

Shenzhen, an ideal place to start a career or business
From: Shenzhen Municipal Talent Affairs Bureau
In recent years, Shenzhen has established a whole-process innovation ecological chain that comes in the form of "basic research + technological breakthroughs + industrialization of achievements + fintech + talent support." It has been promoting the deeper integration of the innovation, industrial, and talent chains, aiming to become a magnet for all kinds of talented people from around the world.
Innovation: from 0 to 1
Reform and innovation have always served as the soul of Shenzhen. The city places a strong emphasis on scientific and technological innovation, and gathers innovative forces through an entrepreneurship platform with global appeal. Efforts will be made to strengthen basic research and frontier exploration, make new breakthroughs in international cooperation, continuously introduce new technologies, new products, new formats and new models, and accelerate the construction of sci-tech innovation centers with global influence.
Shenzhen's R&D expenditure and science and technology funding are both higher than the national average. In 2021, Shenzhen's total R&D spending was 168.2 billion yuan, accounting for 6.1% of the country's total and 42% of that in the province. In the same year, Shenzhen's science and technology research fund reached 13.4 billion yuan, which was mainly used to subsidize 24,000 projects in key fields, key links and major strategic platforms.
According to the Global Innovation Index 2022 released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou science and technology cluster ranks second in the world when it comes to comprehensive strength.
After more than 20 years of development, national high-tech industrial parks have become an important carrier for China's implementation of an innovation-driven development strategy, playing a crucial role in transforming the development mode, optimizing the industrial structure, and enhancing international competitiveness. After years of leapfrog development, Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park has fostered a next-generation electronic information industrial cluster with an annual output value of 1 trillion yuan, and cultivated a large number of innovative enterprises with international competitiveness and influence.
Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park ranked second among national high-tech zones in a comprehensive evaluation ranking released by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2021, and ranked first in the country in terms of continual innovation and comprehensive quality and efficiency. In 2021, Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park was home to 5,450 national high-tech enterprises, 63 national specialized and sophisticated enterprises that produce novel and unique products, and 16 single champions in the manufacturing industry. The high-tech park also boasted 167 companies that are listed on domestic and overseas stock markets, accounting for one-third of the city's listed companies.
The Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has formulated the measures for the administration of special plans for the development of Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park, aiming to guide and channel district-level fiscal funds, funds from enterprises and social capital into the construction and development of the park. This is of great significance in terms of creating an excellent innovation and entrepreneurship environment while also supporting the cultivation of 20 strategic emerging industries and eight future industries with a notable competitive edge and influence.
Key requirements:
The special fund is applicable under the following circumstances:
1) Enterprises, institutions of higher learning, research institutes, social organizations, and other agencies and organizations that were registered in Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park and have acquired the status of a legal entity, as well as enterprises operating in the industrial park in accordance with the law that have completed filing statistics with agencies including the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
2) Investment agencies that were registered in Shenzhen (including Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone) and have invested in enterprises registered or operating in Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park; companies and institutions that have helped sci-tech enterprises from outside of Shenzhen settle in the industrial park; as well as companies and agencies that are engaged in the park’s brand-building activities.
Policy benefits (partial):
1) Provide corresponding support to innovation platforms including proof-of-concept centers, as well as to pilot-scale testing bases and technology industrialization bases that were established in Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park, and which meet all the requirements. The specific support is as follows:
(1) The proof-of-concept centers engaged in project selection, technologicalverification, and commercial development will be subsidized up to 30 million yuan every year;
(2) The pilot-scale testing bases for the development and optimization of lab results, pre-production testing, and trial production services will get a subsidy of no more than 30 million yuan every year;
(3) The industrialization bases for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, scenario-based applications, and industrial production are eligible for a subsidy of up to 30 million yuan every year.
