Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Holds a Symposium on Equity Investment Supporting the Construction of Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center

Source: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

To thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress Fourth Plenary Session and the National Two Sessions, and to carry out the strategic deployment of the “14th Five-Year Plan” outline on accelerating high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement, leading the development of new quality productivity, on April 2nd, ICBC held a seminar in Shanghai on “Equity Investment Supporting the Construction of Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center.” The event invited representatives from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, relevant departments of Shanghai, investment institutions, sci-tech innovation enterprises, universities, research institutes, and others to exchange ideas on empowering technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and cultivating new quality productivity through equity investment. The goal was to promote deep integration of technological innovation and industrial development with financial strength.

Liujun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of ICBC; Zhang Shouchuan, Member of the Party Committee and Vice President; Yuan Guohua, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Shanghai Guotou; and other officials attended the event. Experts, scholars, entrepreneurs, and investors such as Peng Shou, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Hu Zuliu, Chairman of Chunhua Capital; and Liu Wei, General Manager of Guotou Chuanghe, engaged in full exchanges.

At the seminar, Liujun introduced ICBC’s work in supporting technological innovation and industrial upgrading through equity investment, stating that the bank will leverage equity finance as a link, rely on the group’s integrated operational advantages, focus on industrial development needs, and plan technological innovation accordingly. By guiding technological resources to the front line of industry through equity investment, ICBC will continuously promote the deep integration of full lifecycle and full industry chain services. Participants discussed topics such as industrial capital linkage, key core technology breakthroughs, and full-cycle cultivation of sci-tech enterprises, reaching broad consensus on multi-party collaboration to serve sci-tech innovation.

ICBC will take this seminar as an opportunity to continuously optimize its comprehensive financial service system, effectively support Shanghai’s sci-tech innovation industry in quality improvement and the acceleration of new quality productivity. First, deepen equity financial deployment, support the expansion of the AIC fund scale, focus on fields like integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, and biomedicine, increase efforts in “early investment, small investment, long-term investment,” and establish a patient capital benchmark. Second, improve the comprehensive service ecosystem, deepen the coordination of “equity loans, debt, leasing, consulting,” and provide full lifecycle, one-stop solutions for sci-tech enterprises. Third, strengthen regional collaboration, deeply connect with the construction of Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center, coordinate with local governments, industrial parks, and investment institutions, build resource matching platforms, and accelerate the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements. Fourth, improve risk control and incentive mechanisms to stimulate endogenous motivation for serving sci-tech innovation.

After the seminar, ICBC signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai Guotou. The bank will provide comprehensive financial solutions and strengthen cooperation with Shanghai Guotou in areas such as technological innovation, industrial upgrading, equity investment, and think tank research, deepening mutual benefits and win-win cooperation to jointly create a new chapter of high-quality development.

ICBC always places great importance on serving technological innovation, deeply cultivating the “five big articles” of sci-tech finance, systematically building a “five-specialized” service system, and innovating the “financing, intelligence, technology, and connectivity” model. The bank aims to safeguard the development of sci-tech enterprises with comprehensive financial solutions. By the end of 2025, the bank’s technology loan balance will reach 6 trillion yuan, with an annual growth rate of nearly 20%, and coverage of small and specialized “little giant” enterprises will exceed 50%. Relying on the group’s advantages, the bank will realize full coverage of AIC equity investment pilot regions through integrated subsidiaries; launch special products such as R&D loans and innovation points loans; build a sci-tech financial ecosystem alliance; and create the “ICBC Sci-Tech Innovation Finance – Equity Financial Services” brand to fully promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.