Recently, the 2023 National Science and Technology Award was announced in Beijing, with 250 projects standing out. The reporter noticed that as a leader in technological innovation, listed companies have become strong competitors for the National Science and Technology Award. According to statistics, over a hundred companies from the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets have been listed on the 2023 National Science and Technology Awards.

The National Science and Technology Award is one of the highest honors in the Chinese scientific and technological community, representing the top level of current scientific and technological innovation and application. Many listed companies have won awards, which not only affirms their scientific research capabilities, but also recognizes their contributions to promoting industry development and serving social progress.

Hundreds of companies on the 2023 National Science and Technology Awards list

According to statistics, over a hundred companies from the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets have been listed on the 2023 National Science and Technology Awards.

In terms of the Shanghai stock market, 66 Shanghai companies led or participated in 64 projects, accounting for 25.6% of the total number of national science and technology award winning projects. Among them, CRRC's participation in the Fuxing high-speed train won the special prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award; Nine projects have won the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, including the completion of key technologies and engineering applications of the fifth generation mobile communication system (5G) led by three major operators, and the complete set of technologies and equipment for safe and efficient development of offshore wind power and industrialization by six Shanghai companies, including Three Gorges Energy; Another 2 projects won the first prize of the the State Technological Innovation Award, 7 projects won the second prize of the the State Technological Innovation Award, and 45 projects won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award.

In the Shenzhen market, a total of 41 Shenzhen companies actively participated in award-winning projects, involving 48 scientific and technological projects. The awards involved include the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award and the second prize of the the State Technological Innovation Award.

Among the 16 first prize projects of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, ZTE participated in the key technology of high-efficiency ultra wideband gallium nitride power amplifier and its industrial application in 5G communication projects; In addition, ZTE has also participated in key technologies and applications for RF system design automation, as well as key technologies and engineering applications for the fifth generation mobile communication system (5G); IFLYTEK and others have participated in key technologies and industrialization of multilingual intelligent speech.

Following national industrial policies, technological achievements are flourishing

The relevant person in charge of the Office of National Science and Technology Awards introduced that the 2023 National Science and Technology Awards mainly present several characteristics: focusing on "four aspects" and serving "the great of the country"; In multiple important fields such as transportation, electronic information, advanced manufacturing, medicine and health, and agriculture, we have achieved a number of landmark independent innovation achievements in response to major national strategic needs. Listed companies closely follow national industrial policies, face major strategic needs of the country, adhere to innovation driven development, and achieve flourishing scientific and technological achievements.

In terms of transportation industry, China's high-speed rail is considered as the business card of the new era of China, and this achievement has also been praised in this award. The "Fuxing high-speed train" project completed by China Railway Group and other units has been awarded the special prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award for 2023. It is worth mentioning that the development of the Fuxing high-speed train has attracted the participation of more than 6900 supporting enterprises in the entire industry chain, creating an independent and controllable supply chain composed of thousands of enterprises, cultivating and forming a number of high-end industrial clusters, and promoting the development of China's high-speed rail equipment manufacturing industry into a strategic emerging industry with full industry chain advantages.

In the electronic information industry, listed companies are actively exploring cutting-edge and disruptive technologies, diversifying their layout in future industry sectors such as integrated circuits and artificial intelligence, and actively cultivating a "second growth curve". In terms of integrated circuit, the project of "Key Technologies and Equipment for Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Integrated Circuits" jointly completed by Huahai Zero2IPO and Tsinghua University won the first prize of the the State Technological Innovation Award in 2023. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is a key process necessary for advanced integrated circuit manufacturing processes, advanced packaging and other links. Based on the CMP technology achievements transformed from the scientific and technological achievements of Tsinghua University, the company conducts core technology research and development for the industrial application of CMP equipment, and takes the lead in launching the first domestic 12 inch CMP equipment with independent intellectual property rights, realizing the domestic substitution of CMP equipment in the domestic market. The company continues to increase its independent research and development efforts, launch multiple CMP commercial models, and enter well-known chip manufacturing enterprises in the industry in bulk, achieving a high domestic market share. The artificial intelligence sector is triggering a new round of technological and industrial transformation. The "Key Technologies and Industrialization of Multilingual Intelligent Speech" project, led by iFlytek and jointly completed by universities and industry leaders such as the University of Science and Technology of China and Tsinghua University, has also won the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2023. It is reported that this is the first national science and technology progress award in the field of artificial intelligence in the past decade.