2) Provide corresponding support to sci-tech enterprise cultivation projects that are in line with the development direction of 20 strategic emerging industries and eight future industries. The specific support is as follows:
(1) Sci-tech enterprises whose R&D expenditure accounted for no less than 5% of the operating revenue, and whoseoperating revenue grew at a rate of no less than 20% from the previous year, will be subsidized up to 1 million yuan per year;
(2) For projects that have introduced sci-tech enterprises from outside of Shenzhen and have a paid-in capital of at least 100 million yuan and ranging up to 500 million yuan, the subsidy will be capped at 1 million yuan. The subsidy will be capped at 5 million yuan for projects with a paid-in capital of at least 500 yuan up to 5 billion yuan. The subsidy will be capped at 10 million yuan for projects with a paid-in capital of at least 5 billion yuan.
(3) For companies and institutions that have assisted the introduction of sci-tech enterprises from outside of Shenzhen to settle in Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park with a paid-in capital of at least 500 million yuan, the subsidy will be no more than 100,000 yuan for each sci-tech enterprise introduced. Meanwhile, the cumulative amount of the subsidy for each company and institution shall not exceed 1 million yuan per year.
3) Encourage investment institutions to finance the operations of seed-stage and other early-stage sci-tech enterprises in Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park through equity investments and other financial means. The specific support is as follows:
(1) For investment institutions that have invested in seed-stage and other early-stage sci-tech enterprises in Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park in the previous year, a single investment project can expect to get a maximum subsidy of 1 million yuan. The cumulative amount of the subsidy for each agency shall not exceed 5 million yuan every year in all industrial parks;
(2) For seed-stage and other early-stage sci-tech enterprises that received investments from investment institutions in the previous year, the subsidy will be no more than 1 million yuan.
Application methods:
The administrative committees of the campuses of Shenzhen Hi-tech Inudstrial Parkall plan project reserves in advance. They also establish a database of funded projects through a series of procedures such as issuing application guidelines, accepting project applications, expert reviews or special audits, andconducting inspections and verifications, and draft the implementation plans for the current year's fund distribution before submitting them to the municipal sci & tech authorities for approval.
Tel: 0755-88127569 (Administrative service hall)
2. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and maker teams can receive up to 200,000 yuan worth of sci-tech innovation vouchers every year
The Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has formulated the Implementation Measures on the Science and Technology Innovation Voucher Project, aiming to improve the innovation ecosystem, encourage enterprises and makers to get involved in scientific and technological innovation and entrepreneurship activities, and promote the open sharing of scientific and technological resources. The move has been widely acclaimed by small and medium-sized enterprises.
The sci-tech innovation voucher, which is an initiative of the administrative department for science and technology, enables technology-based micro, small and medium enterprises and maker teams to purchase services related to their innovation activities from service organizations. Enterprises and maker teams can apply for and use the vouchers, which help spur the rapid growth of small and medium-sized enterprises and stimulate their innovation vitality and development momentum.
Key requirements:
Enterprises or maker teams applying for innovation vouchers shall meet the following conditions:
1) They must be micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that were registered in Shenzhen or Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, have acquired the status of a legal entity, and meet the classification standards for small and medium-sized enterprises set by the central government. The maker teams shall be those that have settled in makerspaces registered or recognized at or above the municipal level;
2) R&D expenses should have been incurred in the previous year;
3) The purchased sci-tech services should be directly related to the R&D activities conducted;
4) There are no unusedamounts left in the innovation vouchers they received in the previous year;
5) They have an excellent track record in terms of the integrity of their scientific research.
The scope of services supported by the innovation voucher is as follows:
(1) Research and development services, mainly including industrial (product) design, integrated circuit design, technical solutions, pilot-scale testing and engineered development, and cloud computing;
(2) Technology transfer services, mainly including technology transfers and the transformation of sci-tech achievements;
(3) Inspection, testing and certification services, mainly including product inspection, index testing, product performance testing, and integrated circuit packaging testing;
(4) Intellectual property services, mainly including intellectual property agency and intellectual property search and analysis.
Policy benefits:
According to the types of companies and institutions making an application, different quotas are set for those hoping to receive innovation vouchers, among which the annual quota for medium-sized enterprises, small enterprises, micro enterprises, and maker teams is 200,000 yuan, 100,000 yuan, 50,000 yuan and 20,000 yuan, respectively.
