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New District leads innovative growth(2)

Published on 05/22 2015  Source: China Daily


By Dong Jidong
 

Policy backing

The district has put forward a range of measures to provide consulting services and fund support for enterprises to create, apply and use IPRs.

"With more IPR service enterprises launching operations in the district, we hope to attract more innovative high-tech enterprises," said Zhou Xudong, deputy Party chief of the district and director of the district's management committee.

More and more high-tech enterprises take into consideration the local intellectual property services rather than land prices before starting new operations, Zhou said.

Home to 302 high-tech enterprises, Suzhou New District's high-tech technology industry generated more than 140 billion yuan last year, accounting for 54 percent of the total output value of large-scale industrial enterprises.

"Intellectual property is an intangible asset that could create a huge fortune," said Zhang Haixia, general manager of the Jiangsu branch of Sinocap (Beijing) Assets Appraisal Co.

"My company is appraising more than 20 technologies for a client in Suzhou, who used the technologies as investment for shares in a cross-border cooperation project worth 1 billion yuan," Zhang said.

Sinocap has launched strategic cooperation with Suzhou Bank, Kunshan Rural Commercial Bank and Zhangjiagang Rural Commercial Bank in aspects including patent pledges and evaluation of intangible assets.

The improved intellectual property service system has contributed to a steady rise in the number of patent applications and licensing in Suzhou New District. Enterprises in the district submitted more than 56,500 patent applications between 2008 and 2014, which registered an annual growth rate of 39.3 percent. The average annual growth rate for the number of applications for invention patents reached 62.5 percent.

In 2014, the district's applications for invention patent accounted for 52.89 percent of the total applications, ranking it top among all districts in Suzhou.

Tangible benefits

The district's intellectual property system has brought tangible benefits to the enterprises. For instance, Dongling Technologies, a private manufacturer of electrodynamic vibration systems, was granted a 30-million-yuan loan by China Everbright Bank through a pledge of 58 patents in March last year.

More than 20 enterprises in the district have been granted nearly 100 million yuan in loans through intellectual property pledges.

"A patent pledge is an effective and innovative financing channel for small and medium-sized enterprises," said Gu Jun, deputy director of the district's science and technology bureau. The innovative development of cities and enterprises requires not only the support of the intellectual property service industry but also joint efforts by government departments, enterprises, research institutions, financial capitals and agencies.

"The rapid development of the Jiangsu Patent Examination Cooperation Center is the outcome of the joint effort," Zheng said. The center also established an IPR service company in August 2013 to help with the government's policymaking in aspects including investment attraction, technology import and export and talent introduction.

The company has produced more than 40 appraisal reports in industries such as automobiles and lasers for government decision-makers. It is working on the analysis of the elevator industry and the optical cable industry in Suzhou.

Joint efforts

In March last year, the Suzhou University Intellectual Property Institute was established by Suzhou University, Suzhou New District's management committee and the Suzhou Intellectual Property Bureau. The institute serves as an IPR base for theoretical research, talent training, technical support and legal assistance.

The district also makes full use of social organizations' roles as catalysts in the development of the intellectual property service industry. Initiated by more than 10 IPR service institutions, the Alliance for Intellectual Property Service was established in the district in 2013, to create a mechanism that settles IPR disputes through cooperation and coordination.

"IPR service is crucial for enterprises' independent innovation, protection of their scientific achievements and their industrial upgrading," said Sun Peifang, director of the intellectual property bureau at Suzhou New District.

The bureau will further improve its intellectual property service system in aspects such as management, utilization and protection of IPRs to help with enterprises' innovation, Sun said.