​3 Ningbo districts recognized nationally for innovation capability

An Oriental Cable workshop in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

Three districts in Ningbo - Yinzhou, Beilun, and Haishu - have recently been recognized for their exceptional innovation capability, securing positions at 27th, 49th and 73rd place, respectively, on the 2024 list of the top 100 districts in China.

The report, released by CIID Consulting Co Ltd affiliated with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, conducted a comprehensive assessment of innovation capability across over 900 districts nationwide, excluding those overseen by municipalities directly under the central government, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and national-level new areas.

The assessment was based on four primary indicators: innovation ecology, innovation force, innovation entities, and innovation accomplishments. These indicators further encompassed 16 secondary indicators, such as GDP, R&D investment, as well as the number of first-class universities, invention patents, high-tech enterprises, and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises.

Inclusion in this list underscores the escalating innovation capability of the three districts within Ningbo, highlighting their potential for the development of new quality productive forces.

In 2023, Yinzhou district achieved a GDP of 280.33 billion yuan ($38.75 billion), securing the top position in Ningbo. A total of 9,126 patents were granted throughout the year, including 1,531 invention patents. The cumulative number of national science and technology small and medium-sized enterprises reached 1,008, ranking first in the city. Additionally, there were a total of 10 national maker spaces and four national-level business incubators, contributing to a total annual technology transaction volume of 9.98 billion yuan. 

During the same year, Beilun achieved a GDP of 272.92 billion yuan, the second highest in the city. The district also saw the total count of high-tech enterprises exceed 670, with 601 national science and technology small and medium-sized enterprises on record. In 2023, Haishu was home to a total of 550 national high-tech enterprises.