Application procedure:
Innovation vouchers can only be used to purchase technology services registered by recognized service providers. The service agencies shall register the service content, and upload service agreements (contracts), payment invoices, and other materials to the Shenzhen Science and Technology Business Management System. After completion of the services, the service agencies shall apply to the municipal administrative department for science and technology to have the vouchers redeemed.
Scan the QR code to log in to the Shenzhen Science and Technology Business Management System at https://sticapply.sz.gov.cn/.
Tel: 0755-88127569 (administrative service hall)
3. An engineering technology research center in Shenzhen can be awarded up to 3 million yuan
At present, Shenzhen boasts three national manufacturing industry innovation centers, 33 national enterprise technology centers, six provincial manufacturing industry innovation centers, and one municipal manufacturing industry innovation center, having initially established a cultivation system comprising national, provincial, and municipal innovation centers to boost the high-quality development of the advanced manufacturing industry.
In order to accelerate the construction of enterprise R&D institutions, and establish and improve the technological innovation system in which enterprises play the leading role, the market points the way, and enterprises, universities and research institutes work together, the Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has formulated the Measures for the Identification and Operations Management of Municipal Engineering Technology Research Centers, and has established and funded said research centers. The city government's support will be focused on sectors like next-generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, green and low-carbon technology, biomedicine, digital economy, new materials, new energy, and the marine economy.
Key requirements:
(1) It should be a national high-tech enterprise registered in Shenzhen (including Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, the same as below) as an independent legal entity. Priority will be given to support large and medium-sized enterprises with products, technical level and comprehensive strength that are among the best in the same industry. In principle, supporting institutions that have undertaken the task of establishing a municipal engineering technology research center will not be identified for a second time;
(2) It should have a special R&D institution and be continuously investing in R&D. Its sales revenue in the previous year should be no less than 50 million yuan and its annual R&D expenditures in the past two years should be more than 10 million yuan;
(3) In the most recent two years, the total number of its authorized intellectual properties (including inventions, utility models, designs that do more than simply change the pattern and appearance of products, software copyrights, exclusive rights to integrated circuit layout designs, and new plant varieties) must notbe less than 15 (including no fewer than seven intellectual properties such as inventions, software copyrights, exclusive rights to integrated circuit layout designs, or new plant varieties);
(4)A municipal engineering technology center applying for establishment shall have a person in charge of management as well as a leader on technology. It should also have a certain number of full-time high-end researchers, who must not be affiliated with other provincial, ministerial and municipal sci-tech innovation carriers at the same time;
(5) It should have the conditions and infrastructure required for engineering technology testing, an R&D facility of more than 500 square meters, and apparatuses necessary for testing and analysis, as well as having all the necessary processing equipment (excluding production equipment). The original value of these apparatuses, equipment and special software must not be less than 7 million yuan (the corresponding original value fora software engineering center must not be less than 4 million yuan);
Policy benefits:
Applications that meet the requirements for recognition are to be determined on the basis of merit by the municipal administrative department for science and technology. According to the sum of the R&D expenses of the supporting institution in the previous two years, after deducting 50% of the financial subsidy for the same period, a subsidy of no more than 3 million yuan will be meted out after approval.
Application procedure:
Online application — preliminary review of application materials conducted by the municipal science, technology and innovation commission — expert review — on-site inspection — public review — examination and approval by the municipal science, technology and innovation commission — project registration.
Tel: 0755-88127569, 0755-88102234 (Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission)
4. Projects for achieving breakthroughs in core technologies can receive up to 30 million yuan in funding
The Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has formulated the Measures for the Administration of the Special System for Achieving Breakthroughs in Core Technologies in Shenzhen, aiming to create a flexible, efficient, and standardized special system for technology breakthroughs. Funding priority will be given to core technologies, key components, and major equipment related to the core competitiveness of industries and independent innovation capabilities, so as to strengthen cross-industry and cross-regional collaborative innovation.
