become a key platform for foreign investors to explore opportunities in China's burgeoning science and technology sector. The NeuCyber Array BMI system, developed by the China Brain Research Institute (Beijing) and NeuCyber NeuroTech (Beijing) Co., is one of the many innovative technologies that have been showcased at this event. 
 
China's commitment to promoting unicorn enterprises—start-ups valued over $1 billion—was one of the major talking points at Sunday’s sub-forum. Wang Dehua from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed that corporate R&D spending exceeded 90 billion yuan ($12.68 billion) in 2023 within startup incubators alone. 
 
Over 250,000 companies will have graduated from these incubators by 2023, with more than 5,000 becoming listed companies, a quarter of which are listed on the Science, Technology, and Innovation Board, according to Wang Dehua. He also stated that entrepreneurial teams had reached an impressive count of around 700,000 people in China as of last year, creating nearly five million jobs. 
 
The strong growth trajectory exhibited by Chinese tech firms has attracted attention worldwide. Darren Howell from Springer Nature Research Intelligence expressed optimism about investing in China’s tech market due to its clear evidence of being highly attractive for foreign investment. 
 
Vladimir Norov too echoed similar sentiments, praising China's rapid modernization and industrialization process, which took centuries elsewhere but was achieved within a few decades here. He highlighted how advanced levels in AI, quantum computing, cloud computing, and robotics made it an irresistible destination for global investors. 
 
The Europe-based Steinbeis Foundation is another active participant seeking investment opportunities during this forum. Johan Rehn, the former chairman, spoke about their keen interest in Chinese markets, especially Beijing, likening it to world headquarters like New York or Berlin when it comes to high-tech sectors such as AI and robotics. 
 
In February, Steinbeis established its subsidiary there, signing an agreement with the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission. It plans to focus on the health, green energy, and digital healthcare sectors, with further participation in the development of science, technology, and innovation. 
 
Li Daokui from Tsinghua University also emphasized China’s favorable conditions for unicorn companies’ growth, such as high capital stock, large R&D investments, and a continuously improving policy environment. 
 
In conclusion, the ZGC forum has proven itself to be a crucial platform for international investors looking to tap into China's thriving tech sector. With its commitment to fostering start-ups and promoting scientific innovation, along with an increasingly favorable policy environment and large-scale investment in R&D efforts, it is clear that the country is set on leading global advancements in these fields. 
 
As technologies like the NeuCyber Array BMI system continue to emerge from this dynamic ecosystem, more foreign entities are likely to be attracted to investing in Chinese markets, reinforcing its position as one of the world's top destinations for technological advancement and commercialization.