This English translation is for reference only. The Chinese version shall prevail in case of any inconsistencies.
Notice on Issuing the Measures for Promoting Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin
(No. 20 [2024] of the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin)
All bureaus under the Executive Committee:
The Measures for Promoting Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin has been approved upon deliberation at the session of the Executive Committee of the Cooperation Zone, and is hereby issued to you for your careful implementation. Please report any problem encountered during the implementation to the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone.
Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin
March 29, 2024
Measures for Promoting Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin
In order to implement the Master Plan for the Construction of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, further implement the innovation-driven development strategy, build an important pivot of the international center for scientific and technological innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and promote the moderate diversification of Macao’s economy, these policies and measures are hereby developed, tailored to the actual scientific and technological innovation work of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (hereinafter referred to as the “Cooperation Zone”).
Chapter 1 Build Scientific and Technological Innovation Platforms along with Macao
Article 1. Support for the construction of the industry-academia-research demonstration bases at colleges and universities in Macao
1.Support for the expansion of state key laboratories in Macao. Relevant parties and units shall support state key laboratories in Macao and other advantageous scientific research platforms to build research and development (hereinafter referred to as “R&D”) centers and associated laboratories in the Cooperation Zone, in fields concerning microelectronics, smart city, translational medicine, advanced materials and new energy, and provide grants on a case-by-case basis.
2.Support for incubation projects. Projects recommended by colleges and universities in Macao and settle in their industry-academia-research demonstration bases for incubation may be given a one-off grant of 200,000 yuan. Each college or university in Macao may recommend no more than 10 projects per year. Start-up enterprises that are incubated and invested by colleges and universities in Macao may be granted a one-off reward of 20% of their paid-in capital, subject to a maximum amount of 200,000 yuan.
3.Support for the construction of associated laboratories. Enterprises in the Cooperation Zone that jointly build an associated laboratory with the industry-academia-research demonstration bases of colleges and universities in Macao may be granted a subsidy of 30% of their paid-in capital, subject to a maximum of 2 million yuan for each associated laboratory.
4.Reward for the transformation of research achievements. Industry-academia-research demonstration bases, as the seller in a technology contract, may be given a reward of 10% of the total contract revenues, subject to a maximum of 2 million yuan per year.
Article 2. Support for the construction of scientific and technological innovation platforms
1.Funding for building major innovation platforms. Relevant parties and units shall shall provide support for major innovation platforms that are built in the Cooperation Zone by innovative entities inside and outside the Chinese mainland together with colleges and universities in Macao, research institutions and science and technology enterprises that support the industrial development. After evaluation, each platform may be given a support fund of 30% of its investment amount, subject to a maximum amount of 100 million yuan.
2.Rewards for recognition. A one-off reward of 30 million yuan may be granted for any scientific and technological innovation platform, such as state key laboratory, national technology innovation center, national engineering research center, national industrial innovation center, national manufacturing innovation center and national clinical medicine research center, recognized by the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology or other commissions and ministries. A one-off reward of 10 million yuan may be granted for any scientific and technological innovation platform of the same types as mentioned above recognized by Guangdong Province for the first time.
For new types of R&D institutions and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao associated laboratories recognized by Guangdong Province, a one-off reward of 3 million yuan may be granted. Any enterprise technology center or engineering technology research center recognized by the State and Guangdong Province for the first time may be given a one-off reward of 5 million yuan and 500,000 yuan respectively.
Article 3. Support for science and technology enterprises to build incubation carriers
1. Support for the development of specialized incubators. Relevant parties and units shall support innovative entities inside and outside the Chinese mainland to build specialized incubators in industry segments in the Cooperation Zone together with colleges and universities in Macao, research institutions and science and technology enterprises. After being recognized via evaluation, the innovative entities may be granted a subsidy of 50% of the total investment of the incubator, subject to a maximum of 10 million yuan.
2.Rewards for recognition. Incubators of science and technology enterprises that are newly recognized by the State and Guangdong Province may be granted a one-off reward of 3 million yuan and 2 million yuan respectively.