Since the implementation of relevant projects, Shenzhen's independent innovation capability has been enhanced, and a number of sci-tech achievements with core independent intellectual property rights have been made, providing criticaltechnological support for building a global innovation-oriented city with outstanding competitiveness and influence.
Key requirements:
According to their different positioning, special projects for achieving technological breakthroughs are divided into four categories: general projects, key projects, major projects, and reward projects.
(1) General projects focus on strategic emerging industries and other scientific and technological fields, with special emphasis on key technologies and key components for industrial development.
(2) Key projects focus on strategic emerging industries, ecological progress, people's living standards, and other scientific and technological fields, with special emphasis on technological bottlenecks, key components, and high-end equipment
(3) Major projects focus on major applied research and major strategic product development, with special emphasis on key research into major technical systems, major projects, major equipment, and other important fields.
(4) Reward projects focus on supporting scientific research that meets the orientation of industrial development or the needs ofurgent public-benefitprojects in a more flexible way, and with practical utility being taken into account. All members of the public are welcome to participate in the projects and claim the rewards.
Policy benefits:
For eligible projects, the funding amount shall not be higher than 50% of the total projected costs, and according to the results of the project review, tiered funding will be implemented:
The amount of the subsidy for a single general project shall not exceed 5 million yuan;
The amount of funds for a single reward project shall not exceed 10 million yuan;
The amount of funding for a single key project shall not exceed 10 million yuan;
The amount of funds for a single major project shall not exceed 30 million yuan.
Subsidies for reward projects approved by the Shenzhen Municipal Government and major projects for achieving breakthrough in core strategic technologies are not subject to the above-mentioned restrictions.
Application method:
The applicant shall, in accordance with the requirements of said guidelines, submit the application, feasibility report, cooperation agreement, and other materials to the municipal administrative department for science and technology. The department shall then organize an initial review of any accepted projects. For projects that successfully passthis, an expert review will be organized in accordance with the relevant evaluation measures.
Tel: 0755-88127569 (Administrative service hall)
5. Up to 2 million yuan in subsidies for technology transfer and commercialization
In order to support thecommercialization of science and technology in Shenzhen and promote the greater integration of technology and industry, Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Commission has formulated its“Administrative Rules for Subsidizing Technology Transfer and Commercialization in Shenzhen.” Municipal research and development funds will be used to provide financial support to institutions that transfer technologyor undertake technology development, services and consultation, and to service agents for technology transfer as well as innovation verification centers established at institutes of higher learning.
In May 2021, the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Strategy Research and Technology Transfer Promotion Center was established. In 2022, 14,685 technology contracts were verified and registered in Shenzhen, totaling 157.6 billion yuan in contractual amounts. Technology transactions worth 134.7 billion yuan were verified, making up 34% of all technology transactions in Guangdong Province.
In 2022, Shenzhen planned to subsidize 153 projects through its technology transfer and commercialization (technology contracts) program with a budget of 52.34 million yuan. It also aimed to subsidize eight projects through its technology transfer and commercialization (technology transfer incubation) program with a budget of 6.532 million yuan. In 2022 the startup funding program in Shenzhen planned to subsidize 180 science and technology projects with 107.514 million yuan in total.
1) Technology contract subsidizing program
Main requirements:
Any party applying for a technology contract subsidy shall meet the following conditions:
(1)The applicant should be an enterprise, an institute of higher learning, a science and technology institute or a social organization registered as an independent legal entity in either Shenzhen or the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone;
(2)The applicant should be the seller or trustee in a technology contract including any technology transfer, technology development, technology service or technology consultation contract;
(3) Any aforementioned technology contract submitted by the applicant shall have been verified and registered in the previous year by a technology contract registration institute in Shenzhen, and shall not have already enjoyed turnover tax exemption. Multiple technology contracts meeting all the requirements may be combined in the application;
Policy benefits:
The subsidy will be given at up to 80% of the payable VAT for technology transaction income by the applicant in the previous year, not exceeding the VAT actually paid by the applicant in the previous year, with a cap of 2 million yuan.
