Exploring the "Beijing Ecosystem" Behind Global Health Industry Innovation: As Beijing advances technological transformation achievements for the "14th Five-Year Plan," the transaction volume of technology contracts has increased by 40% over five years.

Ask AI · How Does Beijing’s Ecosystem Nurture Innovative Enterprises Valued Over 9 Billion?

This report (chinatimes.net.cn) by reporters Guo Yilin and Yu Na from Beijing

In March, the spring chill lingers in Beijing, but within the East Rising International Science Park in Haidian District, the thriving development of the life and health industry is creating a warm atmosphere.

On March 17, just days before the official opening of the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum annual meeting, our reporter followed the forum’s visit activities to explore the concept verification platform of the Global Health Industry Innovation Center located here. Hidden within this seemingly unremarkable floor is the “core password” for transforming innovative achievements in the medical and health field in Beijing and even nationwide.

While no specific drugs are produced here, the platform continuously outputs disruptive forces from “0” to “1.” A surgeon’s scalpel transforms here into a “diamond drill” on the industrial side; the electromagnetic waves in a professor’s mind are being compiled into a “SkyNet” that captures lesions.

In Beijing’s plan to accelerate the construction of an international science and technology innovation center, the transformation of scientific and technological achievements is the ultimate goal. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the contract transaction value of technology in Beijing increased from 700.57 billion yuan in 2021 to 986.50 billion yuan in 2025, growing by 40.8% over five years. At the Global Health Industry Innovation Center, this transformation presents the most vivid and authentic micro-sample.

Crossing the “Darwin Sea”

The transformation of scientific and technological achievements has never been easy. From basic research in laboratories to products on shelves, there lies a risk-filled chasm known as the “valley of death.” Especially in the medical and health industry, characterized by long development cycles, high investments, and high entry barriers, crossing this chasm feels like a near-death experience.

“Clinical doctors discover needs during their work, but turning ideas into products requires a long technical path,” said Wang Jingqing, director of the Global Health Industry Innovation Center, as she pointed to the densely packed innovation project map on the wall while speaking to reporters from the Huaxia Times. Doctors understand clinical pain points, professors comprehend cutting-edge technology, but who will translate the “pain points” into technical language? Who will refine the technology into products that meet market access?

This is precisely the mission of the Global Health Industry Innovation Center. Established with the support of the Tsinghua University Industrial Development Research Institute, the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, and the Zhongguancun Administrative Committee, this concept verification platform aims to address the “first kilometer” problem—concept verification.

“Whether a ‘golden idea’ can be realized needs to be judged through the concept verification stage, assessing whether it should be pursued, whether it is worthwhile, and how to proceed,” Wang Jingqing explained. This is not just a physical space; it is a rigorous selection and incubation mechanism. Relying on the “Exploration Program,” “Navigation Program,” and “Initiation Program,” the platform has established a deeply intertwined cooperation network with universities such as Tsinghua, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beihang University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as top hospitals like Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Peking University First Hospital.

So far, this extensive network has discovered over 3,820 innovative projects in fields such as medical devices, gene and cell therapy, and artificial intelligence, covering 80 clinical departments in 76 hospitals across the country and 38 specialties in 22 universities. However, only the best can successfully navigate the entire process. Through precise polishing of the “Exploration Program,” “Navigation Program,” and other special initiatives, the platform has conducted a total of 45 concept verification projects, completed the trial production of 16 samples (machines), and promoted the transformation of 30 patents in Beijing.

Through the refinement of concept verification, the platform has cumulatively incubated and invested in 30 enterprises, with a total project valuation exceeding 9 billion yuan. Companies like Tipai Medical, Weicheng Technology, Chaomuy Technology, and Xijian Technology have emerged as hard tech enterprises that stand out in the industry.