In the advanced manufacturing industry, with the smooth flow of various advanced and high-quality production factors towards the development of new productive forces, a large number of technology and equipment with higher high-tech content have emerged, breaking through the bottleneck constraints of basic principles, basic software and hardware, and basic materials. Jinfa Technology won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award for its key technology in the preparation of biodegradable copolyesters based on precise regulation of molecular chain soft and hard segments and its application in agricultural films. This is the fourth National Science and Technology Progress Award that the company has received. Based on continuous technological innovation, the company has achieved systematic and original breakthroughs in key technologies such as precise control and polymerization methods and equipment for the molecular structure of biodegradable copolyesters, high cost-effectiveness and functionalization, and high adaptability applications. It has also achieved large-scale industrialization of PBAT and the promotion and application of tens of millions of acres of agricultural film, providing important support for ensuring national food security. In 2023, Jinfa Technology invested 1.973 billion yuan in research and development, maintaining a scale of investment of over 1 billion yuan for the sixth consecutive year. The number of various patents obtained is at the top level among domestic manufacturing enterprises. The "Core Technology and Equipment for Precision Manufacturing of Large Capacity Lithium ion Batteries" project completed by Xinyu Ren, a lithium battery equipment manufacturing enterprise on the Science and Technology Innovation Board, won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. This project is aimed at major strategic needs of the country, has conquered the design and manufacturing technology of wide width extrusion coating molds, independently developed precision extrusion coating molds, and achieved relevant technological breakthroughs in mold materials, design, and manufacturing. The company is engaged in the research and development, production, and sales of intelligent manufacturing high-end equipment with lithium-ion battery coating equipment and drying equipment as the core, and has the ability to research and innovate core components of high-end equipment. The company believes that this award fully recognizes the company's research and innovation capabilities, reflects the company's technological progress and research and development strength, and helps to further enhance the market competitiveness of the company's products and brand influence.

The person in charge of Dazu Laser introduced that the project "Key Technologies and Equipment for High Density Interconnection Packaging Manufacturing for High Performance Chips" in which the company participated won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2023. The company has long-term in-depth cooperation with Professor Chen Xin's team from Guangdong University of Technology, and has broken through multiple key technologies in semiconductor laser precision processing technology and equipment, forming an industry-leading advantage. The achievement has obtained strict certification and bulk procurement from domestic and international leading enterprises. The project has effectively promoted the independent and controllable manufacturing of key technologies and equipment for high-density interconnect packaging of high-performance chips, making outstanding contributions to the rapid development of China's electronic manufacturing industry.

In the pharmaceutical and health industry, the key technology and application of the research model of classic prescriptions and the discovery of contraindications in traditional Chinese medicine compatibility, which was completed with the participation of Buchang Pharmaceutical, won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. The project took nearly 20 years to complete, creating the first domestic and international platform for the warning system of traditional Chinese medicine combined use. It provides researchers with professional query and safety warning services for over 10000 times, serving clinical safe and effective medication.

Intensive research and development of deep energy storage

The flourishing technological achievements are a microcosm of the new leap in China's strategic high-tech field. Behind this, more and more listed companies are constantly increasing their research and development efforts, providing deep energy for the upgrading and development of their own enterprises and industrial chains. Taking the Shanghai Stock Exchange as an example, the compound growth rates of R&D investment in industries such as transportation, steel, and public utilities in the past three years were 20%, 13%, and 21%, respectively. However, the average R&D investment in industries such as construction decoration, petroleum and petrochemical, and non-ferrous metals exceeded 500 million yuan.