Application procedures:
(1)Application form printed via the aforementioned system;
(2) Tax invoices and bank statements pertaining to technology contracts.
2) Subsidy program for technology transfer and incubation at institutes of higher learning
Main requirements:
An institute of higher learning applying for a subsidyfor technology transfer and incubation shall meet the following conditions:
(1) An institute of higher learning registered as an independent legal entity in Shenzhen or the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, or a technology transfer service agent or innovation verification center established by an institute of higher learning in Shenzhen and registered as an independent legal person;
(2) A technology transfer service agent shall have filed its information at the Shenzhen Technology Transfer Promotion Center, and shall still have a valid filing at the time of applying for the subsidy;
(3) A technology transfer agent or an innovation verification center shall have its full-time servicing staff or its own team of consultation experts. Such a team shall have sufficient staffing, knowledge and level of sophistication in order to provide professional technology transfer services;
(4) A technology transfer agent or an innovation verification center shall have independent budgeting and aseparate permanent office.
Policy benefits:
On the basis of technology transfer service fees paid by the applicant to a technology agent and an innovation verification center, an equal amount of subsidy shall be granted, with a cap of 1 million yuan.
Application procedure:
The applicant shall submit its application online through the Shenzhen Science and Technology Administrative Management System, and submit the following to municipal science and technology administrative authorities:
(1)An application form printed via the aforementioned system;
(2) The legal entity registration certificate or other incorporation documents of the applicant as a technology transfer agent or innovation verification center;
(3) Detailed list of social security payments (12 consecutive months),certificates of educational background and professional qualification of full-time employees at a technology transfer agent or an innovation verification center;
(4) Proof of property ownership registration or office leasing contracts of the office of a technology transfer agent or an innovation verification center;
(5) An audited report for technology transfer service fees paid to a technology transfer agent or an innovation verification center by an institute of higher learning in the previous year.
3) Subsidy program for facilitating technology transaction
Main requirements:
An applicant for the subsidy program for facilitating technology transaction shall meet the following conditions:
(1)The applicant should be an enterprise, an institute of higher learning, a science and technology institute or a social organization registered as an independent legal entity in Shenzhen or the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone;
(2) A technology transfer agent shall file its technology transfer service information at Shenzhen Technology Transfer Promotion Center, and shall still have a valid filing at the time of applying for the subsidy; a three-party technology contract involving the transferer and transferee (one or both parties of the transferer and transferee shall be based in Shenzhen) of a technology transaction shall have been signed in the previous year, verified and registered at an technology contract registration institute, and there shall be relevant clauses in the technology contract stipulating the technology transfer services rendered by the service agent;
Policy benefits:
A subsidy equivalent tothe actual technology transfer income of the applicant in the previous yearshall be given, with a cap of 500,000 yuan.
Application procedure:
The applicant shall submit theirapplication online through the Shenzhen Science and Technology Administrative Management System, and submit the following to municipal science and technology administrative authorities:
(1) An application formprinted via the aforementioned system;
(2) Corresponding tax invoices (including the technology transfer fees) and bank statements pertaining to technology contracts;
(3) An audited report for technology transfer service fees paid to a technology transfer agent or an innovation verification center by an institute of higher learning in the previous year.
6. Up to 3 million yuan in subsidies for international science and technology cooperation projects
International science and technology cooperation projects are an important part of the city’s plan to promote international exchange and cooperation in science and technology. According to the “Administration Rules for Subsidizing International Science and Technology Exchange and Cooperation Projects in Shenzhen” published by the city’s Science and Technology Innovation Commission, subsidies will be allocated to cooperation projects between governments or companies and involving personnel exchanges. A large number of globally leading technological advances have been achieved since the rules were implemented, signifying a wider channel for local research institutes and enterprises to enter global cooperation and competition.