State-registered makerspaces and Guangdong makerspaces that are newly recognized may be granted a one-off reward of 600,000 yuan and 500,000 yuan respectively.
For makerspaces and science and technology enterprises incubators that are newly qualified by the State or Guangdong Province as to be Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao based, international and specialized, an extra reward of 200,000 yuan may be given to the makerspaces and 400,000 yuan to the science and technology enterprises incubators for each qualification.
3.Rewards for operation. For incubation carriers that bring in and cultivate enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products, unicorn enterprises and other quality enterprises, a reward of 100,000 yuan, subject to a maximum amount of 3 million yuan, may be granted per incubation carrier per year.
Chapter 2Vigorously Cultivate and Bring in Echelons of Innovative and Growing Enterprises
Article 4. Organization of international innovation and entrepreneurship competitions
Relevant parties and units shall hold international innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and select new innovation projects with key core technologies and promising industrialization prospects to establish in the Cooperation Zone or Macao, aiming at the key industrial fields of the Cooperation Zone including integrated circuits, electronic components, new materials, new energy, big data, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and biomedicine. Each winning enterprise may be granted up to 100 million yuan through various means such as gratuitous aid and equity investment. The total amount of support fund for each competition may be subject to a maximum amount of 300 million yuan.
Article 5. Introduction and cultivation of national high-tech enterprises
1.Rewards for recognition and settling. National high-tech enterprises that are recognized for the first time or newly settle in the Cooperation Zone may be granted a one-off reward of 400,000 yuan; national high-tech enterprises that are re-recognized may be given a one-off reward of 200,000 yuan.
2.Rewards for development. National high-tech enterprises in the Cooperation Zone that are above designated size may be given a reward of 200,000 yuan; in the second year, the enterprises with annual revenue from their main business operations increasing by more than 50% on a year-on-year basis may be granted a reward of 200,000 yuan; in the third year, the enterprises with annual revenue from their main business operations increasing by more than 50% on a year-on-year basis may be granted another reward of 200,000 yuan.
Article 6. Introduction and cultivation of enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products
The recognized (reviewed) or newly settled key “little giant” enterprises, “little giant” enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products and small and medium-sized enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products may be given a one-off reward of 4 million yuan, 3 million yuan and 800,000 yuan respectively.
Article 7. Introduction and cultivation of unicorn enterprises
1.Rewards for recognition and settling. Unicorn enterprises, future unicorn enterprises and seed-stage unicorn enterprises that are recognized may be given a reward of up to 20 million yuan, 5 million yuan and 3 million yuan respectively.
2.Subsidies for R&D. For three consecutive years from the year of recognition (or settling), unicorn enterprises and future unicorn enterprises may be given a subsidy of 20% and 15% of their R&D expenses respectively, subject to a maximum amount of 20 million yuan per year.
Enterprises that are not registered in the Cooperation Zone are encouraged to participate in the recognition, and those entirely move in the Cooperation Zone in 2 years after being recognized may enjoy corresponding rewards and subsidies.
Article 8. Support for the development of science and technology enterprises in both Hengqin and Macao
1. Supporting subsidies for affiliated companies in Macao. For enterprises in the Cooperation Zone whose affiliated companies in Macao have obtained scientific and technological subsidies from the government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (hereafter referred to as the “Macao Government”), another supporting subsidy of 50% of the subsidies from the Macao Government may be given, subject to a maximum amount of 8 million yuan for a single project.
2.Rewards for recognition of affiliated companies in Macao. For enterprises in the Cooperation Zone whose affiliated companies in Macao have been recognized as science and technology enterprises with potential, growing science and technology enterprises and key science and technology enterprises by the Macao Government, a one-off reward of 200,000 yuan, 400,000 yuan, 800,000 yuan may be given respectively.