The key technologies and applications of China National Offshore Oil Corporation's "Deep Sea No.1" ultra deep water atmospheric field development project, as well as the theoretical and technological innovation and major discoveries of deep oil and gas exploration in the Bohai extensional strike slip composite fault zone, won the first and second prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2023. The "Deep Sea No.1" project has gone through more than 10 years of research and practice, innovating four core technologies such as "inner tank" column oil storage, developing the world's first 100000 ton semi submersible production and storage platform, and building a 1500 meter deep "Deep Sea No.1" ultra deep water atmospheric field demonstration project, leading the development of China's deepwater oil and gas equipment industry chain, making China the third country in the world to have the ability to independently develop ultra deep water oil and gas.

The offshore wind power industry chain is a cluster of high-end technological innovation, which can lead and radiate the development of high-end equipment manufacturing industry, and form a large-scale industrial cluster through industrial supporting combinations. After more than a decade of technological breakthroughs, equipment iteration and upgrading, and engineering practice, the above-mentioned companies have independently innovated a series of new offshore wind power infrastructure, established a theoretical and technical system for designing offshore wind power in complex marine environments, solved the safety problems of complex offshore wind power structures under strong wind, wave, and ice effects, and promoted the large-scale development and industrialization of offshore wind power.

The reporter noticed that with the empowerment of technologies such as sea and land wind power and photovoltaic power generation, the new pattern of green energy industry is accelerating, and listed companies are accelerating their development towards "green" in terms of technological innovation. The "Complete Technology and Equipment for Safe and Efficient Development of Offshore Wind Power and Industrialization" project completed by Three Gorges Energy, Huadian Heavy Industry, Dongfang Electric, China Communications Construction, China Electric Power Construction, and Mingyang Intelligence has won the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2023.

The offshore wind power industry chain is a cluster of high-end technological innovation, which can lead and radiate the development of high-end equipment manufacturing industry, and form a large-scale industrial cluster through industrial supporting combinations. After more than a decade of technological breakthroughs, equipment iteration and upgrading, and engineering practice, the above-mentioned companies have independently innovated a series of new offshore wind power infrastructure, established a theoretical and technical system for designing offshore wind power in complex marine environments, solved the safety problems of complex offshore wind power structures under strong wind, wave, and ice effects, and promoted the large-scale development and industrialization of offshore wind power.

It is worth mentioning that with the development needs of the new energy industry, there are also abundant innovative achievements in the related industry chain fields such as lithium batteries. In the 2023 National Science and Technology Progress Award, the "Development of New Equipment for Lithium Battery Precursor Reaction Crystallization and Intelligent Manufacturing of High end Positive Electrode Materials" project participated by Huayou Cobalt Industry and other units, the "Core Technology and Equipment for Precision Manufacturing of Large Capacity Lithium ion Batteries" project participated by BYD, Yiwei Lithium Energy and other units, and the "Full Process Optimization of Lithium Battery Solid Waste Efficient and Low Carbon Treatment Technology and Application" project participated by Ningde Times and other units won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award.

Capital markets accurately empower technological innovation

In the view of industry insiders, the active expansion of innovation boundaries and the flourishing emergence of technological achievements by listed companies cannot be separated from the support of the capital market.

"In today's development of new productive forces, the capital market plays an irreplaceable role in guiding various resource elements to gather towards technological innovation, facilitating the virtuous cycle of technology, industry, and capital, and empowering new productive forces to play a greater role." said Tian Lihui, Dean of the Financial Development Research Institute of Nankai University.

In recent years, the capital market has continuously deepened reforms, vigorously promoted key institutional innovations, optimized financing structures, guided the gathering of factor resources in the field of scientific and technological innovation, and better played the role of serving high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement, continuously improving the quality and efficiency of serving new productive forces.

On April 19th, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) issued the "Sixteen Measures for Capital Markets to Serve the High level Development of Technology Enterprises" (hereinafter referred to as the "Sixteen Measures for Science and Technology Enterprises"), which provide comprehensive support to technology enterprises in terms of listing, mergers and acquisitions, bond issuance, equity incentives, medium - and long-term capital entry, private equity investment, and multi-level capital market construction. It emphasizes the precise identification of technology enterprises, improves the "green channel" of the entire chain, studies the establishment of storage and issuance systems on the Science and Technology Innovation Board and the Growth Enterprise Board, and strengthens the precise support of the bond market for technology innovation.