Main requirements:
The subsidies, either given out before or after the projects have begunoperation, are included in the overall budget of Shenzhen’s science and technology research and development funds. The subsidies apply to four categories of projects:
(1) Cooperation projects between governments. These refer to international cooperation projects launched within the framework of governmental agreements that serve as important pillars for the city’s science, technology, and social economic development.
(2) Cooperation projects initiated by non-governmental entities. These refer to cooperation projects started by local higher-learning institutes, research bodies and enterprises that involve joint labs or research participated in by overseas counterparts.
(3) Exchange-facilitating projects. These refer to international conferences with wide influence, large-scale science and technology exchange and cooperation fairs, and science and tech matchmaking events.
(4) Personnel-exchange projects. These refer to subsidies that may cover food and boarding, travel expenses and service fees for overseas researchers and scholars who travel to Shenzhen for science and technology exchange events.
Policy benefits:
Subsidies at the amount of no more than 50% of the R&D investment pledged by the Chinese party can be allocated to cooperation projects between governments, with a cap of 3 million yuan.
Subsidies equivalentto no more than 50% of the R&D investment pledged by the Chinese party can be allocated to cooperation projects initiated by non-governmental entities, with a cap of 1 million yuan.
Subsidies totalling no more than the audited real expenses occurring during the events can be allocated to exchange-facilitating projects, with a cap of 1 million yuan.
Subsidies at the amount of no more than 50% of the reasonable real expenses occurring during exchange events can be allocated to personnel-exchange projects, with a cap of 1 million yuan.
The amounts of subsidies for key cooperation projects between governments and exchange-facilitating projects approved by Shenzhen’s municipal government are not subject to the limitations.
Application process:
Applicants should see to the implementation of their projects and submit written applications for the subsidies within a time period required by the guidelines. The city’s science and technology administrative authorities will decide on the candidate projects and amount of subsidies based on the opinion of a jury of experts, as well as from information acquired through field inspections.
Application procedure:
The applicant shall submit the following to municipal science and technology administrative authorities:
(1) The applicant shall submit their application online through the Shenzhen Science and Technology Administrative Management System, and print an application form via the aforementioned system.
(2) The applicant’s annual financial report of the previous year, referring to an audited report authorized by the Shenzhen Institute of Certified Public Accountants, or the audited financial statements of public institutions.
(3) Projects involving ethical or security concerns shall also submit relevant evidence of compliance with national laws, regulations and ethical principles.
The Conference on International Exchange of Professionals is a State-level comprehensive talent fair serving global high-tech innovation professionals. Approved by the State Council in 2001, and originally organized by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA), the talent fair has been held 20 times. It has been co-organized by the Shenzhen Municipal Government since the fair moved its venue to Shenzhen in 2007.
Talent agencies from more than 40 countries and regions, including the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Israel, Brazil, Argentina and South Africa participate in the fair each year. More than 35,000 returned overseas Chinese students and other professionals seek jobs here, and more than 10,000 projects have been implemented.
Official website: www.ciep.gov.cn
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7. Subsidies for State and Guangdong Province science and technology projects
The Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has published its “Administration Rules of Subsidizing State and Guangdong Province Science and Technology Projects” to encourage local enterprises, institutes of higher learning, and research centers to apply for State and provincial projects. The city will subsidize no more than the amount handed out by the State or Guangdong Province to such projects.
A list of candidate State and provincial projects to receive municipal subsidies in 2023 is now seeking public opinion
(source: http://www.sz.gov.cn/szzt2010/zdlyzl/kjcy/kjzzqymd/content/post_10259931.html)
Main requirements:
Candidates need to have been designated as key State science and technology projects, or have beeninitiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology or Guangdong’s Department of Science and Technology.
The applicant needs to be an enterprise, an institute of higher learning, a science and technology institute or a social organization registered as an independent legal entity in Shenzhen (including the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone); or it needs to be an institute specially approved by Shenzhen’s municipal government with the qualifications to participate in a State or provincial project.
Policy benefits:
The amount of subsidies:
(1) If the official documents from the State or Guangdong Province, including application guidelines, project mission statements or contracts, have clear requirements on the amounts or proportion of localsubsidies, then subsidies will be handed out according to the requirements.
