At present, Wenzhou enterprise research and development (R&D) institutions are continuing to grow, steadily emanating vitality as the innovative subject. A few days ago, 129 local companies were inscribed on the list of the first batch of Wenzhou municipal-level high-tech enterprise R&D centers for 2023, which was released by the Wenzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau. So far, the number of enterprise R&D centers at municipal level and above in the city has come to 2,073, hitting a record high.

Enterprise R&D institutions are the source of corporate innovation， known as the "most powerful brain" of enterprises. They are an important part of the national technological innovation system, a platform for technological achievements transformation, sci-tech innovation talents gathering and training, and technical exchange and cooperation.

In recent years, giving priority to sci-tech innovation consistently , Wenzhou has taken “eight major measures” for sci-tech innovation, striving to build Wenzhou into a national innovative city with high standards. The city has continuously optimized the innovation layout featuring "one independent innovation zone, one sci-tech corridor, one young scientist summit, one high-level sci-tech lab, and one industry cluster". It has implemented a series of measures, including new sci-tech policies, the plan for doubling sci-tech enterprises, and the scheme for increasing high-tech enterprises and those above designated scale. The city has strengthened policy support for tackling key problems in core technologies, for fostering sci-tech enterprise and for stimulating enterprises’ increasing investment in R&D.

Focusing on establishing enterprise R&D institutions, it also has continued to reinforce the status of enterprises as the main subject of innovation, and therefore guided enterprises to establish R&D organizations, such as R&D centers or institutes, high-tech research institutes, and technology innovation centers to help them form a hierarchical sci-tech R&D institution structure.

It is understood that currently, the city owns 213 provincial-level (key) enterprise research institutes, 572 provincial-level enterprise centers, and 2,073 municipal-level and above enterprise R&D centers, ranking among the top in the Zhejiang province in the number of the R&D organizations. Yueqing, as a satellite city of Wenzhou, boasts 57 provincial-level (key) enterprise research institutes, 134 provincial-level high-tech enterprise R&D centers, and 481 municipal-level enterprise R&D centers, ranking first in Wenzhou in terms of quantity.

Zhejiang KTK Robot Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise that specializes in the R&D and production of linear modules, motion sliding table, linear motor modules, and other motion platforms. Its Robot Module High-tech Enterprise R&D Center has been recognized as a municipal-level one. “In digital-controlled machine tool operation, we have realized automatic loading and unloading, and flipping by adopting the six-axis robot, which was developed from the earlier single-axis one. The present robot boosted production efficiency, reduced labor intensity, alleviated labor shortage and made workers safer, " said Jiang Jixing, President of the company. He added that the company has invested nearly 7 million yuan in technical development in the past three years, successfully implementing 17 R&D projects with 11 patents granted. Last year, its sales revenue increased 30% yoy. This year, the company has continued to raise its investment in technical development and launched a batch of new products in the market.

In Wenzhou, multiplied enterprise R&D institutions and their redoubled innovative capabilities empowered them, including private sectors, in their high-quality development. A leader of the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau said that they will guide enterprises to change their development concept of "prioritizing scale over innovation”, to strengthen their investment in R&D and building of institutions in this regard, and to integrate innovative elements. Their guidance is conducive to  enhance enterprises' independent innovation capabilities, and propel their sustainable development, and enable them to lead in the technological progress of their respect industries.

In recent years, each part of the city has greatly valued the construction of enterprise R&D institutions, and unveiled related support policies. According to relevant regulations, this city will grant awards of 1.5 million yuan, 1 million yuan, and 300,000 yuan to newly recognized key enterprise research institutes, none key ones, and high-tech enterprise R&D centers (all at the provincial level) respectively.