Only two months later, on June 19th, the China Securities Regulatory Commission released the "Eight Measures for Deepening the Reform of the Science and Technology Innovation Board to Serve Technology Innovation and the Development of New Qualities and Productivity" (hereinafter referred to as the "Eight Measures for the Science and Technology Innovation Board"), strengthening the positioning of the "hard technology" of the Science and Technology Innovation Board, supporting high-quality unprofitable technology-based enterprises with key core technologies, great market potential, and outstanding science and technology innovation attributes to list on the board, optimizing the pricing mechanism for new stock issuances, and piloting a unified implementation of a 3% maximum price exclusion ratio. This is the latest progress in accurately empowering the development of new quality and productivity in the capital market.

"Both the 'Sixteen Measures for Science and Technology Enterprises' and the' Eight Measures for Science and Technology Innovation Board 'fully reflect the determination of current financial policies to support technological innovation and the development of new productive forces. At the same time, the China Securities Regulatory Commission stated that it will dynamically evaluate and optimize relevant institutional rules, form replicable and promotable experiences, and then steadily and orderly promote them to other market sectors, continuously enhancing the function of capital markets in serving high-level technological self-reliance and the development of new productive forces." said Hu Yuwei, Chief Policy Analyst of CITIC Securities.

The China Securities Journal reporter learned that the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the exchange will promote 16 measures to serve technology enterprises in the capital market, as well as the gradual implementation of the "Eight Measures for the Science and Technology Innovation Board", to comprehensively and stereoscopically play the functions of listing financing, mergers and acquisitions, bond issuance, private equity investment, and provide more powerful support for the development of new productive forces.

In terms of stimulating enthusiasm for technological innovation, China's capital market continuously injects vitality into enterprise technological innovation by continuously improving its institutional system. For example, the "Eight Articles of the Science and Technology Innovation Board" proposed to improve the equity incentive system. Improve the accuracy of equity incentives and better align interests with investors.

The capital market will better serve new productive forces and also strengthen patient capital. It is understood that in the next step, the China Securities Regulatory Commission will take multiple measures to guide private equity venture capital funds to provide high-quality services for new productivity. Specific measures include implementing the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Private Equity Investment Funds, accelerating the revision of supporting systems such as the Interim Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Private Equity Investment Funds, and providing more solid rule guarantees for private equity venture capital funds to serve new productive forces. Cooperate with the National Development and Reform Commission to formulate and issue policy documents to support entrepreneurial investment, and ensure the implementation of relevant policy documents and rules, strengthen patient capital, and better serve scientific and technological innovation and the real economy. Enrich product types, cultivate a professional team of institutional investors such as Zhuang Da Mu Fund, M&A Fund, and S Fund, and fully leverage the role of private equity venture capital funds in serving the real economy and technological innovation.

It is worth noting that on June 26th, the State Council Information Office held a routine briefing on State Council policies, in which multiple departments introduced relevant information on "Several Policy Measures to Promote High Quality Development of Entrepreneurship and Investment" and answered questions from reporters. The China Securities News reporter learned from the press conference that the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments to improve work mechanisms, strengthen overall coordination, and introduce supporting measures to form a comprehensive system to support the high-quality development of entrepreneurial investment; The State Administration for Financial Regulation will continue to optimize the rules for the use of insurance funds, study the upper limit of the proportion of insurance funds invested in venture capital funds, and better guide insurance funds and relevant asset management institutions to increase the allocation of venture capital funds under the premise of compliance with the law and controllable risks; The China Securities Regulatory Commission is conducting a pilot project for the physical distribution of stocks in private equity venture capital funds, allowing the distribution of listed company stocks held to investors through non trading transfer methods, and will continue to maintain smooth overseas listing channels; The State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council will strengthen communication and coordination with relevant departments, and provide greater support to central enterprise venture capital funds in relaxing scale restrictions, increasing investment ratios, focusing on overall performance and long-term return assessment, and clarifying due diligence, exemption, and fault tolerance conditions.

In the view of industry insiders, the above measures will form a synergy in promoting high-quality development of entrepreneurial investment, and the capital market will accurately empower technological innovation at a higher level.

Source: China Securities Journal