Beilun district and Ningbo National High-tech Industrial Development Zone were recently designated national innovation and entrepreneurship demonstration bases.

This means that there are now four national innovation and entrepreneurship demonstration bases in the city.

Ningbo is now home to 11 national entrepreneurship and innovation demonstration bases for small and micro businesses, 9 provincial entrepreneurship and innovation demonstration bases, 11 provincial engineering research centers, 26 science and technology business incubators at and above the municipal level, and 79 makerspaces at and above the municipal level.

Talents are the prime driving force for mass entrepreneurship and innovation. In recent years, Ningbo has showed strong results in expanding its talent pool.

The number of high-profile talent in the city has grown at an average rate of 18 percent annually due to the "3315 Series Plan", an initiative rolled out by local government to attract premium talent.

Ningbo has brought in 17,000 high-level overseas talents and 1,111 high-end talent projects over the past 10 years, official data show.

The city's Beilun district has established partnerships with 65 universities in 48 cities across the country. 

The CAS Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering has offered technical support to more than 800 domestic and foreign enterprises.

The Ningbo National High-tech Industrial Development Zone has rolled out preferential policies targeting high-tech companies. Each year, more than 1 billion yuan ($153.84 million) in subsidies or rewards will be given to over 1,000 eligible enterprises in the zone.