Chapter 3 Support for Key Technology Research Projects
Article 9. Subsidies for research projects of industrial core and key technology
Supports shall be provide for innovative entities in the Cooperation Zone to carry out technology research with the aim of solving key core technological difficulties that restrict the development of key industries, and grant a subsidy of up to 10 million yuan to leading and breakthrough projects.
Chapter 4Support for R&D and Transformation of Achievements
Article 10. Subsidies for industry-academia-research collaboration projects in Hengqin and Macao
Supports shall be provided to enterprises in the Cooperation Zone to carry out industry-academia-research collaboration with colleges, universities and research institutions in Macao. For participating enterprises in the Cooperation Zone whose industry-academia-research collaboration projects have been jointly selected by Hengqin and Macao, and approved by the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund, a subsidy of up to 5 million yuan may be granted.
Article 11. Supporting subsidies for science and technology projects
1.Supporting subsidies for science and technology projects of the State or Guangdong Province. For entities in the Cooperation Zone that lead or participate in the science and technology projects of the State and Guangdong Province, a supporting subsidy of 100% and 50% of the support funds may be given respectively, subject to a maximum amount of 10 million yuan for a single project of the same entity. Where the State or Guangdong Province make specific requirements of supporting subsidies, the relevant documents shall prevail.
2.Supporting subsidies for Macao science and technology projects. For entities in the Cooperation Zone that participate in the Macao science and technology projects, a subsidy of 50% of the enterprises’ self-raised funds or 100% of the funds required for research institutions to conduct projects may be given. The maximum amount of supporting subsidy for a single project of the same entity shall not exceed 50% of the amount of funding from the Macao Government, and shall not exceed 8 million yuan.
Article 12. Subsidies for R&D expenses of enterprises
Support enterprises to increase investment in R&D. The Cooperation Zone may allocate up to 100 million yuan to subsidize R&D expenses each year; and a subsidy of up to 10% of the R&D expenses of the enterprises will be granted, subject to a maximum amount of 5 million yuan per year.
Article 13. Support for the building of cutting-edge technology application scenarios
Supports shall be provided to enterprises or institutions in the Cooperation Zone to focus on cutting-edge technology fields that are in the stage of technical solution design or commercial exploration, to build innovation experience centers and context labs, and to further carry out the experience demonstration and testing verification of new products and the solutions utilizing cutting-edge technologies. After evaluation, entities that have built the advanced and demonstrative application scenarios may be granted a subsidy of 30% of their investment on the project, subject to a maximum amount of 5 million yuan. Explore to implement inclusive and prudent regulation of new business forms in accordance with the law, and attract cutting-edge technology enterprises from around the world.
Chapter 5 Support International Cooperation in Science and Technology
Article 14. Support for the development of foreign-invested R&D centers
Relevant parties and units shall actively bring in regional R&D headquarters of multinational companies; support investors outside the Chinese mainland to set up R&D centers engaged in R&D and experimental development in natural science and other relevant scientific and technological fields in the Cooperation Zone; undertake the global R&D tasks including basic research, applied research and product development; and strengthen the connection and integration of R&D inside and outside the Chinese mainland. Foreign-invested R&D centers that are recognized may be given a one-off reward of up to 10 million yuan.
Article 15. Support for the development of enterprises’ R&D institutions outside the Chinese mainland
Supports shall be given to enterprises in the Cooperation Zone to “go global” and set up overseas R&D institutions the outside Chinese mainland, broaden international cooperation channels, gather overseas high-end talents and innovation resources, and deeply integrate into the international innovation system. Enterprises in the Cooperation Zone whose R&D institutions outside the Chinese mainland are recognized may be given a one-off reward of 1 million yuan. For R&D institutions established in Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries (regions), the reward may be increased to 1.2 million yuan.
Article 16. Support for the operation of international platforms for science and technology exchanges and cooperation
Supports shall be provide to enterprises or institutions in the Cooperation Zone to build international platforms for science and technology exchanges and cooperation, provide support for science and technology enterprises to “bring in and go global” and support high-level international science and technology exchange activities. Operating entities of the international platforms for science and technology exchanges and cooperation that are awarded license by the Ministry of Science and Technology may be granted a subsidy of 1 million yuan per year for three consecutive years since the year of the obtaining of license.