The Global Health Industry Innovation Center builds a path for scientific and technological conversion results from topics to markets, capable of withstanding commercial considerations through the “Exploration Program,” “Navigation Program,” and “Initiation Program.” In this regard, Wu Yan, a student of the “Navigation Program” and founder of Yiyue Technology, stated in an interview, “As a beneficiary of the Navigation Program, Yiyue Technology’s smart rehabilitation product ‘Digital Rehabilitation Teacher’ is one of the results of the intersection of medicine and engineering. Relying on the course to build a cooperative chain between enterprises and authoritative institutions like Beijing Anzhen Hospital and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Semiconductor Institute, ‘Digital Rehabilitation Teacher’ perfectly integrates algorithm technology with medical logic, turning a ‘golden idea’ into a product that benefits the public. Currently, ‘Digital Rehabilitation Teacher’ has obtained the first ‘exercise prescription medical device certificate’ in China and has taken the lead in Beijing Haidian District to cover a full-scene (hospital—community—home) intelligent rehabilitation medical service ecosystem.”

The “Chemical Reaction” of Medicine and Engineering Intersection

During the visit, the reporters felt the boundaries of disciplines breaking down and traditional thinking patterns being overturned.

The long-standing problem of research achievements being “afraid to transfer, unwilling to transfer, unable to transfer, or not knowing how to transfer” has troubled universities and research institutions for years. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, Beijing has been fundamentally unshackling innovators through legislation and pilot programs.

Yan Ying, director of the Technology Achievement Transformation Division of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Zhongguancun Administrative Committee, stated in an interview that Beijing is promoting a series of reforms including “paying after use,” “empowering technology achievement,” and “separate management of job-related technology achievement assets” through the implementation of the “Beijing Regulations on Promoting the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements,” effectively clearing the bottlenecks across the entire chain.

In this context, the “cross-border” attempts by Professor Zhou Anfu’s team from the School of Computer Science at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications serve as a microcosm. As a Yangtze River Scholar, Zhou Anfu’s primary research focuses on the Internet of Things and 5G communications. In the center’s exhibition area, he showcased a non-contact millimeter-wave heart detection device.

“Heart diseases often occur suddenly, but the longest wear time for wearable dynamic electrocardiogram monitors is generally no more than 7 days,” Zhou Anfu pointed out the clinical pain points. The lack of long-term continuous monitoring may lead to missed diagnoses of paroxysmal heart disease. His proposed solution is to adapt the millimeter-wave radar commonly used in airplanes and cars for the medical field.

This sounds a bit far-fetched. Without the platform’s mediation and support, this idea might have remained in the realm of papers forever. Through the center’s Exploration Program, Zhou Anfu’s team teamed up with clinical doctors, leading to a vigorous chemical reaction between the signal processing capabilities of engineering and the clinical needs of medicine.

“The device can achieve monitoring within a one-meter range without needing to be worn closely. Without this platform, initial transformation of achievements might have taken one or two years. Now the team completed prototype development in just six months and has conducted large-scale verification in hospitals.” Zhou Anfu expressed his excitement. Currently, this prototype has completed 80,000 tests, with a heart disease detection rate of 97.3%. From millimeter waves to heartbeat sounds, this is a victory of technological logic, and also a victory of mechanism innovation.

Similar chemical reactions are also occurring at Beijing Xijian Technology Co., Ltd. This company, focused on the R&D of health and medical hardware, fears nothing more than working behind closed doors. The company’s product manager, Yang Manshuang, candidly told reporters, “The innovation center helps us directly connect with front-line clinical expert resources, allowing products to quickly receive feedback and iteration in real medical scenarios; on the other hand, during the product registration phase, their rich practical experience helps us successfully avoid many pitfalls, significantly shortening the上市周期.”

Breaking the Monopoly with the “Chinese Eye”

If Zhou Anfu’s project represents the breakthrough power of “from 0 to 1,” then Tipai (Beijing) Medical Technology Group Co., Ltd. showcases the explosive power of “from 1 to N.”

Entering Tipai Medical’s exhibition hall feels like stepping into an “all-star lineup” of ophthalmic equipment. From ophthalmic OCT, ultra-wide field fundus cameras, to optical biometry devices, phacoemulsification vitrectomy machines, and femtosecond lasers and ophthalmic surgical microscopes. It is reported that this company, founded in 2017, derives its core technology from Tsinghua’s scientific achievements transformation and was nurtured and incubated by the Tsinghua Industrial Research Institute.