(2) If the official documents from the State or Guangdong Province have required Shenzhen to offer subsidies but not of any specific amount, the city will offer no more than the same amount as the funds allocated by the State or Guangdong Province, and no more than half of the amount raised by the project initiator. For projects initiated by the research institutions or higher learning institutes which depend on government funding, or nonprofit NGOs, the funds raised by the initiator will impose no limits on the amounts of the subsidies.
(3) If the official documents from the State or Guangdong Province have not required Shenzhen to offer subsidies, the city will offer no more than the same amount as the funds allocated by the State or Guangdong Province, and no more than half of the amount raised by the project initiator.
Application procedure:
The applicant shall submit itsapplication to municipal science and technology administrative authorities.
8. Up to 10 million yuan in subsidies for undertakers of key State science and technology projects
The Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has published its “Administration Rules of Undertaking Key State Science and Technology Projects” to support the industrialization of key State research projects.
In 2021, Shenzhen’s government subsidized 24 key State science and technology projects undertaken by local institutes in 2022. These are either a key project of the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), a project included in the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, or a so-called “973 Program” project or “863 Program” project. The projects are involved in leading research in such fields as information technology, new materials, biomedicine, modern agriculture, and engineering.
Scan the QR code to access a list of prospective subsidy receivers for undertaking key State science and technology projects in 2023.
Main requirements:
The applicant needs to comply with the following requirements:
(1) The key State science and technology project must have passed aninspectionwithin the previous three years, with the research result not yet being commercialized but in line with the industrial and innovation strategy of Shenzhen.
(2) The original undertaker of the project has full ownership of the research or has the right to use it, with no IPR disputes.
(3) The applicant has signed a legally binding agreement with the project partner that ensures the project will be commercialized in Shenzhen.
(4) The person in charge of the project applying for the subsidies needs to be a full-time researcher employed by the applicant. The team members must include at least three personnel working with the original project and at least one in charge of the original research. More than half of the team members need to be full-time researchers employed in Shenzhen (including the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone).
Policy benefits:
A specific amount of subsidies, with a cap of 10 million yuan, will be handed out to qualified projects.
Application process:
Shenzhen’s science and technology administrative authorities publish a set of annual guidelines clarifying the categories of eligible projects as well as the documents needed for application.
9. Up to 8 million yuan in subsidies for science and technology projects for sustainable development
The Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission has published the “Administration Rules of Science and Technology Projects for Sustainable Development” to push for the integration of technology innovation and social development and break the bottleneck in sustainable development. The rules apply to science and technology research and commercialization projects in the fields of efficient use of resources, environmental solutions, health care and social governance.
A total of 56 projects were subsidized in 2022, with the majority of recipients being institutes of higher learning and public agencies.
Main requirements:
(1) The major applicant needs to be a high-tech enterprise, an institute of higher learning, a science and technology research institute, or a medical service institute registered as an independent legal entity in Shenzhen or the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone;
(2) The major applicant must be law-abiding, with good credit and governance, a sound financial and accounting system and a strong IPR protection mechanism. It also needs to be equipped with the infrastructure and capabilities to ensure the success of the project;
(3) The person in charge of the project needs to be equipped with the professional capabilities and coordination skills to complete the project, and should be a full-time researcher employed by the applicant;
(4) The science and technology research, development and commercialization carried out by the applicant needs to be related tosustainable development as stipulated in the “List of Key High-tech Fields Supported by Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government.”
Policy benefits:
Subsidies with respective caps of 4 million yuan, 6 million yuan and 8 million yuan will be handed out to individual projects based on the actual needs and quality of the research in terms of investment return, academic significance, and technological advancement.
Application process:
The city’s science and technology administrative authorities publish an annual set of guidelines to clarify the requirements, documents submitted, and deadlines for application, as well as the amount of subsidies.The applicant needs to submit its application online through the Shenzhen Science and Technology Research Funds Management System.