Chapter 6Creation of an Environment for High-quality Scientific and Technological Innovation
Article 17. Creation of low-cost space for scientific and technological innovation
1. Subsidies for renting office premises. Scientific and technological institutions that rent office premises in the Cooperation Zone may be granted rental subsidies for a maximum of 60 consecutive months with reference to the price evaluated by third-party professional institutions. The subsidy shall not exceed 60% of the evaluated rental price and shall be subject to a maximum amount of 60 yuan per square meter per month; the subsidized floor area shall not exceed 2,000 square meters. For key enterprises or institutions, the subsidy may increase to 80% of the evaluated rental price and be subject to a maximum amount of 80 yuan per square meter per month; the subsidized floor area may expand to 5,000 square meters.
2. Subsidies for purchasing office premises. Science and technology enterprises that purchase office premises for their own use in the Cooperation Zone may be given a subsidy of 20% of the purchase price, subject to a cumulative maximum of 20 million yuan. Accelerate to revitalize existing building resources and provide work space support for the development of competitive enterprises.
Article 18. Enhancing financial support for science and technology
1.Relevant parties and units shall establish the government investment fund of the Cooperation Zone, focusing on investing in innovative enterprises that master cutting-edge or disruptive technologies, have strong innovation capabilities and of great potential for development.
2.Relevant parties and units shall provide supporting rewards for equity investment. They shall encourage science and technology enterprises to become more superior and powerful by making use of the capital market. Science and technology enterprises that obtain investment from qualified institutional investors may be granted a reward of 5% of the investment they received, subject to a maximum amount of 500,000 yuan per year.
Article 19. Strengthening the protection and operation of intellectual property rights
1.Rewards for being granted patents. Entities in the Cooperation Zone that receive grants for patents inside and outside the Chinese mainland may be given a one-off reward of 50% of their official paid-in amount, subject to a maximum amount of 20,000 yuan for each patent, and the total reward for the same entity shall not exceed 3 million yuan per year.
2.Rewards for receiving patent awards. Entities in the Cooperation Zone that receive the gold, silver and excellence awards in the China Patent Award Selection may be given a one-off reward of 2 million yuan, 500,000 yuan and 300,000 yuan respectively; entities receive the gold, silver and excellence awards in Guangdong Patent Award Selection may be given a one-off reward of 300,000 yuan, 200,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan respectively.
3. Trademark rewards. Well-known trademarks that are recognized by the China National Intellectual Property Administration may be granted a one-off reward of 800,000 yuan. Trademarks that are selected into the annual Key Trademark Protection Catalog of Guangdong Province for the first time may be granted a one-off reward of 40,000 yuan.
4.Supporting subsidies for the national or Guangdong intellectual property projects. Projects of entities in the Cooperation Zone that are approved and funded by the national or Guangdong provincial departments of intellectual property, may be given a reward of 100% of the funds granted by the national and provincial departments, subject to a maximum amount of 5 million yuan per project.
Chapter 7 Supplementary Provisions
Article 20. Special support for Macao-funded enterprises
For Macao-funded enterprises that are in conformity with the corresponding conditions of Article 2, paragraphs (2) and (3) of Article 3, Article 5, Article 6, Article 7, Article 14, paragraph (2) of Article 17, paragraph (2) of Article 18, and paragraphs (2) and (3) of Article 19 of these Measures, the rewarding and subsidizing standard may be 1.2 times of the established standard of these Measures.
Enterprises in the Cooperation Zone whose Macao affiliated companies are recognized as key science and technology enterprises by the Macao Government may enjoy the same subsidies in line with the standards for Macao-funded enterprises prescribed in these Measures.
Article 21. The date of entry into force and validity term
These Measures shall come into force on January 1, 2023 for a period of three years.
Article 22. The power of interpretation
The Executive Committee of the Cooperation Zone shall be responsible for the interpretation of these Measures.