“We are the second company in the world, after Carl Zeiss of Germany, with the ability to independently research and manufacture a full line of high-end ophthalmic medical equipment,” said a representative from Tipai Medical with pride. In the past, the high-end ophthalmic surgical microscope market was monopolized by Carl Zeiss and Leica for decades, but the launch of Tipai’s “Cloud Dispelling” and “Snow Sweeping” series of intraoperative swept-frequency OCT navigation ophthalmic surgical microscopes has broken this pattern.

The power of combining medicine and engineering is vividly demonstrated here. Leveraging Tsinghua University’s expertise in electronics, biomedicine, and precision instruments, Tipai insists on nearly 100 million yuan annual R&D investment, creating globally leading ophthalmic OCT products. Over the past four years since its domestic上市, the “Beiming” and “Yaoguang” series have installed over 1,000 units, with nearly 100% penetration in the high-end market, ranking first in annual sales market share in China for three consecutive years, and achieving an average selling price higher than imported brands, realizing a true “advantage substitution.”

Even more exciting is its global expansion; the products have been sold to over 50 countries and regions worldwide, entering the top market shares in countries like France, Italy, Japan, and Singapore. In early 2026, Tipai will host the International Ophthalmic Innovation Summit in Putuo District, launching new products with globally pioneering “digital twin eye” functions, continuing to challenge global technological heights. In 2025, Tipai Medical successfully made it onto the “Hurun Future Unicorn: Global Gazelle Enterprises List,” becoming a “future unicorn” nurtured by Beijing’s innovation ecosystem.

Next to Tipai, there are also prominent companies like Puyi Biology and Xijian Technology. Puyi Biology focuses on nanopore gene sequencing and recently completed 150 million yuan in Series B financing, with its core reagents achieving 100% domestic controllability, striving to provide domestic research institutions with reliable core sequencing tools. Xijian Technology has carved out a niche in soft tissue mechanics imaging in fields like skin and muscle, building a globally leading soft tissue mechanics platform.

In the field of brain science, the story of Zhongke Borui is equally impressive. This company, incubated at the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, adheres to a “brain-centered” philosophy, deeply engaging in the medical device transformation of brain-machine interface technology. Dr. Zhang Xin, the company’s general manager, made a deep impression on reporters with his statement, “We do not engage in conceptual research; every product stems from clinical pain points.” Relying on the globally leading brain-machine interface technology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongke Borui has developed the world’s only non-invasive multi-channel brain oxygen monitoring device and photoelectric synchronous brain function imaging device, breaking the monopoly of foreign high-end technology, with products promoted to over 600 hospitals.

In the niche field of nystagmus treatment, Chaomuy Technology’s products are expected to become the world’s first implanted neurostimulators, offering hope for countless “shaking” eyes. Wang Jingqing revealed to reporters that so far, the platform has cumulatively incubated and invested in 30 companies including Tipai Medical, Weicheng Technology, and Chaomuy Technology, with a total project valuation exceeding 9 billion yuan, among which three conversion companies are preparing for上市.

From 700.57 billion yuan in 2021 to 986.50 billion yuan in 2025, the contract transaction value of technology in Beijing has increased steadily over five years, growing by 40%. Behind this achievement is a solid foundation composed of 46 concept verification platforms, over 100 specialized technology transfer institutions, 304 registered technology transfer institutions, and 972 technical managers with professional titles in technology brokerage.

Standing at the threshold of the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, Beijing does not intend to stop. Yan Ying outlined a blueprint for the future to reporters: Beijing will continue to deepen the reform of the technology achievement transformation mechanism, exploring “investment linkage” through “fiscal funds + social investment,” guiding more social capital to invest early, invest small, and invest in hard technologies. Beijing will accelerate the establishment of a team of technical managers who understand technology, markets, and operations, accompanying the entire process of technology achievement transformation. Meanwhile, it will strengthen the research organization model of “enterprises posing questions, R&D units providing answers, and joint tackling,” ensuring that research focuses on markets and industries from the very start.

Editor: Jiang Yuqing Chief Editor: Chen Yanpeng