UK-Shanghai collaborations: pioneering businesses win funding

28 Sep 2017 02:48 PM

10 UK and 10 Chinese companies will partner on innovative manufacturing, smart cities and healthcare projects.

Innovate UK and the Science and Technology Department of Shanghai Municipality (STCSM) will fund UK and Shanghai companies to work together on joint innovation projects. This is to create new collaborations in global growth sectors and support further business development opportunities between the 2 countries.

The funding comes from a joint UK-Shanghai competition for:

Smart overseas collaboration

Winning projects include:

Dr Ruth McKernan, Innovate UK’s Chief Executive, said:

Collaboration is essential to innovation and through this competition we are backing some exceptional UK businesses to work with partners in Shanghai and take advantage of the opportunity to help shape the future of global technology.

Working together

The projects were given the go-ahead this week during a joint signing by senior officials. This included Innovate UK’s Deputy Chief Executive, Kevin Baughan, and STCSM’s Zhang Weimin, Vice Chairman, He Shangyan, Deputy Director – International Cooperation Department and Xu Jin, Director of Administrative Office.

Also in attendance were He Jun, Director General of Shanghai Consulting & Academic Activities Center for Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Ma MingGeng, First Secretary (Science and Technology) at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, and Shao Sili, Deputy Director of Shanghai Technology Market Management Office.

Innovate UK's Ewa Bloch Kevin Baughan and Katrina Heyter

Innovate UK's Ewa Bloch Kevin Baughan and Katrina Heyter.

Understanding the market

The UK and China are increasingly working together as strategic partners. In September 2016, the UK was chosen as Country of Honour at the Pujiang Innovation Forum, China’s leading innovation conference. Science Ministers of the UK and China, Jo Johnson and Wan Gang, both attended.

One of the world’s largest ‘super cities’, Shanghai has a population of 22.7 million and GDP of 320 billion. It is home to 55 major universities and colleges, 33 State Key Laboratories, 11 Chinese Academy of Science Institutes and 2 high-tech industrial zones.

Search for funding.

Sign up to be alerted of new competitions and events with Innovate UK.